Will companies ever learn?  So, now RSA Homes, a New Jersey company, has filed suit against Google because someone did a page on ripoffreport.com and it is ranking on the first page for “RSA Homes”.  You know what… just for that stupidity, I am going to link to that page….. here’s my little PR4 coming atcha’!  j/k.  Anyway, if anyone learned ANYthing from the Katherine Coble situation (see, I did it again), it is that companies, in these situations, cannot simply do what they have done in the past.  Some things cannot be resolved in court (and, yes, I am a lawyer, by trade!)

Instead of throwing a fit and filing suit, thereby, effectively, causing your situation to become worse…go get links!  Now, why will matters get worse by going on the attack?  OK, at the time I heard about this, this ripoffreport page was on the first page for the search term “RSA Homes”, on Google.  Well, after this case is discussed 100 times over by bloggers like me, likely, it will eventually catapult to #1.  Don’t draw attention to the situation.  Businesses, listen, the Internet operates by the “Law of the Playground”… “Don’t let anyone know that anything is bothering you.”  When you were a kid and other kids picked on you and called you “fatty”, “four eyes”, etc. (I was the former - rather than the latter), it helped to just ignore the situation.  Why?  Because when you “confront” and let someone know it bothers you, your problems compound…. Aaaaah, the bully knows what to do to really piss you off.   

OK, MOST bloggers are not bullies.  But, the power of linking remains a close analogy, nevertheless.  Google was founded by academics.  In the academic world, the more a paper is cited, the more credibility that paper has.  Thus, in Google, today, basically, the more a site is linked to, the higher it will be ranked.  (That is a very simplistic presentation of a very complex and mysterious Google Algorithm that encompasses many factors other than linking.)

But, bottom line, don’t think that you can “take on Google in court” and win and get that awful site accusing you of doing all manner of ridiculous things removed.  You will lose.  This has been tried in court.  And - guess what - others have lost.  I would give companies facing hate sites and criticism pages the same advice I would give my daughter if someone is bullying her.  Ignore it.  Don’t let them know it bothers you.  Don’t write letters.  Letters get published online… and linked to.  Just, ignore the person or criticism.  I have even heard lawyers at CLEs give bad advice on this subject.  Lawyers are not, generally, e-commerce experts.  They tell you to write letters, demanding that the parties “cease and desist”.  Say no to that advice.  Lawyers will only get you into trouble here.  Apparently, RSA Homes listened to their lawyers.  Bad advice.   But, rather, get links to in order to do away with that critical page.   

Look, if a page is ranking highly for something like your company’s name or even your name, clearly, you are ranking poorly because of a faulty linking strategy.  Go write articles and submit them to ezinearticles or even host them on your site.  Go get other companies to link to you.  Do press releases.  Do anything.  But, whatever you do, don’t dignify the person or group who is attacking you.  THAT is stupid.

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