Whether serious harm has been caused or is likely to be caused will depend on the specific circumstances of the statement and will be determined by reference to the actual impact of the allegedly defamatory statement.
In determining whether serious harm has been caused (or is likely to be caused), consider:
the severity of the statement(s) and allegation(s)
the size of the publication’s readership
any specifics of your situation that suggest serious harm or the likelihood of such harm (eg if you’ve experienced an immediate loss of clients)
For serious harm (or the likelihood of such harm) to be considered to have been caused to the reputation of a business, the relevant content must cause (or be likely to cause) serious financial loss. Appropriate methods of proving serious financial loss (or the likelihood of such loss) depend on the specific situation, but may include anything from loss of clients to online reviews and social media posts.
In certain extreme circumstances, serious reputational harm and/or financial loss may be so obvious that actual evidence is not required. For example, following the publication in national media of allegations of terrorism.
For more information, read Defamation.