Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Bright Past
As an individual or a business owner, you may have Googled your name and discovered negative reviews or articles at the top of the search results. This may have you concerned about your reputation and that of your company. Whether an item is true or not is less important than the impact it has on potential clients. If you need tips to remove article from Google, the following guide will help.
Why Negativity Ranks So Well
It takes many years of hard work to build a reputation and only one negative article to destroy it. When something negative is published with your name or the name of your business, it will likely rank higher than other positive properties that have been around for a long time. This happens for three key reasons:
- The number of clicks. This is the top ranking factor because the more a link is clicked, the higher it will index in search results. When someone searches for your company or your name, they will click on the negative item rather than an official Facebook or LinkedIn profile. This will place the item on page one.
- The authority of the domain. All sites on the web have “domain authority” or a trust level with the public. The higher the authority, the better the rank. News websites are highly trusted sources by search engines, which is why negative articles quickly appear in the top results.
- How viral the link is. Negative news tends to go viral because of forums, blogs and social media reposts and shares. When many sites are linking to the item, Google sees it as having value and assigns it a high rank.
Removal Options
If you find yourself dealing with a negative search result, there are three approaches to resolve the issue:
- Removal. You can request that an administrator or editor remove the item from their website. If they agree, the link will disappear from search results, and your work to remove article from Google is done.
- De-indexing. When a news story is de-indexed, its link will no longer appear in search results even though the article still exists. This is a good second defense when a removal request fails. It is the lack of visibility that matters.
- Redaction. In some cases, a publication may agree to remove your company or personal name from a negative news item. This request works best if you were a crime victim or if you were not the main subject of the article. Once your name has been removed, the link will eventually disappear from the search results.
How to Remove Negative Items
While new sites rarely remove articles, there is a small chance they will agree to do so. The right strategy matters.
- Document all URLs and their rankings
- Search the article title to see all of the places it has been posted
- Contact the journalist who wrote the article or the websites where it is published
- Always make your request in a respectful manner for the best results
- Use lack of relevance to your advantage when requesting the removal of an older article
It should be noted that you will likely have only one chance at getting the negative item taken down. If you are not sure how to proceed, you should hire an online reputation manager for assistance.
Suppressing Negative Articles
Another way to combat negativity is suppression. This is when the negative item is pushed down in Google results to the point where it will not be found. You can accomplish this by doing the following:
- Creating positive profiles and posting to them frequently
- Starting a blog with fresh, high-quality content
- Publishing press releases, interviews, podcasts and videos
- Refreshing existing content, such as a Facebook page or LinkedIn profile
- Being a guest blogger on reputable websites
When you need to remove article from Google, BrightPast has the experience and tools to get your reputation back on track. Call 800-921-9704 for a consultation or visit the website to explore your options.