Internet plays integral role in decision-making Study

The Digital Influence Index is Fleishman-Hillard's annual global research platform for uncovering how the Internet is not only informing and connecting consumers, but the way in which it's driving decision-making.

This study measures several key aspects of consumers' use of the Internet, from media consumption patterns, to the degree of adoption of various digital behaviors, to involvement with online social networking.

In its second year, the study has expanded from France, Germany and the United Kingdom to include Canada, China, Japan and the United States. Together, these seven countries represent 48 percent of the global online population.

The online survey took place between December 2009 and January 2010. The data was quota sampled and weighted to be representative of the online populations of each country.

One of the most interesting findings that we got in the survey, is that although the Internet is by far the most important medium in the lives of consumers, companies continue to under-invest in their online marketing efforts.

The Internet has roughly twice the influence of the second strongest medium, television, and about 10 times the influence of print media.

Although companies have been increasing resources applied to web-based activities like social media, online advertising, developing web properties and search management, there is still a gap between the relative importance of different media and spending on the media mix. One example is in the area of advertising.