Google Finance (or just Google Finance) was introduced in 2006, and it quickly became one of the most helpful resources for investors looking to get information about stocks and other financial products. But because it’s not as well-known as other Google tools, many people don’t know how much they can benefit from its functionality. Here are some fun facts about Google Finance you might have missed out on up until now. The Unexpected Benefits of Google Finance You Didn’t Know About
Use as an educational tool
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The next time you want to talk about stocks with a friend, pull up some financial data for your company or industry. Or, if you’re in finance, use it as a way to show clients how their investments are doing. Or even just check out what’s going on with competitors and other companies in your space. For those who have never used it before, Google Finance offers loads of information and makes it incredibly easy to navigate. Here are some tips
Predict Future Stock Prices
I might be totally off-base here, but it seems to me that even though Google Finance has been around for a while now, many people are still unaware of how powerful and useful it can be. One way I like to use it is as a quick—albeit imperfect—way to predict future stock prices. Let me show you what I mean by breaking down a simple example. Say you want to buy shares in Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL). First, go to Google Finance and enter AAPL into its search bar. This will take you straight to Apple’s profile page on Google Finance.
Find Out Who Influences People in Your Industry
Influencer marketing is a popular form of promotion in which big-name bloggers are paid to promote products, typically for a flat fee or even free. It’s a huge industry, with more than $2 billion spent on influencer marketing in 2015 alone. But influencers can also be great sources of information and inspiration, making them perfect contacts when you need help learning how to start a new business or picking up tips on how to advance your own career. Here’s how to use that popularity for good
Set Alerts
When you sign up for a Google Finance account, you can set up alerts that will let you know when certain kinds of news come across your screen. For example, if you want to follow your industry closely, it may be helpful to set an alert on major changes in market share or quarterly reports. This way, you’ll never miss any big news in your industry or have to spend time scouring stock sites for updates. Alerts are easy to set up and are completely customizable—the possibilities really are endless!
Reference Old News That Just Came Back Around
Last year, mobile search overtook desktop in terms of total number of searches. It’s not a new trend—people are increasingly using mobile devices to access their favorite sites and apps. What does that mean for your business? If you have an eCommerce site, it means that there’s more potential for conversions than ever before.
Learn Key Terms Related to Your Company or Industry
The first thing to do when researching a company is to learn its important terms. For example, an investor would want to know what a EBITDA is, or an engineer might look up patents related to his field. When you know what these terms mean, you can then go further into your research. There are plenty of free resources online for finding out about specific companies and industries. A few places to start: Investopedia, Dun & Bradstreet and Hoover’s Company Records are all great for company information; patent searches can be done on Google Patents; and Factiva provides news reports from over 4,000 sources around the world.