Removing Content from Google – an Igniyte.co.uk guide

When someone types your name into Google search, the search results determine the way people view you. In other words, Google search results can effectively make or break your personal and business reputation. If this sounds a bit dramatic, it’s worth knowing that in 2022, negative search results absolutely can negatively impact your online and offline reputation, so it is important to know about removing content from Google.

When did you last check your own Google search results?

Most people don’t tend to check Google’s search results on their own name.

But if you do try a Google search on your details, you may be surprised at the kind of personal information that can crop up.

Now imagine someone you don’t know entering your name into Google search. Are you OK with what they’ll see – is your online profile everything it could be?

Google’s search results may surprise you

If you’re wondering what kind of content or web pages that could damage your online reputation, consider every blog post, news site or even business listings site that may reference you.

It could be something as simple as outdated online content, or articles that are linked to negative comments about your business.

Examples of unwanted content vary, but can include everything from damaging links to photos you’d rather not see again.

The bottom line is that if the content posted does not reflect your business, brand or personal reputationfavourably, it’s time to make a decision.

You may decide it’s in your interests to begin to request removal of unwanted content that is visible through search engines.

Why people want to remove negative and unwanted content from search engines

A quick Google search will show you many celebrities and well-known figures who have found themselves apologising for historic content – usually regarding Tweets.

Everyone from billionaire Tesla and Space-X guru Elon Musk to celeb Chrissie Tegan have suffered some form of reputational damage from content that shows up in Google search results.

This kind of unwanted contentwas also under their control. If we add in Google’s search results that show more content, whether from news links, negative articles, posts on blogs or any other web sites, we can see that there is enormous potential for vast amounts of uncontrolled content that could be potentially damaging. This is why it is key to know how to removing content from Google.

Here’s why Google search results are important

Since Google search became one of the most common ways for people to search the Internet, the company’s mission has been to “organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible.”

Particularly over the last decade or so, content has become one of the key metrics for individuals, for businesses and for marketing.

Back in the day, all kinds of content, whether it met legal obligations or not and whether it contained inaccurate information or not, was routinely uploaded to Google.

Much of this content, often in the form of an article or details on web pages for example, wasn’t up to scratch in terms of quality. In many cases, it wasn’t even accurate, with details of all kinds included on web pages purely to manipulate the rankings from Google’s search results.

How much content can web users access via Google search results?

As we’ve established, the Internet is a vast place. In fact, experts say that there are around 1.9 billion websites (at least) live on the web right now.

Every single day, around 600,000 websites launch worldwide. However, the Google search indexonly shows some of these sites.

In other words, Google’s index itself curates details that are posted online, including web sites, every blog post and page on the Internet.

This means that when Internet users type a search request into Google, they see filtered content only. And this is why the content on every web page matters, and why access to negative content, personal information and inappropriate news should be monitored and, why it is important to know the process of, removing content from Google

Your personal and professional reputation can be adversely impacted by negative content

For an individual, negative content discovered via search results can impact more than simply their personal reputation.

Professionally, content from Google that shows you in a bad light, can also be damaging.

Even if the negative web pages, content, blog posts or news stories are many years old, they can and do still show up on search results.

This applies with all search engines, not just Google. However, as we’ve seen, Google’s index of online content is by far the most extensive.

So, if you see negative content about you on a news site or any given page on the Internet, what can you do?

How does the removal process work and how easy is it to ensure any removal request is adhered to. Is removing content from Google possible?

The basic process to try to remove content

Removing content from Googleis not always easy, but it is sometimes possible where information can be removed by contacting the website owner, article writer or webmaster.

You can also request removal of an article or links to unwanted news or content through the Right to be Forgotten (RTBF). Well go into this in more detail later on.

There are a number of different examples of relevant strategies to try and remove links and outdated news coverage.

At Igniyte.co.uk, our team has an enormous amount of experience of doing just that on behalf of our clients.

Anyone with serious concerns over the kind of comments, content or pages that mention them, should engage a professional online reputation firm. The process of requests can be complex, and trying to manage it alone can cost a lot more in the long run.

Are search results from Google permanent?

Not necessarily. There are legitimate and specific methods that can be employed to removing content from Google search results.

However, it is a complex and wide-ranging area to go into – which is why companies like us exist!

Before we start breaking down specific ways to request the removal of personal information, or for ways of limiting access to unwanted content, let’s go back to the start.

If you’ve landed on Igniyte’s website, then the chances are you are already concerned about content.

Whether you’re dealing with copyright infringement, legal obligations or want to start the removal process of an old article link, you probably aren’t sure where to start.

Our process begins with a content audit. For example, do you know what kinds of site crop up when users Google your name? Are there pages connected with your business that you feel are unfair?

Perhaps there is a negative review about your services?

What happens when users Google you?

Pretty much everyone uses Google these days. It’s probably one of the best technology tools we have to find out answers.

Whether we want to find a new business to use its services, or we want to research pretty much anything, Google is our go-to.

However, search results can be inaccurate, incorrect, no longer relevant or even defamatory.

If you have found some personal information or a suspected piece of copyright infringement that you would like to start a removal request for, you’ll definitely want to know how long it might take.

How long do removal requests take?

It’s very important for the team at Igniyte to take a careful and very strategic approach to this problem. Thorough research is necessary before submitting a removal request from search results.

When the removal request has been made, following this research, it can take around 90 days for the unwanted content to stop showing up in search results.

It’s also possible to make requests for Google to remove outdated images, as well as other content.

Google obviously has a number of specific criteria that your request must come under in order for these requests to be fulfilled.

However, removal of negative pages and unwanted web content is a very important step in regaining and maintaining an online presence that works for you and your business.

Contact the team at Igniyte for content removal strategy

We work on behalf of all kinds of clients, including individuals and businesses.

If you’re at all worried about negative content impacting your online reputation, then we fully understand how stressful this can be.

Personal service tailored to your content removal needs

This is why the team at Igniyte is always transparent about the best removal strategy for your specific goals and aims.

We work with you to put together an effective content removal strategy that will make the most out of our services, and ensure that your requests are made in the most useful and productive way.

Whether you are concerned about an unfair review about your business, negative news coverage that has blown up into viral content, social media pages posting copyrighted material, or any other site, page or link, then we can help.

We’ll always talk you through the whole process of the removal request and general strategy to remove content from Google that will work for your aims.

Experts at Igniyte are well versed in copyright law and all aspects of legal removals, whether it’s one link or a request for a number of pages.

Contact us here.