SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Despite enormous investments in corporate communications, the majority of companies in the Nasdaq 100 suffer reputational damage from negative news or content that ‘sticks’ to their search profiles like gum, long after the news cycle has moved on. That’s the key conclusion of a new analysis by public relations agency, Grayling.
Key findings:
Report from Grayling finds the Nasdaq 100 plagued by negative news with 64% of companies suffering from ‘News Gum’ syndrome.
- Sixty-four companies from the Nasdaq 100 are afflicted by negative content sticking to their search results
- Much of that content is old – of the 64 companies affected, 48 have negative content sticking to them that is more than a month old; while 14 of those have negative content that is more than a year old sticking to page one of their search results
- Most of this negative content consists of critical media stories, most often around unethical company/employee behavior or poor financial performance
- Companies least affected by the syndrome are Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Micron Technology, Illumina, Broadcom and Microchip Technology, all showing the most positive and no negative media mentions
The analysis was undertaken using Grayling’s proprietary GCore technology developed to help its clients manage their online reputations, by looking at reputation through the lens of search. A summary of the analysis, ‘Search… and Rescue: Addressing Damaging Search Results for the Nasdaq100’, is available to download for free.
Grayling’s west coast lead, Jon Meakin says: “Now, more than ever, reputations are shaped by what people see online – and specifically what they see on the first page of Google search results. But while many companies invest heavily in search engine optimization, our analysis indicates that the importance of branded search results is being overlooked.”
As well as the analysis, ‘Search… and Rescue’ includes some practical advice not just for the Nasdaq 100, but for any company serious about the curation of its online presence.
About Grayling
Grayling (@GraylingUS) is an international public relations and public affairs agency. The company develops inventive, integrated communications solutions that are rapidly scalable to create measurable advantage for clients. The company operates a flexible, international network that defies borders, whether between nations or disciplines. Grayling is wholly owned by Huntsworth plc. Visit: grayling.com/us.
Media contact:
Sharon Barclay
Sharon.barclay@grayling.com
+1 617 571 1233
SOURCE Grayling
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