pr and seo

A high-profile successful business man we represent is and always has been single.  Yet, the new Infograph on Google when his name is searched shows him as married (with a spouses’ name) and it bothers him. We prepared and submitted to Google a notarized letter saying he’s never been married, attached multiple media clippings attesting to him being single, and provided tax returns showing that he tells the IRS he is single.

Google’s reply came: “The data appearing in search results is derived from an algorithm that indexes content available on the Web and evaluates it based on hundreds of variables. Manual edits to search results are extremely rare. Google isn’t publishing information; we’re facilitating access to information that’s already on the Web. The problem is there is a news source who lists your client as having a spouse. I suggest contacting those publications and asking them to issue a correction. If they make a correction or remove the references, the right information should eventually get picked-up by our algorithms.”

We discovered that many years ago a newspaper listed a girlfriend at the time as his wife.  The man is mentioned in hundreds of articles a year and has never been married.  He doesn’t read every story he’s mentioned in, and somehow a search algorithm picked this up.

We have not been successful tracking down the Reporter who wrote the article seven years ago, and the Publication stands by the article.  Now what to do? File a lawsuit which would cause more media on this issue?

Hope as Google said “If they make a correction or remove the references, the right information should eventually get picked-up by our algorithms.” If… and eventually.  A scary catch 22.

In today’s world, even someone who pays a Public Relations Agency can’t get the truth reflected online. Scary times indeed.

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.