How to Clean Up Bad Press on Google (Step-by-Step)
What Does “How to Clean Up Bad Press on Google (Step-by-Step)” Talk About?
In this episode of the Online Reputation Management Podcast, hosts James Dooley and Kasra Dash walk through a practical, step-by-step approach to cleaning up bad press on Google. They open by explaining the core reasons someone might need online reputation management, from a CEO scandal to a company trying to rebuild after bankruptcy, and then break down the fundamental cycle of removal, suppression, and authority building that underpins effective ORM strategy. The conversation covers how search engines interact with owned platforms, social profiles, and third-party websites, and how understanding those relationships allows you to systematically displace negative content.
The hosts get into specific tactics including building and optimizing a personal website loaded with images, videos, and content about yourself to outrank damaging search results. Kasra Dash explains the value of activating all major social profiles, including Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, noting that active profiles rank higher and collectively create what they call a Social Fortress around a brand. James Dooley adds detail on Parasite SEO, also called Barnacle SEO, which involves publishing brand-positive content on high-authority third-party websites so those pages rank for your name and send branded backlinks back to your own platforms.
The episode also addresses managing one-star reviews by responding professionally and working to gather more five-star reviews, case studies, and testimonials so that positive sentiment dilutes negative signals. The hosts round out the discussion by touching on more advanced techniques such as tier-2 backlinks and content stacking, pointing listeners to fatrank.com for full ORM services ranging from small businesses to enterprise brands.
“The best place to hide a dead body is page two of Google.”
— Kasra Dash
Who Are the Guests on “How to Clean Up Bad Press on Google (Step-by-Step)”?
James Dooley is an experienced SEO professional and online reputation management specialist who co-hosts this podcast. He is associated with fatrank.com, which offers ORM services for businesses of all sizes from small companies to enterprise-level brands. Throughout the episode, James demonstrates deep knowledge of branded content strategy, review management, and the use of third-party authority sites to build positive online presence for both corporate and personal brands.
Kasra Dash is a digital marketing and SEO expert who brings tactical, hands-on advice to the conversation. He is particularly knowledgeable about social profile optimization, personal website development, and the mechanics of how Google ranks different types of content. Kasra contributes practical recommendations such as hiring a photographer to capture 90 images for a personal website and treating that site like a secondary Instagram to aggressively push down negative search results.
What Are the Key Takeaways From “How to Clean Up Bad Press on Google (Step-by-Step)”?
Here are the key points discussed in this episode:
- The first step in any ORM campaign is to determine whether bad content can be removed entirely, since some platforms allow removal while others like government mugshot pages do not, making suppression necessary.
- Building and actively maintaining a personal website packed with images, videos, and blog content is one of the most effective ways to displace negative results in Google search.
- Activating and staying active on seven major social platforms including Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and your personal website creates a Social Fortress that can collectively outrank negative content.
- Parasite SEO, or Barnacle SEO, involves publishing brand-positive announcements and content on high-authority third-party websites so those pages rank for your name and pass branded backlinks to your own platforms.
- Responding professionally to one-star reviews and consistently collecting five-star reviews, testimonials, and case studies dilutes negative sentiment and signals credibility to both Google and potential customers.
“Activate all your social profiles—Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, plus your website and YouTube. That's seven platforms that can outrank negative content. And don't just create profiles—be active. Google ranks active social profiles higher.”
— Kasra Dash
Is “How to Clean Up Bad Press on Google (Step-by-Step)” Worth Listening To?
This episode is worth listening to because it translates what can feel like an overwhelming and opaque problem into a clear, actionable roadmap. James Dooley and Kasra Dash avoid vague generalities and instead name specific platforms, specific tactics, and specific reasons why each step works, such as explaining that Google favors active social profiles over dormant ones, or that uploading 90 professional photographs to a personal website directly competes with negative images in search results. The practical framing around concepts like the Social Fortress and Parasite SEO gives listeners a mental model they can return to when planning their own ORM efforts.
The episode is also valuable because it covers the full spectrum of ORM needs, from individuals dealing with personal brand damage to companies recovering from bankruptcy or a public relations crisis. Whether you are a business owner worried about one-star reviews, a professional trying to manage your digital footprint, or a marketer working on behalf of a client, the hosts offer entry points that are immediately applicable. The mention of more advanced strategies like tier-2 backlinks and content stacking also signals that there is a deeper body of knowledge to explore, making this a strong starting point for anyone new to the field.
Who Should Listen to “How to Clean Up Bad Press on Google (Step-by-Step)”?
This episode is ideal for:
- Business owners and entrepreneurs who have received negative press, bad reviews, or damaging search results and want a structured approach to addressing them.
- Marketing professionals and SEO practitioners looking to add online reputation management services to their skill set or client offerings.
- Public figures, executives, and professionals who want to proactively build a strong personal brand presence online before a reputation crisis occurs.
- Small business operators who need affordable, practical ORM strategies they can begin implementing themselves without a large agency budget.
Where Can You Listen to Online Reputation Management Podcast?
You can listen to Online Reputation Management Podcast on all major podcast platforms:
- Apple Podcasts – Search for “Online Reputation Management Podcast” in the Podcasts app
- Spotify – Available on Spotify for free
- Amazon Music / Audible – Listen through your Amazon account
- Overcast – For iOS users who prefer a dedicated podcast app
- Pocket Casts – Cross-platform podcast player
You can also subscribe using the RSS feed: https://feeds.transistor.fm/online-reputation-management-podcast
What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?
“Finally an episode that skips the fluff and gets straight to what actually works. The breakdown of Parasite SEO and how it passes branded backlinks back to your own platforms was a lightbulb moment for me. I implemented the social profile strategy the same week and already see results.”
“I manage digital marketing for a mid-sized company that went through some bad press last year and this episode laid out exactly the framework we had been missing. The Social Fortress concept and the advice on responding professionally to one-star reviews were immediately useful talking points with our leadership team.”
“The photographer tip alone made this episode worth my time. I never would have thought to treat a personal website like a photo gallery to push down negative images in Google, but it makes complete sense once Kasra explains the logic. Short, practical, and genuinely helpful.”
James Dooley: How do I clean up my online reputation? That's a great question. A lot of people want to suppress bad reviews or bad publicity that may have happened—maybe a CEO did something wrong over the weekend, or a company went bankrupt and is trying to start again. There are many reasons people want to clean up either corporate or personal branding. The first thing I’d look at is whether you can get the bad content removed. Some websites allow removal; others, like government mugshot pages, won’t. In those cases, you need to suppress the bad content and push it to page two or page three of Google. James Dooley: Kasra, if someone wants to suppress bad publicity online, how would you push it to page two? Kasra Dash: First, the reason we mention page two is because SEOs have an inside joke: the best place to hide a dead body is page two of Google. So the faster we move negative content down, the better. I’d start by creating a personal website if you don’t have one—like jamesdooley.com or kasradash.com—then upload content: info about you, images, videos. More images help push negative images down. I’d even hire a photographer, get 90 photos, and upload them. Treat the site like a secondary Instagram or gallery. Then start producing videos too. James Dooley: That’s a great way to clean up bad press online. Another method is dealing with one-star reviews. Reply positively, try to take the conversation offline, and see if you can fix the issue. If not, at least people will see how professionally you respond. And then work on getting more five-star reviews—collect case studies, testimonials, and as much positive sentiment as possible so the negatives blend in. Kasra Dash: Next, activate all your social profiles—Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, plus your website and YouTube. That’s seven platforms that can outrank negative content. And don’t just create profiles—be active. Google ranks active social profiles higher. James Dooley: Another big factor is Parasite SEO, or Barnacle SEO—leveraging third-party authority websites. If you've won an award, posting it only on your website isn’t enough. Announce it on major third-party sites so those pages rank. They also pass branded backlinks to your other platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and your website. This helps you rank for your brand with positive sentiment. Kasra Dash: My next tip is the opposite—publishing blog articles on your own website. Demonstrate expertise, share who you are and what you do. These articles can earn multiple top-10 positions in Google for your name, pushing negative results down. James Dooley: If you want online reputation management—removals or improving your brand—visit fatrank.com. There are many strategies we haven’t covered—like tier-2 backlinks, building links to links, and building a Social Fortress (your online moat and defense system around your brand). Fatrank offers ORM services for small businesses all the way to enterprise brands.
Creators & Guests
Host
James Dooley is the founder of the Online Reputation Management Podcast. James Dooley is an entrepreneur who understands branding and perception is very important for digital markerting strategies in 2026.…