Advances in technology and digitalisation have led to the emergence of many new forms of research in the applied marketing research market . These innovative techniques allow us to understand consumers in new and unprecedented ways, and make data processing more efficient. The main trends are briefly outlined below.
SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS
Secondary analysis of forums, blogs
By secondary analysis of the content on online forums, blogs, review sites, we can get an overview of the target groups, the issues that concern them, the brands and their experiences. It is a secondary analysis, so we are not looking in depth and in detail at a given topic. It can be used as a complement to the research or as a starting point.
Content analysis of social networking sites, groups
On social networks, people are nowadays eager to share their thoughts, opinions and experiences in text, pictures and videos. By secondary analysis, we can gain useful information to support our research.
Social Media Listening
Social Media Listening is the analysis of online content using artificial intelligence, i.e. public posts are processed using an algorithm with near-human accuracy. It can be used to measure and monitor user satisfaction, brand awareness, brand perception or changes in user opinions. It is usually used in a complementary way, but a positive example is the Neticle, developed by Hungarians, which offers its clients valuable research results with its professional software. A good example is our research supporting the communication of Tenkes Borvidék Ltd.
Analysis of search data
On average, Google receives 7 billion searches a day, from which we can extract information about users, such as search data and topics. We can also use Google Trends, which shares a detailed study of your search data for free.
ONLINE QUANTITATIVE SURVEYS
Online questionnaire
The use of online quantitative techniques has been one of the most popular market research solutions, but there are also signs of progress. Developers are now focusing not only on simplicity, but also on diversity and the incorporation of special features, as competition is fierce. We use online questionnaires primarily to study consumer behaviour, as we did in our 2020 consumption change research.
Mobile research, gamification
The spread of smartphones has naturally meant that research methods have also been optimised for mobile devices. In addition to questionnaires, mobile phones can also be used for observational studies, such as integrated eye-tracking or netnographic research.
ONLINE QUALITATIVE SOLUTIONS
Netnography
Netnographic research involves monitoring the traces and content left online by consumers. In the classical ethnographic approach, they try to explore other circumstances and contexts related to consumption by observing the online behaviour and communication of the target group members. Nowadays, it is more and more common to talk about digital/mobile ethnography, where the consumer or shopper provides data through predefined tasks, for example by recording their purchases.
Online communities (MROC) and research forums
Online communities and research forums are very similar, typically differing in their time span and number of participants. In essence, they are a group of respondents answering online to the researchers' questions, or even to each other's comments. There is also the possibility for participants to complete tasks, either individually or in groups. These surveys can last from a few days to several months. This is one of the methods we have used in our complex research to support strategy development.
INSTRUMENTAL AND DIGITAL OBSERVATIONS
Neuromarketing is based on instrumental measurements of cognitive responses to different stimuli. Neuromarketing tools help us to understand subconscious motivations, preferences and emotions. Traditional questioning techniques are complemented by research on conscious impulses and factors influencing decisions. Most popular applications:
Eye camera (eye tracking)
The eye camera examines cognitive processes and behaviour by detecting eye movements without recording brain activity. It provides researchers with a simple and cost-effective alternative to neuromarketing. We distinguish between two types of eye camera, wearable (mobile) or fixed (stationary). We used the mobile device in our 2019 in-store eye tracking research, supplemented by in-depth interviews.
EEG
Another solution increasingly used in neuromarketing research is the electroencephalograph (EEG), which is based on the recording of brain waves whose amplitude corresponds to certain mental states. Since data is recorded through electrodes attached to the participants' heads, EEG can also be used as a portable research tool.
Its use is not straightforward, but in practice it is often used in conjunction with other neuromarketing tools such as eye cameras or face scanning systems to gain more insight into decision-making mechanisms.
Face scanning system
Facial scanning systems measure the emotional effects of a given stimulus by detecting different points on the human face and their movements. Its main advantage is that it can be used without any external device, as it requires only a webcam and a dedicated software.
Analysis of user behaviour
With advanced software, we can measure and analyse the traces left by the visitor on the website, such as scrolling, clicks, various interactions, without the need for survey methods. Solutions such as Hotjar, Crazyegg, Mouseflow are widely used, where it is possible to monitor the site visitors at a fixed time interval. The most typical output of this type of analysis is a heatmap showing the most visited or clicked parts of a website.
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