Everyone wants to know – “Can I make Google remove that negative search result or review about my company?”

For a company, online reputation is extremely important. Prime Advertising has seen firsthand, how scary it can be for our clients that have negative, business deterring content associated with their Google search results. How can you combat this? Can you ask Google to remove those bad results? In short: Not without a court order, according to Subtractme.com.

“There is a very thin line between opinion and slander, which is why Google prefers not to get involved,” says Subtractme.com. Proof of defamation can be a lengthy and expensive legal process, but there is another tactic that can be taken – the “Crowd it Out” approach. The basic idea of this approach is to crowd out the negative content with new, positive content that will also appear in Google searches. This new content can come from:

• Your website
• A sub-domain
• Blog
• Press releases
• Social media pages
• Industry publications or forums
• Online local business listings

What about removing negative reviews from local business listing directories like Google+ Local or Yelp? Like the previous scenario, the answer is no. The goal of any search engine is to provide users with the most comprehensive, complete overview of their search term, which unfortunately for some businesses, includes negative reviews. However, you can combat negative reviews in a pro-active way.

• Respond to the negative review. Address the problem directly and lead with an apology. Keep the response, brief, non-defensive and end on a positive note. This will show users that although a customer had a bad experience, the company is taking the initiative to make things right.
• Crowd out the bad with good. Encourage several customers to offset the negative review with their positive reviews.

For more information on protecting your online reputation, responding to negative reviews or creating online content, contact Prime Advertising & Design at 763-315-6450 or send us an email to learn more.