The ‘Guaranteed Removal’ Myth
Reputation management is a critical component of digital marketing and online branding.
Complaints, lawsuits, private information or negative reviews found on Google search can harm the potential of any brand or individual – and more and more people are turning to online reputation management to resolve this.
Unfortunately, there are several myths in the space. Particularly, the “guaranteed removal” of unwanted content on Google.
In this article, we’ll take a look at reputation management, why internet removal services have become a popular option and dispel myths around this strategy.
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What is Online Reputation Management?
Before getting into the myths of “internet removals”, it is useful to understand what Online Reputation Management (ORM) is.
ORM is a strategy built to suppress or remove content from search results. Both individuals and brands alike are subject to negative results that may appear in search engines like Google.
Common unwanted content includes ‘revenge porn’, local or national news stories, and government lawsuits that paint a person or business in a negative light.
Data brokers also publish personal information online, allowing unwanted eyes on addresses, email accounts, phone numbers, and relatives.
Suppression vs. Content Removal
The reputation management standard, for many years, has been content suppression. When done correctly, this does the following:
- Suppress unwanted websites to page 2 and 3
- Build positive sentiment
- Control information about your brand online
Content removal, or “Guaranteed Removals”, is a service that promises to remove content from from the internet for a fee. In removing a piece of content from a website, it is no longer visible on Google.
Reputation Repair and Brand Building
There are many techniques used by service providers to achieve the desired results, including proprietary strategies, but the main focus is to present positive, rich, and relevant web content that search engines pick up, then rank at or near the top of search results pages (SERPs).
By doing so, any negative online content is pushed downward, even disappearing from first-page SERPs altogether.
Imagine that you own a company that provides a product or service. Your business does well and ranks highly in search results. Now, imagine that a disgruntled customer or a former employee starts to post negative reviews about the goods or services you provide.
These negative reviews get picked up by search engines and appear in search results, and may even drive potential customers away when those customers read the negative information. A misstep in business practices, such as a lawsuit or a defective product, can also harm your company’s online reputation, particularly if that information is shared by news media outlets and social media platforms.
Rebuilding Your Online Brand
It is no secret that your online brand must look great to reach your personal or professional goals.
Historically, the go-to choice for repairing an online reputation is suppressing articles from the top of search results.
By investing in and applying branding-building strategies, your name or business can rebuild and improve positive sentiment as negative content falls off the first page.
Even if your company is not plagued with negative reviews or unflattering search results, the principles of ORM can still build your brand to appear authoritative, relevant, and trusted.
Proactive brand management, or building a positive reputation before unwanted content hits Google search, is always recommended. It is never a bad idea to receive a professional reputation analysis to identify the needs of your online image.
Internet Removals
Other customers choose internet removals. This involves paying a company to take down unwanted content found on search engines.
Scrubbing content from the net, or the process of content removals, sounds great. In theory, it can help make private information, such as an email address, impossible to find on the web.
However, data brokers who expose private information online is one thing. Another is having information removed from news stations, government websites, and even social media. Online content is not as easy to remove as one may think.
Continue reading to discover the flaws of the content removal method and our recommendation for reputation repair.
Are “Guaranteed Removals” Even a Thing?
There are hundreds of digital marketing firms in the United States that offer reputation management services. There are even firms that specialize in it.
Many internet removal agencies have popped up on the scene in the past few years. Their websites clearly state that they can, and will, remove any unwanted materials from the web. Some even boast the “guaranteed removal” of content from Google search results.
Despite this trend, the fact is that “guaranteed removal” of internet content is a myth, and often these content removal efforts are counterproductive to restoring your reputation online.
There are several things that content removal companies don’t want you to know about this strategy.
1. It simply isn’t true
A given website is under no obligation to remove negative content unless that content is found to be slanderous, inaccurate, or without merit. Submitting takedown requests to a website posting negative information may work, but it is fairly unlikely.
Without a successful takedown request and the good graces of the posting website, the negative information can still be found in search results.
In simple terms: No company can guarantee the removal of negative content, even though many do make such claims.
2. It isn’t a sustainable practice
Reputation managers may be able to have the offending content removed from a given website, sure. But anyone can re-post the negative information on another site with a few clicks of the mouse. If that information appears on another website, Google can still index and rank it.
What’s the point of spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars to manage your reputation, only to have the negative information reappear somewhere else on the Web?
3. You have no control over your search results
Imagine the stress caused by constantly worrying that negative reviews or information will resurface online. Without sound (and legitimate) practices, your company’s reputation is at the mercy of anyone with Internet access.
Read more on the importance of “controlling” your search results.
4. There is typically more than one negative information source out there
Reputation managers may focus on ‘removing’ one or two of negative search results.
But what about the 7-9 other results on the first page? Are those negative? Will you be getting them ALL removed? How will those negative results impact your business prospects?
Overall, it is important to ask yourself these questions before considering content removal.
Click here to get a complementary reputation analysis.
Is ‘Standard’ Reputation Management a Better Method?
We have discussed why removing content from Google is a poor idea.
So what is the best solution to negative online image issues?
Let us get into why standard online reputation management, or SERM (Search Engine Reputation Management), is a better investment.
Improve positive sentiment
With proactive efforts, you can control the sentiment around your name or brand in search results. Instead of deleting a few articles, you can permanently push them far from visibility and direct users to places like your website, podcast, or social media pages.
Build your brand
With more positivity (or, lack of negativity) on the first page of Google, there is an opportunity to grow your personal or business reputation and branding.
Control your search results
Proactive reputation management has one objective: To control the first page of search results. Having control over online information is more important than ever.
Create a barrier from negative content in the future
Proactive efforts also help prevent negativity from reaching page one in the future. Google begins to put great trust in your brand pages. If done correctly and thoroughly, most unwanted content in the future will not be visible in your organic search results.
Increase visibility for your name & brand
Brand building, a component of ORM, does increase the visibility of your name. Promotions, content building, sharing, and more allow for positive sentiment to be seen across the internet. This opens the door for future opportunities in online communities and networking.
Open the door for connections & engagement
Many individuals we have worked with enjoy a new professional life with a clean online reputation. It is truly priceless to be in control of your reputation online.
This is, of course, if you select an honest, trustworthy company or consultant who understands modern SEO and online reputation management.
Tips for Selecting an Online Reputation Management Company
Here are some things to consider when evaluating online reputation management services:
Do they have the skill?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical component of reputation management. Unfortunately, some of the larger ORM firms do not have the skills nor the understanding needed to apply SEO industry best practices on their clients’ campaigns, wasting time and money on efforts that don’t produce favorable results. It is crucial that the firm has an understanding of the latest algorithms and how it impacts reputation management.
Big players vs. smaller players.
Larger companies typically equal higher costs, lower quality, and less communication. Smaller firms, on the other hand, tend to be more responsive to their clients, delivering results at lower costs.
Don’t fall for ‘proprietary software’.
Dedicated large ORM firms often portray themselves as industry leaders with proprietary software and strategies. While such proprietary software does exist, and it can be extremely valuable, the fact of the matter is: Search engines are continually refining their search algorithms.
Are those proprietary software platforms and strategies keeping up with the changes? Each campaign has dozens of variables; a well-rounded strategy is essential. You can’t just rely on some “game-changing” software.
Read online reviews.
Some of the most prominent ORM firms have dismal reviews. One of the so-called “industry leaders” in ORM has dozens of negative reviews, with reviewers claiming exploitation, breach of privacy, aggressive marketing, poor results, and many other negative factors.
Smaller digital marketing operations, on the other hand, tend to work harder than their giant corporate counterparts, delivering solid results and gaining many satisfied customers in the process.
With these factors in mind, it is easier than ever before to evaluate a potential ORM service provider. Don’t believe the myths or the hype; the real key to success is finding a company that uses proven methods and can produce measurable results.
Year-long contracts.
Every reputation management campaign is different. Sometimes the campaign will take 60 days. Sometimes it will take 2 years. Be wary of locking yourself into a contract. Ask several different online reputation companies for an honest timeframe assessment.
Try Us Out
Faced with high expenses, poor results, and awful reviews from the big names, many brands wonder where to turn for RM services.
The answer? Universal Business Reputation. Our small, agile firm believes in delivering outstanding service with an emphasis on client communication and transparency.
We are a month-to-month service – we don’t operate on contracts. Earning your business each month is very important to us.
Our Difference
At Universal Business Reputation, our team is adept at helping people recover their online reputations. Using a variety of proven strategies, including digital marketing, link-building, and content development, our experts have a long track record of successes for our clients. Our expertise is why so many people have chosen us for online reputation management services. We’ve worked with both individuals and businesses, and produce the results you need at competitive prices. Our team is small, giving us the ability to remain flexible and respond quickly to online flak.
It all begins with a thorough assessment of your existing online reputation. Our team analyzes search results and ranking on the major search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. With the information uncovered in this detailed analysis, we can formulate a reputation management strategy that performs beyond expectations. And, our team is highly experienced with SEO, the core of successful digital marketing. We stay abreast of industry developments to leverage the incredible power of SEO – even as search engines evolve over time.
Our team works hard to push negative content and negative search results down in rankings. We replace that negative content with positive, relevant articles and content about you, your brand, or your company. This is the perfect opportunity to enhance your online reputation with desired information. Information that positively describes YOU.
As efficiently as possible, our reputation management experts can recover and restore the reputation that means so much to you. Universal Business Reputation’s methods and practices are sustainable, making us the best choice for long-term success in building your brand, controlling your reputation, and improving your ability to attract new customers. Read more about our RM services.
