by Today we are talking with Wes Upchurch. Wes Upchurch is an SEO professional and web developer working from Memphis, TN. His company, SearchResults.repair, is an online reputation repair company that primarily works with individuals that were convicted of crimes in the past. But, he also works with others that have something to hide. The mission of SearchResults.repair is to undo the damage caused by negative news article, bad reviews, and other information that people would rather not have discovered. It’s an interesting concept in digital marketing, an avenue that is usually reserved for building and establishing brands. Instead of making a mark, Wesley Upchurch is busy helping people redefine themselves.
1. Hello! Can you please tell us about you?
Well, it seems you did a pretty good job of introducing me. I can add that I’ve been doing internet marketing for more than a decade. I have experience designing websites, launching e-commerce sites, and managing social media accounts. My new venture is really combines all the skills and uses them to make an impact in people’s lives. Without a way for people to overcome the stigma of a criminal record, the revolving door of reincarceration will never stop. So, SearchResults.repair, is all about using digital marketing skills to help people overcome barriers that would otherwise be insurmountable.
But about me, I’m a creative person that likes a challenge. Trying to outrank the top news sites and government press releases is a challenge and I have to be pretty creative to do that. In my personal life, I seek similarly challenging activities. I play the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It too requires me to strategize and think creatively to overcome my adversaries. In work, my opposition are the publishing machines that produce the content that harms my clients. When I’m playing a card game though, it’s just my opponent. The stakes aren’t nearly as high there so it’s far less stressful. Either way, I work with the hand I’m dealt.
2. Why did you decide to launch SearchResults.repair? What inspired you?
Oh, I took an unwanted extended vacation. I knew that when I returned to society I would have a lot of challenges to overcome. There would be tons of articles online that painted a picture of me as a bad guy, because I sold herbal goods that the government didn’t agree with. Certainly, there were others in my situation. People that were actually good business people and just good people in general that made mistakes. I didn’t think it was fair for them to be forever judged for something they did years ago. So, I decided to do something about it. I already had the skills to promote brands online. Doing that for people is really no different. But I found out pretty quickly that i could go far beyond making someone presentable online. I could actually turn them into experts, authorities in their field.
When I shared this idea with people getting out of prison, they loved it. They hated being turned down for jobs that they were clearly qualified for. They didn’t like their whole life being judged by one stupid mistake they made long ago. So, I started taking clients on, with the promise that I could hide most of the negative information. It just kind of happened. Before I knew it, they’d refer their friends to me, because my methods work. When people Google my clients’ names, they find nothing but good things. SearchResults.repair grew out of a need I had in my own life, but now it’s a company that that helps others.
3. How do you think SearchResults.repair is helpful for its clients?
That’s obvious. My clients get jobs. They find customers. Before, hiring me they might get turned down for positions or people just wouldn’t want to do business with them. But after I clean up their search results pages, they are presentable. It’s like having a clean slate. They say I’ve given them a fresh start at life. And that is something that many people desperately need.
4. Through SearchResults.repair you help your clients to manage their reputation online. Don’t you think this is challenging? How do you overcome such challenges?
Of course it’s challenging. I have to figure out how to make new websites and fresh content outrank established content from media giants. Many of my customers come to me with pages of negative news articles from big news sites like CNN, Fox, and ABC. That kind of content dominates Google’s search results pages. But I have my ways of getting positive content to appear above it. I write books and put my clients names on them, I get my client featured in documentaries as experts in their fields, I get other news sites to write new stories. Basically, I do whatever I have to. There are always other places to publish content. And every article we do has a chance of outranking the existing stuff. We promote the new content heavily.
I have developed relationships with influencers on social media that are willing to tell a new story. I’ve have access to tons of sites that serve the purpose of promoting a respectable image for my clients. And I connect with bloggers, like yourself that are willing to sit down and talk with us. Even though my average client comes to me with dozens of negative news articles, we eventually out rank those bad stories. But it takes a lot of work. On average, I create 1200 new mentions of my clients’ names across different websites. When we control 99 percent of what’s out there, we start to dominate the search results pages. Then, we work on deleting what we can, things like the criminal history information that can be found on online people search sites. By the time we are finished, our clients will look like a saint.
5. With other similar services and digital marketing services available, what makes SearchResults.repair and your other services unique?
For one, most digital marketing companies are focused on advertising to generate sales. They work with businesses and promote products or services. They aren’t exclusively dedicated to managing reputations. Those that do focus on reputation often cater to businesses. They worry about bad reviews. We are the only comprehensive solution focused on repairing the reputation of individuals.
6. Do you have any advice for emerging entrepreneurs?
I can give you the same advice that my attorney, Charles Hawkins, gave me. He said the best companies are the ones that solve a problem for people. When the focus is on making money, you lose sight of what really matters.
We had great time talking with Wes Upchurch who is a Digital Marketing Professional and founder of SearchResults.repair. We are sure that you are inspired with his entrepreneur journey. His advice for the emerging entrepreneurs is invaluable.
To read more about Wes Upchurch and his services visit his website: www.searchresults.repair
