If you came across this post while looking for information on how to bury negative Google search results, then already have a basic understanding of how reputation management works. As a result, you’re almost certainly also aware that completely removing negative content from Google is practically impossible in most circumstances.
Suppressing negative search results in the SERPs is the most efficient strategy to improve your online reputation. In other words, burying those search results where they won’t be found. Which, as the (now old) joke goes, is on Page 2 of Google.
How? When you promote relevant, positive content, you will push unwanted results right off page one to page two (or three or four) where they are far less likely to be found, as who bothers to look that far?
Before we get into the best tactics for burying Google search results – and we will – let’s take a closer look at why doing so is important.
Why Bad Search Results Need to Go
Because your brand’s reputation directly affects your bottom line, it’s critical to bury bad Google search results, and to do so effectively and in a sustained way. Even a single unfavorable search result might derail a brand’s otherwise positive image.
More than ever before, consumers rely on Google to inform them who they should do business with. Furthermore, the first organic search result on Google receives an average of 31.7 percent of the searchers for a given keyword, a keyword like your company name. On the other hand, just about 1% of Google searchers read content from the second page of search results. This demonstrates Google’s enormous influence on customers’ business decisions.
As a result,
Burying Vs. Removing Google Search Results
It’s practically impossible to get rid of Google’s search results completely. There are only a few instances where this is even possible. And usually the procedure for doing so is lengthy and frequently leads to a dead end.
It’s also worth noting that even if a webmaster complies with your request for removal, you could still need to remove the negative links from Google’s index. However, this only works if the content is no longer available.
So, the short answer is yes, you can remove undesirable search results from Google in some instances. However, most negative search results are more likely to need to be pushed down.
Burying Google Search Results – The Basics
To bury negative search results, you must first highlight positive brand content. This is accomplished through a combination of reputation management and search engine optimization strategies. But what is the difference anyway?
Online Reputation Management (ORM) vs. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The practice of ranking a single domain for several keywords is known as search engine optimization (SEO). By contrast, online reputation management (ORM) ranks a large number of websites for a small number of branded keywords.
In other words, ORM leverages SEO principles to manage the overall narrative of your search engine results, thereby shaping brand sentiment. But it isn’t only about repairing tarnished reputations. ORM also aids brands in keeping an eye on the SERP for undiscovered threats, preventing future occurrences, and assessing reputational risk.
And, just like SEO, you won’t be able to achieve long-term benefits unless you invest time, effort, and knowledge.
If you want to get rid of unfavorable reviews or news stories from Google, you may only have one option: use ORM to push negative search results down. This strategy encompasses a set of tactics, each of which contributes to the online reputation puzzle.
1. Create a plan to change the narrative.
Developing a reputation management strategy is the first step in burying bad search results. Your search engine results are a telling story about your brand. They are often the first impression that potential customers have of your company, and they can play a major role in influencing purchasing decisions. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that your story is one that you’re proud of,” says Mike Jackowski, Managing Director of Veautie.
SEO experts, digital marketing strategists, content editors, outreach specialists to establish backlinks, and project managers must all work together to create this approach.
2. Improve the search performance of your primary website
Although it may seem obvious, many digital marketing tactics overlook ORM when optimizing domain names and web pages. The majority of business owners are more concerned with non-branded SEO than with their reputation. And, while they have a lot in common, there are some crucial differences when it comes to optimizing a website for branded searches. For instance, you’ll have to:
- Optimize your brand’s page names and meta descriptions.
If you provide products and services, optimize a web page on your site for reviews.
Create content that ranks for other branded search keywords and optimize it. You can use DropInBlog for Wix, a seamless and quick integration that allows you to embed the blog on your site within minutes.
3. Add more web properties to your portfolio.
On Google’s first page, there are usually ten listings. To push down negative search results, it will take much more than a website and a Twitter account. To effectively suppress unfavorable search results and enhance positive brand recognition, you’ll need lots of online properties. Having control over the material on these websites ensures that it is positive and promotes the things you want people to see.
A charity, a corporate social responsibility effort, subdomains, microsites for promotions, and certainly a blog are all good options for satellite websites.
4. Create a social media presence that is active and relevant.
Many C-suite executives are overworked and unable to maintain many social media accounts due to a lack of time or resources. It can take hours to monitor each profile for acceptable user involvement on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and LinkedIn alone. Social media accounts, on the other hand, are an important aspect of your reputation management strategy.
Take control of your profiles by claiming them and optimizing them. Also, aggressively engage with customers and thought leaders in your field by posting and interacting with them. And if you don’t have the time, enlist help – expert help.
5. Publish material that is highly targeted, optimized, and of high quality.
Google’s algorithm is constantly crawling the internet in search of new information to meet the needs of searchers. After each crawl, the search engine indexes and arranges content based on relevance. The more stuff Google finds on a given subject, the more likely it is to consider that subject to be relevant. As a result, whether you like it or not, Google will continue to serve that content.
Producing highly-targeted, customized content to sway the narrative in your favor is your best line of defense. In order to write engaging and quality content that Google appreciates, you can use Editpad an online text editor and platform. You can write content on it and use its other tools to check the content quality. It is an all-in-one platform for you.
6. Make press releases more effective
Another essential reputation management strategy is press release optimization. It’s a highly specialized skill to know what kind of information is noteworthy and promoteable. This is especially true when writing press releases in the aftermath of a PR disaster or a negative, viral news cycle. However, making sure your press releases are optimized to rank for your brand in Google is crucial.
7. Use SEO to find and promote beneficial material.
The final stage in suppressing unfavorable search results is to examine the search engine ecosystem for any opportunities to enhance your business or personal brand. Positive reviews, news pieces, ally alliances, and other written content that appropriately depicts the nature of your company and executives are examples of positive content to be on the lookout for.
Because new sites and material appear in the SERPS on a regular basis, this is an ongoing process that demands a careful eye. As a result, you’ll need a seasoned SEO analyst to conduct the required research and then guide the creation of the backlinks, mentions, social posts that will promote other people’s great content about you to your advantage.
8. Understand This All Takes Time and Get Started!
You can’t bury negative Google results in a day, or a week. Doing so takes time. But then again, so does anything in the online space. SEO, building a great social media presence, great PR. However, because that negative stuff is out there right now, you need to get your ORM campaign started right now too.
Need to bury Google search results that are affecting your brand reputation – and your bottom line? Pearl Lemon can help. Our diverse ORM team is made up of all those experts we mentioned earlier – SEO experts, content creators, social media experts, PR professionals and more – and they are ready to get to work for you. Contact us here to learn more.
