The survey found that while information direct from companies remains the primary source for investment decisions, digital and social media is playing an increasing role. More than half of investors surveyed said they investigated an issue after reading a blog, and over a quarter said they made an investment decision based on a blog post. Investor interaction with digital media continues to grow across categories, and deeper online engagement is driving more investment actions. Most investors believe digital media will play a larger role in their decisions going forward.

1. The Investment Community’s Use of Digital and Social Media
Brunswick’s fourth survey on the international investment community’s use of digital and social media finds the global
investment community continues to look to companies as their primary source of information as they form their investment
recommendations and decisions. However, investor and analyst interaction with digital media continues to increase in
nearly all categories and deeper online engagement continues to drive investment action.
This year, more than half of those surveyed said they investigated an issue after reading a blog, and more than one in
four said they have made an investment decision based around a blog post.
Social media is increasingly driving investment decisions
USA EUROPE ASIA
Investors who made an investment
based on seeing information on:
BLOGS
MICRO-BLOGGING SERVICES
MESSAGE BOARDS
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
28% 10% 9% 4% 25% 12% 9% 7% 28% 23% 20% 15%
21%
no, probably not
4%
no, definitely not
6% unsure
23%
yes, definitely
47%
yes,
probably
Most investors see the role
of digital media increasing
7/10say that digital media sources
will play a larger role in investment
decisions
Information
direct from companies
remained the highest ranked
resource for investment
decisions
INFORMATION DIRECT FROM COMPANIES
REALTIME SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION SOURCES
ANALYST RESEARCH
PRIMARY MARKET RESEARCH
ONLINE BUSINESS MEDIA
PRINT BUSINESS MEDIA
DIGITAL MEDIA
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
5TH
6TH
7TH
CONTACT:
Jason Golz jgolz@brunswickgroup.com
Sparky Zivin szivin@brunswickgroup.com
www.brunswickgroup.com
Brunswick Insight distributed the survey to several thousand
buy-side investors and sell-side analysts in the U.S., Europe
and Asia in October 2013.