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PUBLISHED: Apr 24, 2013 3 min read

Google Autocomplete: Revealing Potentially Unflattering Info

Have you ever thought what information the searcher gets when your name or brand is Googled?
You could be quite surprised to know that the search result can differ from what you had originally expected. The reason for this lies in Google`s Autocomplete. Naturally, people have a curiosity to seek out information about a person or business and the internet contains large amount of information both true and false. Private information about a business or person, if leaked, could harm one’s reputation. For instance, you could simply type in “John Smith” on Google`s Search Query but Google`s Autocomplete returns “John Smith divorce”. This negative information (true or false) is exposed and could potentially tarnish one’s image.

google autocomplete

 

What Are People Googling?

There are certain topics that seem to attract the most search bar inquiries. Here are the most commonly viewed autocomplete results:

  1. Wiki
  2. Bio
  3. Salary
  4. Facebook
  5. Net Worth

What Makes This Information Circulate?

There are many reasons that affect Google to reveal such information you wished to keep a secret. The three main variables are:

  1. Search Volume (defined by the number of people looking up specific word combinations)
  2. Mentions on Social Networking Sites
  3. Content (general mentions of your name throughout the web)

What You Can Do About It

Is it possible to replace the negative results with positive information? The answer is Yes. There are several ways to increase the visibility of positive rankings.

First of all, if do not have a Facebook account, create one. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are hugely popular today and allow you to monitor what people are saying about you or your brand.  Add some positive and neutral information about yourself or perhaps, ask your friends or loyal customers for recommendations. Twitter can also help you shine; just use those 140 characters wisely.

Second, if you want to discover what information is being delivered from different geographical regions, search under a Google Incognito page.  You can also install this SEO chrome extension, which allows you to see search results from other countries.You can also get your friends involved in managing your reputation by asking them to search for your name + positive adjectives. After all, the numbers of search queries count!

Also, writing a blog about yourself can also help push negative results down on Google. You can also edit and update the information on Wikipedia if your name or company has a page, submitting an article to one of the popular article directories and if you can, get some positive comments that would help to boost your reputation organically.

Take Care When It Comes To Your Image Online

If you have been wronged by Google Autocomplete`s suggested results and it has harmed your image in some way, take charge of your online reputation now!

Are you looking to hire a Digital Media Specialist  to help manage your reputation on Google? If so, contact one of our SEO specialists at AmsiveDigital interactive.

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