As if we need further proof that organizations no longer control their messages, Market Sentinel has released the results of a study that spotlight the negative PR implications of Google searches.

The study involved Google search results for the 50 top grocery brands in the UK. Of those searches, two out of five included negative messages in the top 10 search results. The negative messages might be insults, misinformation, or organized campaigns.

According to Robin Langford, writing in NetImperative,

Mark Rogers, CEO at Market Sentinel said that brand-owners need to pay more attention to online detractors. “Corporate PRs and brand owners don’t have to give this crucial ground to their critics. Online detractors can be out-thought, out-argued and out-marketed,” Rogers said.

The white paper (PDF file) detailing the study results-”Search is Brand”-is available from Market Sentinel. Don’t dismiss them if you don’t work in the grocery world. The results translate into just about any industry or market sector.

Thanks to (the new-look) MicroPersuasion for the link.

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Shel Holtz is principal of Holtz Communication + Technology which focuses on helping organizations apply online communication capabilities to their strategic organizational communications.

As a professional communicator, Shel also writes the blog a shel of my former self.