Removing Google items from search results

remove,Google,search

[Rienne]

Delicate one. I have a couple of items coming up about me when my name is googled which are old and I would like not to be there. I can't understand why they are still coming up, as newer items are below them. Is there any way of getting these things deleted from the search?
thanks

[SEOMike]

Unless you control the sites / pages where the old info lives, no. Not that I know of.

[rocknbil]

And if you do,

[google.com...]

[weeks]

This is getting to be something of a niche industry in the SEO world--anti-SEO, sorta.

As has been stated, you can't get rid of it if you do not own it, and then the cache can get you.

Typically, what those who specialize in this do is bury the bad with other links using standard SEO tools. For example, you can raise a more positive web reference by linking to it (although, as noted elsewhere in WW, that doesn't have the power it once did).

Of course, you can build websites as well. Or get mentioned on other websites a lot. (Lots of mentions can increase ranking--sometimes.)

Best yet, just laugh it off if someone mentions it to you. "Oh, that ol' murder conviction? Long, boring story."

[Rienne]

Many thanks to everyone for their comments.

Could I ask Weeks:

"For example, you can raise a more positive web reference by linking to it (although, as noted elsewhere in WW, that doesn't have the power it once did)."

Sorry I don't understand, could you explain what would change by just linking something else to it?

There are lots of other links which are more positive, but my point is this one keeps appearing on page one, even above the newer results and I wondered why as it is now well over a year old.

Thanks

[tedster]

Here's a recent discussion on the topic:

Reputation Management and Google [webmasterworld.com]

[weeks]

Tedster's link is where you should go. What I was referring to is this complex discussion:
[webmasterworld.com...]

In a nutshell, Google has a complex, secret, way of determining who gets ranked in what order. And it changes. One of the factors, most agree, is how many web sites are linking to a page. So, if more web sites are linking to the pages where GOOD things are said about you, your ranking should rise. Probably. Maybe. At least, it is something you can do.

And, another factor may be how many times a web page mentions the search topic, such as your name. But, G is sly--it needs to be in real context. I just can't type in Weeks, Weeks, Weeks, Weeks, Weeks, Weeks, Weeks, Weeks. Or, at least that is what is commonly believed.

Really, SEO is about trying different things and seeing what works.