Do-it-yourself game plans · No. 12 / 22
How do you improve external sources without buying questionable “authority”?
Last updated
Separate factual correction, legitimate participation and editorial pitching. Your citation map should determine which sources deserve attention; a generic list of supposedly powerful domains should not.
| Situation | Who to contact | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| Incorrect product fact on an editorial page | Named author or corrections/editorial contact | Exact claim, current evidence, requested factual correction and your affiliation |
| Outdated software profile | Platform’s vendor-profile administrator | Approved product description, current links and supporting documentation |
| Integration listing is incomplete | Your partner manager and the partner’s listing owner | Verified integration scope and documentation |
| Relevant journalist or analyst seeks expertise | The stated editorial or research contact | A useful expert response, evidence and clear disclosure of your role |
| Genuine customer feedback is missing | Customer-success owner | A neutral, policy-compliant request for an honest review |
Proposed correction email:
Subject: Factual correction request: [product] information on [page]
I work with [company]. Your page currently states [claim]. Our current documentation, reviewed on [date], states [supported correction]. The evidence is [source]. Would you review this factual point? We are requesting a correction, not a favourable rating or ranking.
Track the request, response and published outcome. An outreach email is not an earned mention, and an earned mention is not an observed assistant citation.
The FTC’s review rule addresses fake or false reviews and testimonials and prohibits compensation conditioned on a particular review sentiment. Its endorsement guidance also requires clear disclosure of unexpected material connections in applicable circumstances. Have counsel review your programme where necessary. (ftc.gov)
Do not create fictitious reviewers, pose as an independent customer, buy undisclosed endorsements or manufacture a supposedly neutral “best vendors” site. Google also identifies manipulative scaled content and cloaking as spam practices. (developers.google.com)
Sources cited on this page
- ftc.gov www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/federal-trade-commission-ann
- developers.google.com developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies?rd=1&visit_id=6392645