Online Market Research: The Future of Customer Insight

Online Market Research: The Future of Customer Insight

FlexMR Webinar

July 2015

2 FlexMR www.flexmr.net

An overview of the session

Introduction

• An introduction to the key drivers of online market research

– Socially integrated research trends

– Omnipresence of mobile

– The rise of the agile research paradigm

• Online customer insight research tools and practices

– An introduction to the tools

– Effective practice for online diary studies

– Effective practice for online focus groups

• Customer insight research demonstration


Who will be speaking

Introduction

Paul HudsonCEO & Founder

Paul has over fifteen years of market research experience. A regular speaker at AQR and ICG events, Paul is an online qualitative research expert actively involved in developing new research techniques for online application.

Charlotte PearsonClient Services Manager

With a background in research and significant experience running projects for FlexMR, Charlotte has an in-depth understanding of cutting edge online tools and research methodologies.

Maria TwiggeAssociate Director

Maria has an innate understanding of human behaviour. This, combined with numerous years heading online research projects, sees her delivering bespoke initiatives creatively via FlexMR for actionable results time after time.


3 key drivers of online market research


Socially integrated research trends


Socially integrated research trends

Key Online MRX Drivers

Communities

Consumer blogs

Social listening tools

Tool

Availability


• Social listening tools the basis for online brand analysis

– Provide data regarding online mentions of brands and products

– Used for understanding and evaluating online influence

– Advanced tools can incorporate an element of sentiment analysis

What are social listening tools?



• Dedicated blogs provide participants platforms to discuss brands

• Capitalise on social integration and community building features

• More advanced than social listening and brand-centric

• Interactive conversations between brands and consumers

What are consumer blogs?



What are research communities?


Social members area Drives participation through competitive, sharing and social status

initiatives

Consumer blogsGive engaged customer a voice to discuss topics important to them

ForumEncourages natural interaction and conversation between participants

Individual promotingFollow up on points raised by community members on an

individual basis

Specific Sampled ResearchQuick Polls, Surveys, Focus Groups etc.


The omnipresence of mobile


62%

Omnipresence of mobile


Market penetration of smartphone

industry

80%

Percentage of mobile users who

use search features

34.6 million

Number of UK smartphone users


Benefits of Mobile Research


In the moment

Speed of insight

Accessibility


• In-situ or in the moment research

– Closer to point of purchase and interaction with brands, products and services

– Reduces the time between experience and feedback

– Range of feedback options including audio, video & picture

• Accessibility

– There are more smartphone users than non-users

– 62% of the UK population have access to a smartphone

– 73% of smartphone users research products with their phones

• Speed of insight

– Mobile feedback is instant

– Real time data analysis

Benefits of Mobile Research



The agile market research paradigm


Quick Consumer Read

The rise of the agile market research paradigm


Quick = addressing a particular business need in a timely and relevant manner

Consumer = focused on the end user

Read = a closer reading of the market needs


• Agile market research is a quick and iterative process

– It is characterised by short research cycles and speed of insight

– Desktop and mobile research has enabled real-time feedback

The rise of the agile market research paradigm


Long term research goals

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Report 1

Report 2 Report 3


Online customer insight research tools and practices

FlexMR www.flexmr.net

Diary studies

The Tools

18

• Vox pops through video integration

• Range of question types

• Fully smartphone compatible

Create diary tasks to guarantee participant feedback on key areas

Choose from a range of question types both open and closed, allocate to individuals, groups or segments and schedule in advance

• Set multiple tasks

• Automated scheduling

• Image gallery

DiaryMR


Diary studies

The Tools

19

• Fully smartphone compatible

Invite your customers to feedback on their own terms

Enable participants to record personal video messages as well as observational footage bringing your research to life

• Open ended feedback

• Image gallery

JournalMR


Focus groups

The Tools

20

• Moderator, observer and host roles

• Quick polling of participants

• Upload a topic guide

Just like a real focus group but from the comfort of your own desk

Upload your questions and stimuli to reveal when ready, leaving you free to probe interesting points on the fly

• Client viewing area

• Full smartboard capability

• Range of stimuli options

Live ChatMR


Focus groups

The Tools

21

• Embed images and video

• Range of formatting options

Categorise threads for simple navigation and allocate different bulletin board focus groups to different participant segments

More control for you, more convenience for your customer

• Set completion targets

• Individual private prompting

• Consumer group controlled

Bulletin BoardMR


Effective use of diary studies



The Tools

• Set participants specific tasks

– Structure tasks around business goals and research objectives

– Provide participants with flexibility in their answer format

• Encourage free-form comments

– Instant feedback negates distorted memories

– Free-form comments encourage expression

23



The Tools

• Encourage mobile usage

– Mobile research is in-situ and free from the fog of memory

– Mobile engagement moves research closer to the point of purchase / interaction

• Combine multimedia & written feedback

– Multimedia feedback methods broaden choice and interaction

– Richer data provides more points of comparison and parity

24


Key considerations in diary studies

The Tools

Over recruit

• To allow for change of participant circumstances

Incentives

• Accurately reflect the level of contribution required

Number of tasks vs. length of

study

• Avoid over-facing participants with too many tasks at any one time in the study


Effective use of focus groups



The Tools

27

• Encourage stakeholder engagement

– Get stakeholders involved in from the start

– Make use of virtual viewing platforms to monitor feedback in real-time

– Allow stakeholders to interact with participants in a controlled setting

• Set group limits of 8-10

– Smaller groups encourage participation among all group members and a variety of discussion topics

– Remember to over recruit; confirm 12-13 participants for 8-10 to attend



The Tools

28

• Carefully consider moderation

– Provide enough time for participants to type responses

– Use topic guides to as instant prompts

– Carefully select follow up questions

• Use multimedia stimuli and tasks

– Deliver photo, video and audio stimuli to engage participants

– Use interactive tools such as smartboards or polls for greater insight


FlexMR customer insight tools demonstration

Online Market Research: The Future of Customer Insight

FlexMR Webinar

July 2015

Online Market Research: The Future of Customer Insight

Marketing