by Net Reputation
Google reputation management is key to building a better, stronger, and more profitable online presence, and it’s a critical part of any online reputation management strategy.
Rather than simply removing unwanted Google results, Google reputation management helps businesses and individuals improve visibility and increase traffic to their site. It’s also essential for monitoring and influencing your brand’s presence on local search pages. A comprehensive Google reputation strategy allows you to build a more robust footprint across popular local searches, creating even more opportunities to stand out in your local market.
Here are a few commonly asked questions about Google search reputation management:
- What impression are you making when people search your brand online?
- Do you need something negative removed from Google?
- Do you want to grow your business with search engine optimization?
A big component of Google search reputation management is removing and suppressing negative search results. Overall, though, Google results management is a far-reaching practice and a broad topic to cover.
In this article, we’ve put together everything you need to know about Google search reputation management and how it can help you thrive online.
Our online reputation management information and services can protect your digital presence. Call us at 844-461-3632 to learn more about creating a Google review management strategy. You can also fill out the contact form below for a free consultation.
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Search Engine Reputation Management: Getting Started
As you start on your reputation management journey, it’s important to understand how Google reputation management differs from general online reputation management (ORM).
Where ORM tackles the influence and control of online content, Google ORM is more focused, specifically targeting search engine results pages (SERP) above all else.Â
Why is Google so important in the digital age? The answer is simple: Google is the world’s most popular search engine, processing billions of user queries each day. The overwhelming majority of people turn to Google first to find answers.
While content creation and social media activity play a role, search engine management remains squarely focused on what appears in the SERPs for key search phrases.
Whether you’re removing unwanted results or promoting positive assets, the approach is largely the same. Search engine management helps position yourself, your brand, or your business in crucial search engine listings on Google’s first page.
It is essential to understand that potential customers turn to Google to learn about businesses before making purchasing decisions. The quality of information — and that information’s rank in Google search results — can have profound impacts on the purchasing journey. Positive information in SERPs can build trust between you and the people who matter most: your customers.
When customers consistently find positive headlines, reviews, and search results for your brand, they’re far more likely to visit your website and take that crucial next step toward the checkout online.
Negative information, by contrast, can erode trust. Negative reviews, bad press, or unflattering news can derail your chances of building your company. When this negative information is at the top of search results, the damage can be even worse.
Adding search reputation management to your arsenal of digital marketing tools can help you establish, build, and restore your all-important online reputation. There are several basic approaches to consider when managing your reputation on the web. Let’s get into them.
At NetReputation, we provide a broad range of services, including Google Business Profile development, Google review management, responding to negative reviews, local SEO to attract prospective customers in your area, and more. Speak with an online reviews expert by calling us at 844-461-3632 today.
Approach #1: Removing Unwanted Content From Google
A core part of ORM is information removal, and removing negative or harmful content from Google is the top reason to have a Google ORM strategy. Several methods currently exist to achieve this particular goal, and an ORM strategist can help you select the best options for your purposes.
Keep in mind that nearly everything that appears in Google results already appears somewhere else online. The good news? In theory, removing an image or harmful piece of information from Google is possible by removing it from the source.
In some cases, this requires little more than reaching out to the website’s owner. If multiple negative results exist in the SERPs, though, you must repeat this approach for each one.
In an ideal world, this would be the end of the problem. The site owner or admin would simply process your request to remove the harmful item, and your reputation would be headed in the right direction.
Unfortunately, many site owners will politely decline or flat-out refuse your request, if they respond at all. Some might even ask for a high fee to remove your item. This is a common practice of those running arrest record and mugshot websites.
Others, like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), are in the business of sharing customer feedback on people, places, and companies. Unless you have legal grounds to request removal, they’ll most likely turn you down.
When removal doesn’t work, suppression may be your best option.
When the removal of unwanted content falls short, the next best option is to suppress negative content in search. This is done by publishing and promoting positive content for people to find during searches of your brand.
By suppressing top-ranking negative results with positive assets, you can effectively influence what appears on Google.
Once harmful info is pushed to page two or three of Google, its impact slips away. That’s because it’s no longer the first thing people see when searching your name or business. Backlinko found that most users don’t go past the first SERP — less than 1% were found to click on a result on the 2nd page (or beyond).
Suppressing an unflattering blog post or news article is often pretty straightforward. You create a few articles that highlight your achievements and expertise, optimize them with targeted keywords, publish them on popular websites, and watch as they displace those negative articles in search rankings.Â
But some results are much harder to push down, including content on government websites and larger international news outlets. In these cases, suppression efforts can sometimes take a little longer and require a more complicated approach to dislodge negatives and push them down the ladder.Â
At NetReputation, we work with individuals and businesses to help them generate positive reviews and avoid a negative online reputation. Give us a call at 844-461-3632 to learn more about our effective solutions for Google review management.
Approach #2: Growing Your Business With Google ORM
Search reputation management is great for removing negative items from Google. But it can also be an effective way to grow your business online.
It’s a savvy start to remove one or more damaging results from local search. But ultimately, you’ll also want to promote and grow your company’s reach and visibility across the web.
By securing the top positions in the SERPS, you’re protecting your reputation while promoting your brand to potential customers. And when you control results pages with Google ORM, you increase your earning potential while reducing the impact of harmful content.
Focus on pushing your website, blog posts, press releases, and more to the top of the SERPs. Promote glowing Google reviews and chase positive press. The stronger search results are for your business or brand, the better.
That said, the most valuable results are those you control. These include your own websites, social media profiles, blog posts and online business listings, like Google Business Profile.
With access to these assets, you have a golden opportunity to clean up errors and present information that puts your brand in the best light online.
Take control of your Google reviews and customer feedback on other review sites. Call us at 844-461-3632 for more information about generating more positive reviews for your business.
Approach #3: Building Your Personal Brand by Influencing Google’s SERPS
In addition to removing negative content from search results and growing your business, Google can help build your personal brand online. Whether you’re a private individual or a public official, controlling what appears in Google search is invaluable.
People don’t just search for brands and businesses. In fact, employers and universities now Google new recruits and students on a regular basis. And when that happens, you simply cannot afford a negative online image.
Combine the approaches above to secure your personal brand on Google.
Additionally, consider your social media posts, and delete anything that may hurt your reputation management efforts. This includes anything that reflects poorly on your brand or that could be taken out of context and used against you in the future. Oftentimes, this is just a matter of scrolling through your history and deleting anything you’re unsure about.Â
Approach #4: Call in the Professionals
Like many things, reputation management takes time, effort and dedication. Plus, when you consider how labor-intensive the process is, you may realize that you don’t have the time, expertise or resources to dedicate to it. After all, search reputation management takes constant focus and endless hours of attention.
That’s why many individuals and brands turn to trusted ORM professionals.
Whether you’re short on time or unable to get results on your own, help is available. At NetReputation, we’re proud to provide world-class, cutting-edge online reputation management services that get results.
We build search engine reputation solutions that get results and put you in the online driver’s seat.Â
Defend and Define Your Brand Online With Google Reputation Management
Are you looking to improve your Google search results and grow your business with search engine optimization? Do you need to fix existing reputation mistakes, defend yourself against defamation, or protect your brand from online slander?
If the answer is “yes,” contact our award-winning reputation today. We offer online reputation management solutions for individuals as well as businesses.
Get started with a free Google review management or Google SEO consultation with one of our experts. Call us at 844-461-3632 or fill out the contact form below.