How Do You Handle Negative Content About Your Brand Online?

Negative content is a part of doing business. Bad reviews, news stories, angry tweets, or old complaints can hurt your reputation fast. You may not even know it’s out there until you search your brand and see it on the first page.

So how do you deal with it? Can you fix it, or at least push it down? This guide will show you how to handle negative content in a way that actually works.

Why Does Negative Content Matter?

First Impressions Are Online

People look up brands before they buy. In fact, 93% of customers say online reviews impact their purchase decisions, according to Podium. That includes what they see on Google, YouTube, Reddit, Yelp, and even Trustpilot.

It takes one bad search result to cost you a sale. Or a client. Or a job. It doesn’t matter if the negative post is old, inaccurate, or petty. If it’s on page one, it becomes part of your story.

It Doesn’t Go Away by Itself

Old content sticks. A negative post from five years ago can still rank if no one pushes it down. It’s like a stain on the internet.

That’s why companies are now investing in reputation management. Not to hide the truth, but to tell the full story and own their own brand voice.

Step 1: Audit What’s Out There

Search Like a Customer Would

Open an incognito window. Type in your brand name, then try:

• “[Your brand] reviews”
  
• “[Your brand] scam”
  
• “[Your brand] complaints”
  
• “[Your brand] lawsuit”
  
• “[Your brand] Reddit”
  

Write down every negative link, especially if it’s on the first two pages.

Check Google Images and Videos

Sometimes negative content shows up in image or video results. Don’t skip those tabs. Screenshots, thumbnails, and logos can all show up in the wrong context.

Look for Patterns

Are people complaining about the same thing? Shipping? Customer service? Quality?

This tells you where to focus first. You can’t fix everything, but you can start where it hurts the most.

Step 2: Respond When It Makes Sense

Not Everything Needs a Reply

Some negative content is petty or outdated. If it has zero likes, no traffic, and no comments, it may not be worth engaging.

Focus your energy on the content that’s ranking, being shared, or getting attention.

Reply to Reviews Strategically

If the platform allows it, reply to critical reviews. Keep it short, professional, and polite.

Something like:

“Hi Jordan, we’re sorry to hear this. We’ve taken your feedback seriously and are working on a fix. Please email us at [email protected] so we can make it right.”

This shows future customers you care. Don’t argue or get defensive. You’re writing for the next person reading the review, not the angry one who wrote it.

Avoid the Streisand Effect

Trying to delete or fight every post can backfire. Sometimes ignoring small complaints is better than fueling more attention.

A small Reddit post no one sees isn’t worth launching a takedown over. Pick your battles.

Step 3: Suppress Negative Search Results

Publish New, Optimized Content

Google ranks content that’s fresh, relevant, and useful. One way to push down negative links is to create better content that ranks higher.

This means publishing:

• Blog posts
  
• Landing pages
  
• Press releases
  
• Customer stories
  
• YouTube videos
  
• FAQ pages
  
• LinkedIn articles
  

Use your brand name in the title, meta description, and URL. Write content that answers real questions people ask about your company.

A great example is turning a common complaint into a helpful page. Like:

“Is [Your Company] Legit? Here’s What to Know About Our Process”

This builds trust and competes for that search term.

Use High-Authority Platforms

Publishing on your own site is good. But posting on other strong platforms helps more.

Create or update:

• LinkedIn profiles
  
• Business pages on Yelp, Trustpilot, Google Business
  
• Crunchbase or AngelList profiles
  
• Medium blog posts
  
• YouTube videos with your brand name
  

These sites often rank on page one. Use them to take space away from negative links.

Create a Branded Search Wall

Your goal is to take over the first page of Google for your brand. Think of it like defense.

Every positive article, press hit, social profile, or partner mention helps build that wall. The stronger the wall, the harder it is for negative content to sneak in.

Remember, this takes time

It won’t change overnight. But with consistent posting and link building, most brands can learn how to remove search results from google from page one in 3 to 6 months.

Step 4: Request Removals (If You Can)

Ask the Site Owner First

If the content is inaccurate, outdated, or violates a platform’s terms, you can request removal.

Send a calm, direct message to the site owner. Don’t threaten. Just ask if they’ll consider removing or updating the content.

It works more often than you’d think. Especially if the site is inactive or doesn’t gain anything from keeping it up.

Use Google’s Removal Tools

Google won’t delete content just because you don’t like it. But they will remove results in specific cases:

• Personal info like your home address or phone number
  
• Non-consensual images
  
• Financial fraud
  
• Fake pornography
  
• Identity theft content
  

Use the “Results about you” tool inside your Google account. It scans for your personal info and walks you through the request.

You can also report images or snippets through Google Search’s “Report inappropriate content” link.

Try Legal Removal Routes

In rare cases, you may need legal help. For example, if the content is defamatory or violates copyright.

You can file a DMCA takedown or work with a lawyer to send a cease-and-desist. Don’t lead with this unless you have a strong case.

A lawyer once shared how they helped a small e-commerce brand:

“We found the post included stolen photos and copyrighted product descriptions. A simple takedown request under DMCA got it removed within a week.”

It won’t work every time, but if the law is on your side, use it.

Step 5: Improve the Product and Experience

Fix the Root Problem

Most negative content comes from a real experience. If customers keep complaining about something, it’s a signal to fix it.

That might mean:

• Improving shipping speed
  
• Changing your return policy
  
• Updating your website
  
• Training your support team
  

Fixing the issue helps future customers and reduces the chance of it happening again.

Follow Up With Critics

When you fix a problem, reach out to the original reviewer or writer. Let them know you listened and improved.

Sometimes they’ll update their post. Sometimes they won’t. Either way, it shows you care.

At a SaaS startup in Chicago, the founder said:

“We had one review calling us ‘slow and buggy.’ We rebuilt that feature, then emailed the reviewer. They were surprised we actually read it. Two days later, they updated the review.”

That update helped change their whole review average. Small wins add up.

Step 6: Build a Reputation Safety Net

Ask Happy Customers for Reviews

People are more likely to post a bad review than a good one. You have to ask for the positive ones.

After a good experience, send a short message like:

“Hey! If you had a good experience with us, would you mind leaving a quick review? It really helps.”

Make it easy. Include the link. Say thank you.

Collect Case Studies and Testimonials

Feature real customers with real stories. Use quotes, screenshots, and photos if you can.

Put these on your site, in your blog, and in your email marketing. They act as proof for future buyers.

Monitor Your Brand Regularly

Set up Google Alerts for your company name and key people. That way, you know when something new pops up.

Use tools like:

Erase

Erase helps you find and manage unwanted search results, including personal info or harmful content tied to your brand. It also offers services to remove negative Google search results when possible, making it a strong tool for long-term reputation control.

Mention

Mention tracks brand mentions across news sites, blogs, and social media in real-time. You can set alerts for specific keywords and monitor public sentiment as it happens.

Brand24

Brand24 gives you detailed analytics on where your brand is being talked about online. It also includes sentiment analysis, influencer tracking, and volume spikes so you can spot issues early.

Talkwalker

Talkwalker monitors online conversations in over 180 languages, including audio, video, and image content. It’s popular with larger companies thanks to its deep analytics and AI-powered insights.

ReviewTrackers

ReviewTrackers collects reviews from over 100 websites like Google, Facebook, and TripAdvisor. It helps businesses respond to feedback fast and improve customer experience based on real data.

Checking once a week is enough. The sooner you catch a problem, the easier it is to fix.

Final Thoughts

Negative content about your brand can hurt. But you’re not powerless.

Start by finding what’s out there. Choose what to respond to. Push down the bad with better content. Remove what you legally can. Then fix what caused the issue in the first place.

Reputation isn’t built in a day. It’s a long game. But if you stay consistent, the wins start to stack up.

And remember, sometimes your online story looks worse than it really is. You’re allowed to change the narrative. Just like people try to remove negative Google search results, you can take back control of your brand’s image, one page at a time.