Online Reputation Management
Q: Help! Someone posted defamatory information about me and it's on the 1st page in the Google search results for my first and last name! What's the first thing I can do to make this go away quickly?!
A: Take a deep breath and calm down! It can be extremely nerve wracking and even downright shocking the first time you see the negative information your attackers have posted about you. The worst thing you can do is to instantly log on to the offending website/blog/forum and reply back. Reputation management is kind of like a chess game: You need to think ahead and plan each move very carefully. If you did reply back to the negative comment, you risk "bumping" up the thread in the Google search results, or even worse you could say things that you might make the situation even worse.
Q: What should you ideally expect from a reputation management campaign?
A: The offending website or websites will be "pushed down" from the first (and second) pages in the Google search results for your first and last name, or the name of your business.
Q: How quickly does reputation management work?
A: Each case is unique to itself. Some problems can be solved quicker and easier than others. Generally speaking, an attack on someone's reputation is not done by a professional. It is usually done out of spite and/or anger and the attacker usually makes several mistakes in their quest for online revenge. These mistakes can be exploited to your benefit and turn a negative into something good. A general rule of thumb is you should engage your reputation management anywhere from 4-8 months, 6 months being the average.
Q: Can you completely remove a negative or offensive website from the Google search results.
A: Short story: No. Long story: Yes.
There are certain situations wherein you can file a request with Google to have a site with negative information removed from their index. Plagiarism is one and "illegal content" is another one (illegal in the sense of the law). Generally speaking, most people with reputation management issues don't fall into this category. Depending on which country you live in, you can sometimes lobby a local magistrate or judge to intervene on your behalf and order the company that hosts the offensive website to take it down.
Q: Are all reputation management companies the same?
A: Yes and no. Yes in the sense that while each company may have their own set of proprietary practices, they generally all use the same tips and techniques. The one area that separates a good reputation management company from a great reputation management company are their employees. In almost all instances, "good" reputation management companies will outsource the daily work to India or the Philippines, which can cause major problems. These "outsourced workers" usually solicit their services on sites like Craigslist and spammy emails. They are willing to work for as little as $2/hour. While this may sound like a cost effective way of doing business, it can actually come back to bite you. These outsourced employees have no direct management. They are usually individuals working from their basement or apartment. As such you have no control over the quality of the work that they are doing. In fact, they could actually make the situation worse by posting well-meaning comments on the negative or offensive website.
A great SEO company has in-house employees that are passionate about SEO and reputation management. These individuals are highly motivated and seek out new and intelligent ways of solving problems.
If you feel that your reputation has been harmed or defamed, pick up the phone and call us for a no obligation assessment of your situation. We will also give you several actions that you can take prior to engaging the services of a reputation management firm. Your confidentiality and security are of the utmost concern and work hard to ensure complete and total discretion.