The most common question investors ask when they start using search and social data is: how far in advance does this actually lead the numbers? It is the right question. A signal that arrives after a stock has already moved is not useful. A signal that is consistently weeks ahead of reported revenue, and that you can act on before the market prices it in, is the foundation of an investment edge.
The honest answer is that the lead time varies by source, sector, and company. But the research and practitioner evidence points to a consistent pattern: behavioral and social signals lead reported fin