TAMPA, Florida -- What's written about you online can make or break whether you get hired or a new customer chooses your business.
But how do you hide a negative review or embarrassing moment?
Some people in the Tampa Bay area are getting lessons in burying the bad news.
"I don't want anybody to have anything but good things to say about us," said Terry Riney, owner of Be Seen Dry Cleaning in Tampa's Channel District.
A simple Google search turns up several positive reviews for Riney's business... but also a couple of negative ones.
Though Riney strongly disputes those claims, he knows the damage may already be done, especially in a business where a good reputation is a requirement.
"You might rectify it with the customer, but how many other people have already seen that?" he explained.
Anyone who has been arrested knows the online mugshot or arrest report can come back to haunt them.
University of South Florida Associate Communications Professor Kelli Burns teaches her students how to hide their online secrets.
"The important thing is that you need to control your image, not other people," Burns said.
She says producing new content is key.
Burns advises to start a blog and post regularly, or create as many twitter, linkedin, and Google+ type of profiles as possible.
She says those help, because Google recently changed its setup so search results are more timely.
"Fresher content is going to appear higher, so if there is something negative about you, you can help push that down," Burns explained.
There are also ways for business owners to fight back and regain their reputation.
Here is what the Better Business Bureau suggests:
1. Be in contact with the publishers of negative information.
Ask about the situation, what can be done on your part, and if they are able to move the negative dialogue
2. Respond to individuals who have complaints in a positive, professional manner.
Everything you write online can be captured and posted indefinitely. You want to positively represent yourself and your business.
3. Deal with it quickly.
The longer the information is online, the more it will spread and be archived. If you are able to remove the posted information, you want to do so as quickly as possible.
Burns also says setting up a Google alert that notifies you anytime something is posted about you or your business can also be a very effective way to monitor negative posts.