Many people who are being bullied or cyber bullied don’t accept it is actually happening. They would rather believe that they live in a world where they messed up and they are being called out on it, than a world where someone is out to get them. They say to themselves, 'If only I wasn’t in the cafeteria at that time that bully wouldn’t have tipped my lunch tray over my lap'. They blame themselves. It is easier to think that than to think 'ok this is happening, how do I solve the issue'. Solving the issue involves facing it, all of it, and confronting it. Facing negative emotions in yourself. It also involves working hard to create positive content. All this is rather unappealing to most people, who would rather just ignore the whole thing. Understand that doing nothing isn't going to solve the problem or make it go away. 

However, doing nothing is not the same as not reacting. Your strategy should not just be about marketing, it is also about psychology. The psychology of someone out to get you. How is best to counteract that, regardless of whether it’s online. Sometimes bullies want to get a rise out of you so they bait you. Sometimes the thing they do e.g. writing a nasty blog post, isn’t their attack, it’s the bait for you to act, and then they will attack based on your initial reaction to the bait. Instead of answering the post, or having your lawyers send them a letter, or you emailing them (for them to put on another blog post about you), approach in it a way that isn't doing nothing but isn't reactive either. Have it de-indexed. Actively removed by Google. 

Don't mention the (their) negativity in your own blogs or website. Rudyard Kipling said never speak a word of your loss. I met a guy who just finished his law degree and he said me 'I have a law degree but I don’t have a masters'. Why did he mention he doesn’t have a masters? I was impressed by the law degree. He said that because his strict dad pressured him into doing a masters and now he can’t. It was in his head, but he said it and introduced it as a failing for no reason. If he just stopped with 'I have a degree in law', noone would say 'but hey do you have a masters?' He internalised the criticism because he didn’t want to believe he was being bullied by his dad. 

Moving on from negativity involves being positive. In physics a positive charge plus a negative charge equals a positive charge. In biology a dominant gene will show over a recessive one. Put positive content about you and what you are doing on authoritative websites, to make it harder for the haters to pick at and find problems with. Go to the prom, and not just 'dont worry' about the bullies, but expect them. Show them their words mean nothing and go and do what you always wanted to do and hold your head high, because living well is the best revenge. Find out more about Online Reputation Management on the Pure Reputation website.