HHIT POV - Search Engine Issues
About half of my calls concern search engine results that highlight negative or defamatory stories. These stories may be untrue, unfair, portray an opinion painted as a fact, or simply present one part of a complex issue. They may be outdated, created by opponents or gadflys, or constructed in a deceptive way to make them appear as though they are the work of my client. These problems are many and varied, but they share one common element... they hurt.
Search engine issues are complex, time consuming, and many are difficult to solve. That's why I advise my clients to think though the real world implications of a negative story before deciding to act against it. Is it damaging to business or reputation in a tangible way?
Search engine ranking is complicated, but it is based in large part on the specific search expression tested, traffic of the site on which the content appears, how old the content is relative to other published pieces on similarly sized websites, and a host of generally less relevant factors. It's important to know and remember that what really matters is the most common search expression iterations, which are in many cases different than those my client is using ("his name," vs "his name divorce settlement"). Its also important to remember that Google alerts are not reflective of traffic or audience... you'll get an alert anytime the search engine sees your selected expression on any website, regardless of it's size.
But when these problems require resolution, the roadmap encompasses two paths:
Elimination: Articles that are against the TOS of the website they are on can often be removed. Material that impersonates someone else can often be removed. Material that violates copyright can be removed, as can the use of certain trademarked expressions or art. When website owners fail to act in egregious cases, in many cases the hosting company that provides them bandwidth will do so. Some articles that do not fit these paramters can also be removed through conversation or negotiation with the content creator.
Mitigation: Mitigation is a very large topic... much too big for a short summary. Suffice to say that most technical tricks fail to achieve the desired results, and I am often contacted after they have failed. You can't fool Google, or create dozens of fake stories on blogs about you in an attempt to outrank a story in the New York Times. Won't happen. There is mitigation that works, but not in every case, and requires a coordinated effort between a PR and digital team, along with a period of time often measured in months.
My primary role in advising clients on search problems is to be realistic about what can be done, and avoid paths that can or will make things worse. There are many of these, and avoiding them is the digital equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm.