It’s no secret that people let their alter ego run wild on the internet and make patently false and derogatory statements. We’ve seen major news outlets served with civil lawsuits into the hundreds of millions because even big corporations go too far. Not everyone has a $500-an-hour lawyer on retainer to stop muckrakers from tarnishing your business reputation. No one likes having to push back, but internet lies about your organization can result in customers going elsewhere and significant financial losses.
How To Deal With Negative Reviews
If a competitor or someone with an ax to grind is posting slanderous misinformation, the first step is to contact the platform owner. Small websites often have someone you can directly email. If they are a reasonable person, you may be able to demonstrate the posts are not true and get them removed. That’s an easy way to remove bad reviews if you connect with a real human with empathy for your situation.
But perhaps the best way to remove negative reviews is to reach out to a reputation protection firm. The problem with successfully negotiating removal from one website is that lies travel faster than the truth. By the time you discover the issue, it may have migrated to other platforms. It could go viral and do long-term harm before you know it.
How To Remove Negative Information
Slander and negative information are not necessarily the same thing. This is an important distinction that the so-called “fake news” has leveraged to make millions. Negative information — aka fake news — takes bites of true information and presents them in a narrative that makes people feel animosity toward your company. Keep in mind that more people remember how someone or something made them feel than the true facts presented.
One of the major obstacles that business professionals face is that you have an uphill fight trying to prove the information is factually incorrect. That’s largely because, many times, it’s not. The narrative may take data or statements out of context, but they typically don’t rise to the level of being a full-blown lie. If you are being targeted by someone with enough language skills to skirt the line between manipulated content and lies, removing negative information requires professional help.
Contact A Reputation Specialist & End The Slander
The internet delivers global access to information in the snap of a finger. Many platforms thrive on juicy information that can be incredibly harmful. Trying to chase down slanderous posts, reviews, and even seemingly legitimate articles is like shoveling sand against the tide. If you have been slandered, push back by working with a professional firm that deals with these miscreants on a daily basis. Your business reputation management is vital to long-term success.
