Knowing how to remove bad press is an invaluable part of managing your online reputation, but with so many potential outlets for negative content, it can be difficult to know where to start. Shady competitive internet practices, such as negative marketing, 
only compound the problem. For a comprehensive solution, it’s best to get in touch with a professional reputation management service, but there are some basic steps you can take to get things moving in the right direction.
Assess the criticism
Before taking any other steps, it makes sense to consider the validity of what’s being posted against your reputation. While there are lots of examples of vindictive and downright mindless opinions floating around on the web, there are also plenty of examples of people with legitimate grievances. Consider whether there is an issue you need to address, or any way of reaching out to the indignant party in question – that way you can potentially fix the problem at the source.
Contact the webmaster
If your search results keep bringing up the same negative comments, and there’s no other way to address them, it’s a good idea to get in touch with the webmaster of the site that’s hosting the messages. Simply introduce yourself and explain your case for why they should be taken down. Many of these sites are more than happy to help if your image is being unfairly damaged, so be polite and try to build a relationship with them to help with any misunderstandings in the future.
Encourage good press
Similarly, it’s a good idea to seek out good press at its source and find ways of encouraging it. One of the simplest ways is to provide a link from your website to the positive comment or review in question. That way you boost the profile of the content above that of other press, and help to make sure that it appears more relevant to users too. If there are individuals who have singled you out for special praise, try to make some time to thank them. Fostering this kind of goodwill is what professional reputation management services are all about, so make sure you make full use of it.
Boost your content
If you’re seeing a shortage of good material about you or your company in the search results, it might be that you need to improve the volume of your content. This is an internet marketing staple, but it’s also relevant to maintaining your place in peoples’ esteem. Providing useful content is a great way of fostering goodwill. Blog material may also appear higher in the search results than negative press – giving you a visible presence with a message you can control.
There’s no need to feel helpless against the presence of bad press on the web. These are just a few basic steps you can take to better manage your reputation, and forge positive relationships. If you still have some anxieties about bad press, simply seek out a professional reputation management service, and see how they can help.
