Businesses and professionals in 2018 find themselves in different situations than those from before the age of the internet. In the past, when a negative newspaper article was released, it’d circulate for one or two months, maximum, and then be forgotten by the general public. Today, when a negative newspaper article is released, it can be read around the world by anyone with an internet connection for an indefinite time.
If you’re hoping to read that newspaper articles are removed from the web in a year, when they’re dated and no longer relevant, we’re sorry to disappoint you. The hard truth is that they can literally stay online forever if the story generates enough interest.
This happens for several reasons. First of all, a page that performs well for a news site makes that company money – if a negative article about you is getting views, that company has no reason to remove it and stop receiving passive income from it. Second, news articles are reposted on other sites all the time, which means even if the post is removed by the original website, it’s likely still out there.
The good news is that you don’t have to leave your reputation up to chance and allow the front page to be dominated by negative news articles about you or your brand. In fact, with online reputation management, you can take the driver’s seat for your own name and guide the conversation about you online.
At Internet Reputation, our team has helped thousands of clients remove and push down negative newspaper articles about past mistakes. We make their names shine and show off their best side.
If negative newspaper articles online appear in the search results when you look up your name or your company name, anyone who googles you can see them and judge you accordingly. We recommend exploring your options and removing or suppressing negative news items as quickly as possible to contain the damage.
What Can a Negative Reputation Do to You?
Understanding just how important a positive image online is in 2018 and the coming years can help you make the right choice for removing negative news articles. The following statistics from an article on Forbes are just some of many that make a case for online reputation management:
- Over 90% of consumers research a company online before spending their money.
- Over 80% of people trust what’s said online as much as face-to-face conversation.
- Over 60% of people consider what’s said online to be the most trustworthy information.
- Over 90% of adults use search engines to research new people, businesses and topics.
- Over 70% of employers and HR recruiters use a google search to inspect potential candidates.
- Nearly 50% of adults do not like the information about them on the first page of Google.
The list of shocking, and sometimes frightening statistics about online reputation management goes on, and these percentages are increasing with each passing year. This means that the importance of removing negative articles about yourself online will continue to grow.
Options for Removing Newspaper Articles from the Internet
With the statistics to prove how important your online reputation is, you’re probably in a hurry to remove anything that’s tarnishing your name or your brand from Google. We understand, and we believe that the best time to begin managing your reputation is now. Waiting leaves your reputation in the hands of others, and they don’t always have your best interests in mind.
The following options can help you remove newspaper articles from the internet and begin restoring your name:
- Contact the Owner
Though few newspaper companies will remove an article by request, they might if you can prove that the information falsified or otherwise a direct violation of your privacy. Head to the website’s FAQ and Contact sections, check for existing removal policies and contact them with your inquiry.
Keep in mind that many companies will not respond, will refuse to remove the content or will even charge a hefty fee for removal.
- Contact Google
Like contacting the owner of the website that’s profiting from your negative news story, asking Google to remove something from their search results isn’t a sure thing. It is worth a shot, though, and they’ll consider removal under strict situations that directly violate their privacy policy.
There’s no harm in asking, even if your request is denied, but don’t put all of your hope on requesting a removal via Google.
- Enlist an Attorney
Hiring an attorney who specializes in removing newspaper content from the web is a costly endeavor that can run over $100,000, but it helps to have legal aid on your side. If there’s a true reason why the post should not be online, your attorney might be able to successfully fight for your case in the courtroom or negotiate a deal outside of the courtroom in your favor.
Remember, never trust an attorney who guarantees results – no one can control the judge’s decision in the courtroom and attorneys always operate with a chance of failure.
- Opt for Suppression
If removal proves too difficult or impossible, you can remove a negative newspaper article from sight by suppressing it to latter pages of Google results. Most people look at just the first page of results, and the diligent might look at page two. Articles that appear on page three and beyond are hidden from all but the most curious – these are the same people who may be able to find a post in archives even if you have it removed anyway.
Suppression is more cost-effective than hiring an attorney and is best handled by a team of trained professionals like that at InternetReputation.com. Articles can be suppressed in six to twelve months on average, and when the campaign is finished, you’ll have a shining new reputation that only requires maintenance in exchange for protecting your name.
A Closer Look at Suppression
The BitReputation team has worked with thousands of clients who need to remove negative items from search results, and we know a thing or two about content suppression. It’s often the last resort for clients who’ve tried everything else, or the first choice for clients who want to contain damage as quickly as possible.
When our proprietary technologies encounter negative items that we cannot remove – like certain news articles – we plan a suppression campaign.
During the campaign, we generate new, high-quality content on domain names designed just for your keyword (usually your name or brand name). Over the course of several months, these articles rise in popularity and begin appearing on Google’s first page. When enough of this content is generated, there’s no more room for the negative items on the first page or the second page of search results.
This is a refreshing dose of good news for the victims of negative news items, and it is the first step to a positive relationship with your online reputation.
Why Work with an Online Reputation Management Team?
A quality online reputation management campaign to remove and suppress negative newspaper articles is possible to do from home. However, we highly recommend working with our team of online reputation management specialists.
Not only does a good campaign require up to 100 hours of work each month, but a home campaign is rarely as effective. The InternetReputation.com team has access to proprietary technologies and decades of combined experience that make the entire process easier to execute with efficiency.
Additionally, we offer a guarantee for success, which means that you’re not placing yourself at further risk or leaving yourself vulnerable to further negative attacks.
Today’s world runs on the internet, and those with a good image online generally have more opportunities, increased success, better personal lives and an easier time generating revenue for a small business.
