SOCIALMEDIASTUDIES 2016

Social media is no longer a trendy pastime with little relevance for the business community. Social networks are now an important component of our daily lives and have changed the way we interact with each other. Companies have also fully embraced social channels as runways to deliver content, engage with their audiences and interact with their customers, as well as for lead generation. Since our previous study in 2013* , asset managers have increased their presence on social networks, which has led to an uptick in interactions they have with their clients and followers. However, compared to other industries such as technology, consumer goods and the automotive sector, the investment industry is still in the early stages of social media usage. For this report, we have analysed the current state of asset management’s use of social media and the leading players in this field, comparing the results with our previous study. Furthermore, we have compared the use of social media by various industries in order to identify the best practices that could be replicated by asset managers. Something clear emerged from our analysis: the asset management community is increasingly betting on social media, and asset managers with no clear strategy on how to take advantage of social media as communications and sales channels will be left behind. Furthermore, if properly leveraged, social channels could unlock new opportunities for investment firms.

Dariush Yazdani PwC

Partner, Market Research Centre Leader

* PwC – CACEIS, Asset Management in the Social Era, 2013

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