Do individual investors use Google to obtain stock quotes?

Question

In relation to my empirical research I am interested in the following questions (regarding the US).

1) How widespread is the use of Google when invidual/private investors wants to find information on a particular firm's stock? Are there any sources documenting this?

I need to know if searching for information on a particular stock is performed using Google because I'm trying to model/forecast stock prices using search volume indexes from Google. If this is not something that individual investors do my hypothesis is wrong and I won't be able to model stock prices using this information.

2) How big is the share traded by individual/private investor to total trade in the stock market? Sources?

Answer 1

"I won't be able to model stock prices using this information."

The pros aren't likely to use Google as much. Even the casual investor is likely to have his own habits. For example, I've come to like how Yahoo permits me to set up a portfolio and follow the stocks I want. And the information that interests me is there, laid out nicely, price, history, insider trades, news etc.

But your effort probably still has some discovery value, as it will help you understand when interest in a company suddenly swells above normal. Nothing wrong with a good project like that. Just don't expect to extract too much market-beating success from it. The pros will eat your lunch, take your money, and not even say thanks.

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