Anyone who has an online presence is at risk of inaccurate information, harmful information or simply unwanted personal information about them floating around on the Internet.
And, for anyone in the public eye or who wants to protect their online reputation, these kind of Google search results can be a real problem.
From impacting sales and consumer decisions to causing embarrassment to an individual, there are loads of reasons why negative content can adversely affect people and brands alike.
What does a Google web search say about you or your business?
If you've never done so, check search results for your name right now and see whether you're happy with the first couple of pages of the search results.
If there's something on there that should be private, personal contact information you'd rather wasn't there, or private information you want to remove, then you're going to need to know how.
Top Strategies For Removing Content from Google
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How to spot and remove fake reviews
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Why would you want to remove content from Google search results or other search engines?
If you're wondering why Google search results matter so much, it's worth knowing that just over two-thirds of us trust search engines when we research an organisation or brand.
This is reason enough for said organisation or brand to want to remove any negative search results that might show up.
Content from Google could be an online review site or negative content on a news website. Whatever the content is, people want to know how to go about the removal process.
What people see on a web page about an organisation or individual matters
Just 5% of people will bother to look further than the first page if any search results. So, if negative content is linked on that initial search, then it's more likely than not that they will look elsewhere with their buying decisions.
Right To Be Forgotten
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Statistics that show the importance of online reputation
- Around 85% of consumers say they trust online reviews just as much as they trust a friend's recommendation.
- Just under half say they look for a brand name with at least a four-star rating on review sites before spending money with them.
- Just under two thirds simply turn away from a business that is negatively reviewed.
All of this demonstrates just how much search results matter, and why many people want to request removal of these negative links.
Why search engines are such a powerful tool for online reputation
Google search results are predicated on refreshed, renewed and content that gets a lot of clicks.
This is why negative content tends to rank higher than generally benign coverage about a brand, business or individual.
And if the brand, business or individual engages with the content - for example, by responding to a negative review - this simply refreshes the content and ensures it places even higher in results from search engines.
In a worst case scenario, just one bad review or one article containing negative content could be enough to turn consumers away.
Taking control of removing content from Google search
As we've seen, negative or unwanted content can badly affect your personal and professional reputation.
Not only can it impact the bottom line for an organisation, but personal information or private information can also impact career progression and job searches. Don't forget that employers are pretty much guaranteed to run your details through Google search before making an offer.
Given the importance of search results and just how much and outdated or negative news story on a web page can damage you, the focus shifts to removal requests and how to manage search engine results in your favour.
Is it as simple as making a removal request directly to a website owner?
In theory, this approach can work. It is possible to make a removal request to a website owner and simply ask them to either remove personally identifiable information about you or delete the given page.
Are they likely to do so? In our experience as professional reputation managers with years of experience, the short answer is 'no'.
Often, the owner of a web page, site or the content itself is highly unlikely to respond to this kind of request positively. This is largely because, as the author or owner of the content itself, we must assume they have a reason to have published it on their website in the first place.
Content removal is possible but unlikely via a direct request to the content owner
To make this work, it's vital to understand their motivation behind the content before you request removal. Explaining its impact on Google's search results for your brand or name could result in the removal request being honoured, but it's highly unlikely.
We've already touched on reasons why this strategy could backfire in the same way that responding to negative content online can too.
For example, if a content removal request is made to the owner of the website to remove information, they may simply decide to publish this request and create more content.
New or refreshed content ranks higher on Google
This is seen as refreshed content by Google, and often the blog, URL or link will be boosted even higher up the search engine results. In other words, not only could removal requests like this backfire, but they could also actually make the problem worse.
If personal relationships have been established with the content owner, then it's feasible that a simple request to delete may be successful. In our experience at Igniyte, it's not likely. A better approach towards getting information removed is under the right to be forgotten and through official channels.
Making a web page invisible to Google search results
It's not always necessary to request removal and try to get a page deleted to stop it showing up in Google searches.
We use various techniques to help clients improve their online reputation, and this could be to request removal on their behalf, or it could be to negotiate with the publisher of the outdated or unwanted content to use a NOINDEX tag.
This strategy does not mean that content removal takes place, but it does mean that the content won't show up on Google's index and therefore by search engine users.
Legal removals are possible with a Google removal request
The cost to remove articles or images under the Right to Be Forgotten can vary depending on the amount and types of content.
We know that the last thing anyone wants is to be associated with anything negative. And that's where our expertise comes in.
Igniyte - a team with experience and expertise
The team at Igniyte has extensive collective experience in taking control of our clients' online reputations. This means that we create strategies to challenge and remove any link, article, website or any other defamatory or negative content that impact them.
From facilitating an outdated page removal to creating targeted content designed to boost positive and relevant content that will show up via Google search, we have several services to get content removed, improve search results and make the Internet work for them rather than against them.
Removing content from Google
Removing content from Google, including images and videos, means that people won’t be able to find it, and it won’t show in your search results.
As we've explained briefly above, it isn’t easy to remove content from Google yourself. This is where Igniyte’s reputation managers come in. We're experienced and skilled in:
- Right to be Forgotten and Google Removal applications concerning ‘irrelevant’, ‘no longer relevant’ or ‘outdated’ information from search engine results.
- Challenging defamatory or unsubstantiated content in Google.
- Removing negative personal information or images.
- Addressing copyright issues online.
- Accessing the latest information on the complex area of law surrounding removing links.
- Safeguarding you from potential threats to your online reputation.
- The same goes for removing negative, unwanted or copyrighted images and videos online.
We’re completely transparent in advising you on the best approach to removing content from Google, and what’s likely to be the most effective, to put you back in control of your online reputation.
The circumstances under which Google will remove content
Google's entire ethos surrounds providing open access to information. However, the Internet behemoth also concedes that there are times when content can and should be removed from Google search results.
Having said that, Google does not take removing content from its search results lightly and it doesn't make the process easy.
There are two main reasons why Google will comply with a removal request, whether that covers content on web sites, a specific URL that needs removing due to copyright infringement or any other scenario under the following:
To comply with the law
Google, just like every other organisation, does have to abide by the law. Its legal obligations regarding things like privacy, copyright infringement, data collection, password protecting, and site content vary from region to region.
In most cases, Google will not automatically detect legal issues on a site itself. Instead, Google relies on data protection authorities, legal entities, Governments and regulators and individuals to report content that breaches the law.
There is a standard form that can be filled in via Google to make the request. The company says that, where it can, it will notify the owner of the web site if it removes content due to a request from the Search Console.
Both Google and Bing - another major search engine owned by Microsoft - will delete copyrighted information under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The types of content under this include things like trademark violations, some forms of personal information such as a Government ID number, or a website that contains phishing software or malware.
To protect users
This is less black and white than content that directly violates the law. However, Google can and does remove content that contains highly personal information, even when the law doesn't demand it.
It's important to realise that this isn't an automatic right and Google may well decide not to. However, examples of the kind of content that can be removed from google includes medical or financial info, private images that have been published with no consent and Government IDs.
Any pages on a site that include contact info linked with personal threats may also be removed through this channel too. Google basically looks at whether the harm the unwanted content might cause the user balances with the value it provides as accessible information to other people.
The Right to be Forgotten
The Right to be Forgotten (RTBF) also comes into play here. This applies to EU member states as it forms part of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), which replaced older legislation in May 2018.
The RTBF also applies in the UK under the Data Protection Act, which essentially replicates the EU regulations but is now under the UK's jurisdiction since Brexit kicked in.
The RTBF applies to EU member states only
There are also forms of the Right to be Forgotten (sometimes called the right to erasure) in a few other jurisdictions and it remains under debate elsewhere. In the US, however, no such right exists for Internet users, who are bound by the First Amendment.
It is a useful tool for individuals in the EU and UK, however, to get unwanted content removed from a website. The content can be in the form of media coverage, a website blog, a URL to videos.
Promoting online content that works
Igniyte are experts in strategies aimed at removing and deleting content from Google and other search engines, as explained above.
We also have expertise and experience in other approaches to managing your online reputation. One of these is using expert copywriters and experts in creating the kind of content that works to focus on that, rather than any negative URL links.
The most effective reputation management strategies inherently improve the Internet as a whole.
Contact Igniyte for expert help in managing Google results
Removing content from Google is possible but complex. Working with recognised experts in this field helps to ensure that the best strategies are utilised for your specific needs. Contact the team here to chat more about how we can help.
Is it as simple as making a removal request directly to a website owner?
In theory, this approach can work. It is possible to make a removal request to a website owner and simply ask them to either remove personally identifiable information about you or delete the given page.
Are they likely to do so? In our experience as professional reputation managers with years of experience, the short answer is 'no'.
Often, the owner of a web page, site or the content itself is highly unlikely to respond to this kind of request positively. This is largely because, as the author or owner of the content itself, we must assume they have a reason to have published it on their website in the first place.
