Learning how to remove articles from Google can help you or your business promote the circulation of accurate information. Whether the article is offensive, fraudulent, or simply outdated, you can have a valid claim for it to be removed. A reputation management agency can handle the process for you. They can also provide you with detailed guidelines through legal consultation. Here are a few different courses of action you can take:
Contact the Publisher
The most efficient way to remove an article from Google is to contact the publisher directly. If the article you want to have removed is not false or defamatory, you may not have many options for removal. If you have legitimate grounds for why the article should not be in the public domain, you can request that the publisher remove it from their site.
News agencies, blog sites, and other platforms often refer to this process as “unpublishing.” Common considerations for unpublishing include:
- The legal or professional reasons for your request
- Former criminal convictions that may coincide with the article’s publication
- Criminal charges that have been expunged from your record
- The original publication date in relation to the article’s relevancy
- Whether the article was published about a minor
- Any inaccuracies, areas of defamation, or false claims
Adjust the Content
Some news agencies have policies that explicitly prohibit unpublishing, while others do not have any established protocol. In the latter case, it would be easiest to proceed through a lawyer or a reputation management agency. A legal advocate can outline the premise and legitimacy of your request. They will often communicate with the publisher until reaching an agreement to remove the content.
If the publisher does not agree to remove the article, they may make other propositions. You could receive the right to amend, edit, or replace the content. The publisher might agree to “deindex” or tag it with a source code that no longer indexes it with the website. They may also make corrections to protect your identity, such as making the subject of the article anonymous.
Contact Google
As a private individual, you can protest any publication containing inaccurate or outdated information about you. If publishers refuse to remove the content, you can contact Google. As a search engine, Google does not create content, so it cannot remove the article from the internet entirely. They can instead remove search result links, preventing future users from encountering the article.
If an article stands in violation of Google’s Terms of Service, visit their portal for outdated content removal. You can use the portal to request the removal of those search results. This is another way to deindex an article, though Google prefers removal at the source. Deindexing is limited to specific circumstances, which is why contacting the publisher is the preferred first step.
Knowing how to remove articles from Google can be complex and often involves legal considerations. If you are unsure of how to proceed, it may be helpful to consult with an attorney or a professional who specializes in online reputation management.
Create Replacement Content
If both the publisher and the search engine have rejected your removal requests, your final option is to replace the content with some of your own. Search engine optimization (SEO) elevates content on search results pages based on content qualities such as keyword usage, professional structure, and informational originality. You can write your own positive content to replace negative articles and provide internet users with accurate information about yourself or your business.
If you want help creating SEO articles, an SEO marketing agency can develop content for you. You can also engage with your audience on social media and actively monitor your online reputation to focus on future marketing strategies that could be effective.
Reputation Management: Learn How To Remove Articles From Google
False or negative information can have a significant impact on your reputation or business. It’s worth knowing how to remove articles from search engines, or at least knowing your alternatives. Work with a reputation management agency for the most effective results. They will be able to help you navigate the details of the process. They’ll also be able to help you develop an accurate, positive reputation or brand image so that you can move forward successfully.