Online marketing research 2011

Online Marketing ResearchIsn’t Just for the Big Guys Anymore

Fritz Robinson, MBA, PRCSenior Research Manager/Ownerwwww.surveydepartment.com

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What Will You Learn?

• How can my company effectively use online marketing research?• Which online data gathering technique fits my needs?• How do I start building an online marketing research program?

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Who am I and what do I do?

• Fritz Robinson, M.B.A., P.R.C.

Fritz Robinson is the senior research manager with surveydepartment.com. He received his B.G.S. from The University of Kansas and his M.B.A. from Wichita State University.

Fritz has held research management and product development positions at Multimedia Cablevision, Bank IV and INTRUST Bank. He received focus group research training at the Burke Institute in Cincinnati, OH, and also attended the AMA School of Marketing Research at Notre Dame University. Fritz is a Past President of the Wichita Chapter of the American Marketing Association and a current board member. He is also a member of the Marketing Research Association and Interactive Marketing Research Organization. Fritz has received the Professional Researcher Certification from the Marketing Research Association.

Fritz Robinson has served as an adjunct professor at Webster University, Kansas Newman University and Butler County Community College. He is a current member of the United Way of the Plains marketing committee and has been involved with many other community organizations and events.

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Do-It-Yourself Research

• DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is cheap (Survey Monkey, Zoomerang, and those with email marketing solutions like Constant Contact and Vertical Response.)

• DIY is quick• DIY may be poorly designed• DIY results may be misinterpreted• Professional ethics

– Non-professionals don’t know professional ethics codes• Legal knowledge

– Non-professionals don’t know laws– Privacy laws like HIPPA, GLIBA, CANSPAM, Child protection laws

• Use consultants to help with research objectives, survey design and analysis. You do the work

• The tools are adequate for most online surveys

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Introduction

• Computers have impacted the way we conduct marketing research• Tremendous explosion in internet usage• Research industry is have trouble with telephone interviewing• Major corporations are turning to the internet• Some are reluctant to trust internet research• Researchers consider at internet research because of budget cuts

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Introduction (continued)

• Significant increase in primary research on computer-mediated communications• Lessons learned about when to use internet survey methodologies• Conduction internet surveys was difficult until recently• Most of the large successful consumer product firms are using internet research

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Types of Internet Research

• Email surveys• Web-based surveys• Internet focus groups• Internet interviewing• Hybrid methodologies

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Advantages of Internet Surveys

• Less expensive methodology for the same sample size• Faster turnarounds possible• Answering machines don’t prevent connection with respondents• Online surveys can be interactive• Elimination of interviewers• Opportunities for researches to access a variety of populations

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Advantages of Internet Surveys

• More internet survey software packages available• Don’t have to open attachments anymore• Respondents can go back• Question and response category randomization• Can isolate questions from one another• Open-end questions allow unrestricted answers• Quick feedback from customers and/or employees• Internet surveys better than website feedback forms• Telephone survey response rate has dropped to 30% or less

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Advantages of Internet Surveys

• Small business is moving to the internet quickly• Easy to provide space for additional comments.• Good response rates• Can create and maintain a customer or product usage panel• Easily “Test Drive” internet surveys• Relief for your research department or IT department• Shows that your company is on the leading edge

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Disadvantages of Internet Surveys

• Not sure who is really responding• Sampling issues:

– May not be representative of the population– Little may be known about people in an internet community– No guarantee that demographics are accurate– Bad email addresses– Not all virtual groups or organizations membership may provide email lists– Multiple email addresses from the same person

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Disadvantages of Internet Surveys

• The poor and elderly• Impact of “Lurkers” in newsgroups• Not considered a mainstream research methodology• Difficult to pay incentives to respondents• Respondents may “flame” you and suggest others to do so• Upset respondents might send you a “letter bomb”• Easier to “probe” respondents during a telephone interview• Self-selection bias

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Disadvantages of Internet Surveys

• Technical problems may occur• Email list size limitation• If technology makes internet survey methods too easy then…• Regulation• Extra work for you IT department.• Survey replication is the best defense• Many disadvantages are also shortcomings of other methods

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The Correct Balance

• Can be best method when the population mimics the internet population• Can be an effective supplement to traditional approaches• Can be a subjective “quick impression” of your customers• The internet populations is looking more like the general population• Using electronic incentives will help

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Recruiting Internet Respondents

• Create a web presence• E-mail a specific sample• Post invitations to newsgroups• Watch out for pitfalls:

– Difficult to know size of the population– Develop a strategy to discard data

• Do not send out mass e-mail invitations• Conceal respondents e-mail address

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Recruiting Internet Respondents

• Communicate with moderators first• E-mail to groups separately • Use multiple contacts with respondents• Communicate that your invitation is not an advertisement• If you use incentives be careful. It’s difficult to estimate response

– consider your privacy policy• Include contact information, information about the study and something about

credentials within the invitation• If you receive rude responses, resist the urge to retaliate

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Who Can Use Internet Survey Methods

• Major corporations (over $50 million in annual revenues)• Small businesses (under $50 million in annual revenues)• Micro-businesses• Academic researchers• Non-profit organizations• Political organizations• Membership groups• Individuals• Government• and more… and more… and more…

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Designing the Internet Questionnaire

• Keep it short and simple• Ask only questions whose answers are important• State the importance of the survey• State the benefit of the research to the participant• Address confidentiality• Easiest or least controversial questions at the beginning of the survey • Place questions about the same subject together• Use clear specific wording• Don’t ask leading questions• Make sure you’ve anticipated every appropriate answer • Make categorical answers clear and logical

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Designing the Internet Questionnaire

• Offer “Don’t Know,” Not Applicable”, “None” and “Other” answers• Include a comment section • Can use many types of question formats• Use filtering questions • Be careful not to use too much HTML • Monitor the survey • Watch out for “top three reasons” questions• Consider mixed mode survey• Consider sending a request that invites people to take the survey • Give respondents a chance to print their survey

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Designing the Internet Questionnaire

• Use screeners upfront when recruiting panelists• Use clear concise instructions • Use a progress bar• Be honest about how long the survey will take• Design the survey style and incentives to fit the audience• Make survey relevant • Ask, “Would I enjoy taking this survey?”

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Designing any Questionnairefrom Survey Bounty

• What is the purpose of the survey?• Title the survey• Do not make the survey any longer than it needs to be• Use plain English, avoid jargon and acronyms, maintain consistency and do not use

questions that may result in ambiguous answers• If using another language don’t use automatic conversion, use a service• Avoid long questions• Ask one question at a time• Avoid influencing the answer• Ensure that the answer format used allows the respondent to answer the question

asked• At the same time that you compile the survey consider, when the survey is the

compiled data actually going to be analyzed

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Designing any Questionnairefrom Survey Bounty

• Ensure that the questionnaire flows• Target your respondents• Allow the respondent to expand or make comments• If the survey you are conducting is to be confidential ensure that it is• Weigh up the benefits of allowing respondents to be anonymous or identified• Give careful consideration to the best response format• Give the respondents an idea of hw much time the survey will take• Inform the respondents of the end date• Pilot the survey• Before publishing the survey proof read the survey several times• Remember to say “thank you”

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What is an Online Focus Group

• Similar to the traditional focus group methodology, but uses internet technology• Organized and structured online event in real time• It is unfortunate online focus groups are called “focus groups” because they are really

something else entirely

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A Cutting Edge Methodology

• InterQue system, compatible with most computers and browsers• Password-protected names• Clients can add questions in real time by communicating with moderator• Client to Moderator communication helpful when moderator doesn’t have technical

knowledge of the clients product or service• Technical support is available• Clients view from their office or home• Focus group invitation system• Participants called by telephone to confirm

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Types of Users

• Moderator – The group leader who asks the questions • Respondent – The people who are asked questions by the moderator• Client – People who observe comments and can communicate with the moderator

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The Process

• Project Definition• Project Objective Development • Project Value Evaluation • Project Design • Screener Development • Respondent Recruitment • Telephone Confirmation • Conduct Online Focus Group Session (s)• Transcript Delivery• Requested Reports

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Applications

• Internal group interviews– Organizational strategic planning– Employee satisfaction

• Business-to-business interviews– Product development– Satisfaction

• Consumer interviews– Product development– Satisfaction– Advertising appeal and copy testing– Software evaluation– Website usability testing– Concept testing– Product name testing

• Focus Group Follow-up– What if we’d just asked…– Testing revised concepts

• Can you think of more applications?

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Advantageous of Online Focus Groups

• Fast turnaround• Change questions• Real-time documentation• Convenient for all users• Responses are often more objective• Some shy respondents may be more likely to contribute• Can recruit from a wide geographical area• Cost effective• Easy to “kick” off participants who are rude• Easy to combine with other techniques• Exhibits and links within expandable windows• Less intrusive

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Disadvantages of Online Focus Groups

• Technical error• User technical abilities• Typing is slower than speech for most participants• Same disadvantages of traditional and telephonic focus groups• No face-to-face communication, not experiential• Can’t evaluate facial expressions• Moderator can’t observe and react to body language• Not appropriate for evaluation of many physical objects• People can’t type as fast as they can talk

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Current Web Software SolutionsActive Websurvey www.actiewebsotwares.com

Apian Software www.apian.net

CreateSurvey www.creativesurvey.com

EZSurvey www.raosoft.com

FormSite www.formsite.com

HostedSurvey www.hostedsurvey.com

InfoPoll www.infopoll.net

InstantSurvey www.netreflector.com

KeySurvey www.keysurvey.com

Perseus www.perseus.com

PollPro www.pollpro.com

Quask www.quask.com

Ridgecrest www.ridgecrestsurveys.com

SumQuest www.sumquest.com

SuperSurvey www.supersurvey.com

SurveyCrafter www.surveycrafter.com

SurveyMonkey www.surveymonkey.com

SurveySite www.surveysite.com

WebSurveyor www.websurveyor.com

Zoomerang www.zoomerang.com

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Summary

• Types of internet research• Advantages of internet research• Disadvantageous of internet research• The correct balance• Recruiting internet respondents• Who can use internet survey methods• Designing the internet questionnaire• Designing any questionnaire• What is an online focus group• A cutting edge methodology• Types of users• The process• Application of online focus groups• Disadvantages of online focus groups• Current web survey software and services

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Conclusions

• Internet surveys and focus groups are less expensive and projects have faster turnarounds that traditional marketing research methods.

• Most large consumer and b2b firms are now using internet research. Small businesses can take advantage of internet research as well.

• Now, it is easier for small business to conduct internet research because of new software and online marketing research services.

• What’s next: IPhone and IPad surveys with GPS location – Already exists

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References

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Research. DSS Research• 3 Reasons to use Online customer surveys, Kim Komando, Microsoft Small Business

Center• Researching Internet Based Populations: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online

Survey Research, Online Questionnaire Authoring Software Packages, and Web Survey Services, Kevin B. Wright, Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma. (2005) Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.

• Are Online Surveys as Accurate as Offline surveys? By Bruce Paul, Vice President, International Research, AC Nielsen.

• Online Surveys: Information Technology Services, The University of Texas at Austin.• The Transition of Social Research: The Ins, Outs, and Possible Solutions for Internet

Research• 20 Top Tips To Writing Effective Surveys. Survey Bounty. Fortuna Online Solutions,

Inc.

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Q&A

• Background of your company and what it does/ provides for other companies. • Your position in the company and what you do. • How marketing plays a role and how it drives success. • Advice for students preparing to graduate and enter the job market. • Anything else that you would like to discuss is appreciated. • Q & A if there is time.

Online Marketing ResearchIsn’t Just for the Big Guys Anymore

Presented by: Fritz RobinsonSenior Research Manager

surveydepartment.com

Email: fritzrobinson@surveydepartment.comPhone: 316.258.6442Primary Website: http://www.surveydepartment.comSecondary Website: http://www.focusgrouproom.comBlog: http://onlinemarketingresearch.blogspot.com/Podcast: http://surveydepartment.podomatic.com/

Online Marketing ResearchIsn’t Just for the Big Guys Anymore

Fritz Robinson, MBA, PRCSenior Research Manager/Ownerwwww.surveydepartment.com

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Internet Panels

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Door-to-Door Personal Interview

Mall Intercept Personal Interview

Telephone Interview

Mail Survey Internet Survey

Speed of data collection

Moderate to fast Fast Very fast Slow: researcher has no control over return of questionnaire

Instantaneous; 24/7

Geographic flexibility

Limited to moderate

Confined, possible urban bias

High High High (worldwide)

Respondent cooperation

Excellent Moderate to low Good Moderate; poorly designed questionnaire will have low response rate

Varies depending on website; high from consumer panels

Versatility of questioning

Quite versatile Extremely versatile

Moderate Not versatile; requires highly standardized format

Extremely versatile

Questionnaire length

Long Moderate to long Moderate Varies depending on incentive

Moderate; length customized based on answers

Item non-response rate

Low Medium Medium High Software can assure none

Possibility for respondent misunderstanding

Low Low Average High; no interviewer present for clarification

High

Degree of inter-viewer influence on answers

High High Moderate None; interviewer absent

None

Supervision of interviewers

Moderate to fast Moderate to high High, especially with central location interviewing

Not applicable Not applicable

Anonymity of respondent

Low Low Moderate High Respondent can be either anonymous or known

Ease of callback or follow-up

Difficult Difficult Easy Easy, but takes time

Difficult, unless e-mail address is known

Cost Highest Moderate to high Low to moderate Lowest Low

Special features

Visual materials may be shown or demonstrated; extended probing possible

Taste tests, viewing of TV commercials possible

Fieldwork and supervision of data collection are simplified; quite adaptable to computer technology

Respondent may answer questions at own convenience; has time to reflect on answers

Streaming media software allows use of graphics and animation

Note: The emphasis is on typical surveys. For example, an elaborate mail survey may be far more expensive than a short personal interview, but this generally is not the case. Grid is from Essentials of Marketing Research, Zikmund and Babin, 3rd Edition, page 154.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Typical Survey Methods

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Big Business

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