So, you have searched out all of the web pages that
make your company look…less than perfect, and you would like to remove
them. The problems of online reputation
could be classified into two categories.
There are those that one can adjust oneself and those that are the
result of other people.
So let’s examine the ones where you can delete the pages or photos in
question.
Examples: old personal page, published accounts via social networking,
forums, mis-typed comments, old policies, old offers, incorrect information
Delete the original document that gives you trouble,
get rid of the web page if you must.
Check that the document/web page is deleted (by
clicking on the link, you should see a page "404 error". If it was not the case, then check what
message the server returns.
Often you can remove your comments, articles, posts
and blogs from host sites, either through sending a request to the web master,
or manually, as most modern sites give you the option to delete such items.
The processing of page deletion is automated, so you
have not really deleted a page when the (404) message comes up. You have simply scheduled it for possible
deletion, and then forbidden Google and your host servers to show it, which is
done by robots or via a "noindex" tag, placed in the html document
you wish to ban/delete.
Now let’s examine a situation where you do not have the authority to
remove it from Google.
Examples: News, publications, social networks, microblogging, other user
web pages
There are very few servers, hosts, webmasters and
search engines out there that are itching to remove one person’s content at the
request of another. Google especially
are not fans of this, but there is still a chance to remove it from the Google
index if you are in any of the following:
If your name/company is in the results that should be
filtered when SafeSearch is turned on.
This in not really a good thing though, as you can imagine unless you
are in the adult industry.
If specific information about you is accessible, such
as: Social security number , identity card number, passport number, credit card
number, bank account details or image of your handwritten signature
If your copyright is violated. In this case, you can
appeal through a DMCA request (in America only), or file for a court order for
its removal (everywhere else).
You may also take legal action if you believe the page
is tantamount to libel or defamation, although this is expensive.
If you can prove that they are breaking Google rules,
then it may be removed; things such as hiding keyword spam or deliberately
hosting viruses.
The document is online (tucked away on the internet)
so that, in terms of Google, you have no right to demand its removal and Google
have no reason to ban it from indexing on their search engine.
The only solution is to promote your digital identity
to make it evolve into something other than what Google returns on your behalf
at the moment. For this course, there
are agencies but it is also a job you can do yourself. You must simply make the “good press” about
you, rank higher in the search engine results than the “negative/bad press”.
The author of this post is a top marketing expert who can be found here - Circle Brandon in Google Plus Now
Go here to read more reputation management articles.
