Introduction: The Problem with Old Search Results
Imagine seeing an old 20-year-old mug shot of yourself on Google search results when you search for your name. You had thought it was hilarious and uploaded it onto the net when you were traveling through Europe after Uni. You are now a CPA in a leading accounting firm who wants to be a partner. Guess what? Your digital reputation reflects on your company. It was all cherry and fine until you wanted to be a partner. Now, your company isn’t taking your digital joke very lightly. You ain’t gonna be one until it goes away. Even deleting isn’t removing it from the SERP (Search engine Results page) Now what?
Unfortunately, outdated content can hurt you more than you might think. That’s why it’s crucial to learn how to remove outdated search results to protect your reputation and ensure the most accurate information represents you online.
For example, Kevin Hart lost his chance to host the 2019 Oscars because of tweets he had made years before, which resurfaced just as he was set to take the stage. Even after apologizing, the damage was done, and he stepped down from the role. These tweets, long buried in the past, suddenly became relevant again, showing how outdated content can come back to haunt anyone.
Similarly, Monica Lewinsky has struggled to move past the scandal she was involved in decades ago. Despite the passing of time and her attempts to build a new professional identity, her name remains closely associated with articles and news from the late ’90s. Even today, outdated content can severely impact her ability to craft a fresh public persona.
In another case, Ryan Lochte, the Olympic swimmer, found his career derailed when old news about his involvement in a controversy during the 2016 Olympics resurfaced every time he tried to make a comeback. Although years had passed, those outdated news stories continued to influence how people saw him.
Cancel culture exist. There is no running from it. The digital space is rather unforgiving. So lets get on top of it.
These real-world examples show how outdated content can stick around much longer than it should. Let’s walk through how you can take control of what shows up when people search for you or your business.
What Is Outdated Content?
Outdated content refers to information on your website that is no longer current, relevant, or accurate. It often includes material that reflects an earlier time or event but no longer serves the needs of today’s audience.
Examples of outdated content include:
Announcements for events that have already passed
Blog posts discussing old technology or trends no longer in use
Pages listing services you no longer offer
Employee bios for people no longer with the company
Instructions for software features that have since been removed
Step 1: Identify the Outdated Search Result
First, you need to figure out exactly what outdated content is showing up on Google.
Use Incognito Mode:
Open an Incognito Window in your browser. This will show you what others see when they search for your name or business, without the influence of your search history.Check the First Few Pages:
Search your name, business, or relevant keywords. Go through the first few pages of Google results and note any outdated, irrelevant, or incorrect information.Document the URLs:
For each outdated result, write down the URL (web address) and take screenshots. This helps you keep track of which pages need to be addressed.
Step 2: Contact the Website Owner
If the outdated content is on a website you don’t control, you can contact the website owner and politely ask them to remove or update it.
Find the Contact Information:
Many websites have a Contact Us page. If not, you can use a WHOIS lookup tool (https://whois.domaintools.com/) to find the owner’s email address.Write a Polite Request:
Politely explain why the content is outdated and ask if they would update or remove it. For example:“Hello, I came across an article on your website that no longer reflects current information about my business. Could you kindly update or remove the page? Thank you for your time.”
Follow Up:
If you don’t hear back after a week, send a polite follow-up message. Website owners are more likely to act if the request is respectful and professional.
Step 3: Leverage Google’s Removals Tool
If the website owner won’t remove the outdated content, you can use Google’s Removals Tool to handle it yourself. Here’s how:
Log into Google Search Console:
Go to Google Search Console (https://search.google.com/search-console/) and log into your account.Select Your Property:
Choose the website property (your site or the site you manage) from the list of properties in your account.Navigate to ‘Removals’:
In the left-hand menu, under “Indexing”, click “Removals.” This is where you can submit requests to remove or refresh outdated content.Submit a New Request:
Click “New Request” and choose one of the following options:Temporarily remove URL: This removes the URL from Google’s search results for six months and clears the cached version.
Clear cached URL: Use this if you’ve already updated the content and want Google to refresh the search result to reflect the changes.
Submit the URL:
Enter the URL of the page you want removed or updated, then click “Next” to review and submit your request.Track the Status:
After submitting, you can track the status of your request under the “Submitted Requests” section.
You can use this method for the dreaded mug shot problem that we had spoken about at the beginning of this article.
Request Image Removal:
If the image violates privacy or contains sensitive information, you can also file a request with Google for the image to be removed from search results entirely. Google has specific criteria for this, such as personal information or explicit content.
When Should You Use the Removals Tool?
1. Discontinued Services:
Let’s say your business offered a service for small event catering, but you recently stopped offering it. If an old page about this service still appears in search results, potential customers might contact you expecting that service, leading to confusion. You could use the Removals Tool to hide this outdated page.
2. Privacy Concerns:
Perhaps an employee left your company, and their bio page still shows up in search results. To avoid people mistakenly contacting them or invading their privacy, you can remove the page temporarily while you update your website.
3. Outdated Promotions:
Imagine you ran a spring sale and shared a specific discount code. After the promotion ends, you remove the page from your site, but the discount details still appear in search results. To prevent customers from trying to use an expired code, using the Removals Tool would prevent frustration and maintain brand trust.
4. Incorrect Information:
Let’s say a blog post on your website shared details about a product that has since undergone major updates. People finding the old page might be misled by the outdated information. In this case, removing the outdated post while you work on an update would be a smart move.
5. Legal Concerns:
In some situations, you might have posted an article that has legal implications, such as coverage of an ongoing lawsuit. If the case has been resolved or sensitive details need to be removed, you could temporarily hide the page until it’s properly updated.
Step 4: What Google Considers “Outdated” Content
Not all content can be removed just because it’s old. Here’s what Google typically considers outdated:
Old Job Listings or Expired Product Pages:
Job postings or product pages that are no longer active can be considered outdated.404 Errors:
Pages that return a 404 error (meaning they no longer exist) but still show up in search results can create a poor user experience.No Longer Relevant Information:
Old content like past events, old news articles, or previous business details (e.g., old addresses or phone numbers) may qualify as outdated if they no longer reflect current realities.Personal Information:
Old personal data, such as previous home addresses or outdated job titles, can often be considered for removal, especially if it’s been updated elsewhere.
Step 5: Suppress Outdated Search Result with SEO
Sometimes, even after using Google’s tools, the outdated content remains visible. In these cases, the best option is to suppress it using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques.
Create Fresh, Relevant Content:
Publish new blog posts, press releases, and articles that are optimized with relevant, up-to-date keywords. Google tends to prioritize fresh, high-quality content, pushing older, irrelevant information further down in the search results.Build Backlinks:
Get authoritative websites to link to your new content. The more reputable sites link to your updated content, the higher it will rank in search results, pushing outdated content further down.Use Social Media:
Share your new content on social media platforms. The more people engage with your updated content, the more relevant it becomes, which can help it rank higher on Google.Leverage Google’s Refresh Outdated Content Tool:
If content on your website has been updated but is still showing outdated results, use Google’s Refresh Outdated Content Tool. This tool helps re-crawl and refresh content that has been recently updated, ensuring that the most accurate version appears in search results.
Suppressing Outdated Content: Aurem Global’s Approach
At Aurem Global, managing outdated content and suppressing its visibility is a core part of our reputation management service. Through a combination of content creation, SEO strategies, backlink building, and proactive monitoring, we ensure your digital presence reflects the most accurate, up-to-date information.
We will be diving deeper into these strategies in upcoming articles, so stay tuned for more insights on how to effectively manage and suppress outdated content using these tools.
Step 6: Leverage Google’s Removals Tool
Google’s Removals Tool is one of the most powerful resources available to help manage outdated or unwanted content. Whether you need to remove temporary content, clear cached information, or handle specific site-wide issues, this tool allows you to directly influence what appears in search results. Here’s how to use it effectively:
1. Log into Google Search Console
First, head over to Google Search Console (https://search.google.com/search-console/) and log into your account. Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google to help website owners and managers monitor and maintain their site’s presence in Google Search results.
2. Select Your Website Property
Once logged in, select the specific property (website) you want to manage from the list of properties in your account. If your website isn’t already registered, you’ll need to verify ownership by following Google’s verification steps.
3. Navigate to ‘Removals’
In the left-hand menu of the dashboard, under the “Indexing” section, you’ll find an option labeled “Removals.” Clicking on this will take you to the page where you can submit requests to manage the visibility of outdated or unwanted URLs in Google’s search index.
4. Submit a New Request
Click on the “New Request” button. You’ll be presented with two main options:
Temporarily Remove URL: This option is ideal for hiding a specific URL from Google’s search results for around six months. It also clears the cached version of the page from Google’s records. Choose this if you’re in the process of updating or removing content and need temporary relief from the old page showing up.
Clear Cached URL: This option keeps the URL visible in search results but updates the displayed information to reflect the most recent version of the page. If you’ve already made updates to the page and want Google to show the refreshed version, this is the best choice.
5. Choose the Right Option for Your Situation
Temporarily Remove URL: If you’re deleting a page entirely or significantly updating it, this is the best option. It ensures the outdated or incorrect page won’t be visible while you make changes.
Clear Cached URL: This is useful when you’ve already made changes to a page but the search results still show outdated information. Selecting this option forces Google to refresh the page and display the most current version.
6. Submit the URL
Enter the specific URL of the page you’d like to remove or update. After reviewing the information, click “Next” and then “Submit Request.” You can monitor the status of your submission in the “Submitted Requests” section.
Other Methods for Permanent Removal
If you control the content on your own website, there are additional ways to manage outdated content more permanently. These methods can ensure that your website is optimized for long-term control over what Google indexes and shows to users.
1. Require a Login to Access Content
One option to “remove” content from search results is to make the page accessible only to logged-in users. By restricting access with a login, Google’s crawlers won’t be able to access the content beyond the login screen, effectively removing it from search results. This can be particularly helpful if you still need the content available internally or for a select group of users (like paying customers).
2. Use the Noindex Meta Tag
If you don’t want to delete a page but want to keep it out of search results, adding a noindex meta tag to the HTML of the page will instruct search engines not to index that page. Here’s what the code looks like:
htmlCopy code<meta name="robots" content="noindex">
This tag goes into the <head> section of the page’s code and will prevent the page from showing up in Google search results. However, it’s important to note that this option isn’t as secure as restricting access, as the page could still be found by users who have the direct URL.
Conclusion: Taking Control and Moving Forward
Don’t let outdated content weigh you down. Managing your digital presence might seem overwhelming, but with the right tools and a few proactive steps, you can take control of what people see when they search for you or your business. Whether it’s removing outdated pages or pushing them down with fresh, engaging content, you’ve got this!
Interestingly, there is another way around the mug shot if you don’t have time to wait. The digital world is about personal branding now. And every personal brand starts with a sappy story. Reupload your image on your socials and speak about how you decided you wanted to change your life one day. From a mug shot – to a professional CPA in a Feragamo suit who is working towards being a partner at your firm. 😉 You’re welcome.