Within market research, the notion of ‘connecting the dots’ is not new, if anything it may have been over-used to describe the data challenges during the last few years. A lot of traditional and new marketing research methods, processes and ideas are currently in flux, wrapped up in the social media frenzy. Everyone is talking about ‘big data analytics’ and how to extract value for organisations; all we read in shared content on social media is: the ‘new this’, the ‘new that’, the ‘first ever’ this and the ‘first ever’ that; how much of it should we pause and read carefully though? We have spoken about the deluge of data and information from this platform before…it is not getting any better.

So what do marketers need?

Do they need a process to help them sift through all possible content that they could be reading/viewing and acting upon? Do they need a ‘software as a service’ (SaaS) that gathers all the relevant content and makes it available simple to consume and “ready to eat” in one place? Do they need someone who can synthesize data from different sources and connect the dots for them?

Probably all of the above is needed, however there is one idea that is central to all: every time two dots are connected, a nugget of insight is created. SaaS data services are not enough to synthesize actionable business insights; the landscape of social consumer behaviour and activity is far too complex therefore, human intelligence is required to actually connect the dots.

The ‘nugget’ or ‘insight’ -which is the product of synthesis as opposed to analysis - is not visible to the bare eye. Machine learning type of logic may sometimes turn data into useful knowledge but in order to get to a true insight, the experience of an analyst combined with a good dosage of intuition is going to lead us to insights that have identifiable value for the business.

We firmly believe that the next generation marketing research agency will be a thought leader in active web listening with extreme focus on data quality and hygiene. The knowledge collated from listening to what customers say 24/7 will be analysed and then, within private online communities, certain issues, uncovered during listening will be discussed with customers and probed in online focus groups or using other online qualitative research tools. The learning during probing may lead to an adjustment of the ‘social media monitor variables’ in order to include additional or different online conversations. Next-gen marketing research is a virtuous circle of continuous: listening, probing and listening again using real-time data sources.

In simpler terms: connecting the dots.

What is your definition of next-gen marketing research?

I had the pleasure of participating at the 2nd annual Central Eastern European (CEE) ESOMAR Forum in Prague as a speaker on March 18th; my subject was ‘digital market research in CEE’ and was asked to use case studies of Digital (online) Research we conducted in the region. I ncluded in my presentation were two projects we did in Poland and one in Russia using online qualitative research: we used online community tools such as video diaries, bulletin boards, online focus groups etc.I was on the Fast Track so I had 15 minutes to present 10 slides; all seemed fine, up until the moment I was asked to join the stage…

I consider myself an OK presenter having 18 years presenting experience of market research insights to back up the confidence. The pressure was on from earlier because a presenter competition was announced and the voting was going to happen through a mobile App.

To start with, I was thrown off because the technical team showed the second slide of my presentation and instead of going back to the first - to share my “powerful” and carefully planned introduction - I started with a not so powerful ‘contents’ slide. I then went on with what was planned but I think I may have alienated the ladies in the room when I had shown a video clip of a Polish lady in the bathroom sharing her morning bathroom routine on video for an online ethnography project (Netnography). Although there was nothing inappropriate in the video, I made a comment that we were surprised that the women in this project were so forthcoming with showing us the insides of their mouths while they brushed their teeth; I knew something wasn’t right when the Chairperson of the session made a comment that we should also be showing some video clips from research on men. On top of all the things that went wrong, I was very conscious of the countdown clock and reached my last slide as the time was almost up and starting going in the RED; for some reason, the RED got me extremely stressed – which probably had something to do with the speakers’ briefing - and as a result, I concluded with an abrupt “Thank You” missing out on my “powerful” and carefully planned closing. I do not know exactly how and why all this happened but by the end of the conference I was kicking myself for my performance; I still had a glimpse of hope that some of my negative moments lived only in my imagination. I ended up sharing the 9th/10th position with another presenter out of 12 that received votes.

The President of ESOMAR was very kind and came up to me to congratulate me for my presentation: I mumbled something along the lines….”I only said half of what I was planning to say”….”I wouldn’t have known it” was his rightful response.

Despite all this, three of the few prospective clients in the room came up to me and asked to receive more information about social media research in specific and online market research in general. This made all my investment in time and money worth the effort.

Maybe you can share your views on similar situations when you were under pressure to perform and how you handled it. If you were in Prague at the conference or viewed my presentation through live streaming then I would welcome your thoughts on that as well. I, like most people, usually like to share my positive moments in a professional setting and very rarely make it a point to share something not as positive, like my performance as a presenter at the CEE Forum in Prague; It feels cathartic but then again who knows what the impact of this openness can be.

The controversial term DIY research made market researchers hair stand up on end a few years back but with more companies conducting in-house research, the experts in the field have also shifted their view on this subject. One of our previous blog posts has examined in depth the emergence and reasons for the popularity of DIY market research tools. The woes and fears of market researchers is not without cause as it may result in poor quality and therefore reflect badly on the professionals and experts in this sector. But with the development of better and more accurate market research tools these problems can be held back. Furthermore market research departments are themselves evolving, changing and adapting to the needs of the client and the increased demand for research related information services.

Various market research agencies such as, 20/20, have highlighted that some of the benefits of DIY research include greater closeness to the customer and having control over the direction of the research, which can result in better understanding of the findings. Engaging directly with potential customers in attempting to comprehend their expectations and needs provides not only essential insights but is a naturally good business practice. Therefore why not ask either potential customer’s for their feedback on your website, a new prototype, an advertisement or anything digital for that matter?

A new Software as a Service, eViewer, can improve your web usability through testing the user experience of your online content. It records audio, visual (through their webcam) and on-screen behaviour of your respondents, thus enabling you to identify potential usability issues and ways of improving the user-friendliness. Unlike most web usability tools out there that focus mainly on click tracking, eViewer, provides insight into both how and why customers behave the way they do. By defining a specific task to a potential respondent and then following up immediately with several post recording survey questions, your customer feedback can prove invaluable.

As almost all forms of business have taken an e-commerce angle, clear and effective usability together with good user experience are critical components in achieving success. eViewer, records full desktop screen activity as well as the participants' facial expressions, emotions, context and verbal commentary allowing you to get the whole story. The added cross-platform bonus allows for testing desktops, laptops and iOS devices by anyone almost anywhere at any time.

eViewer can be used as a DIY research tool that will provide you with invaluable feedback from current and potential customers and will consequently improve the user experience. To find out more click here.

Letizia Affinito, the managing director of Brandnew MC which is an Italian communication and marketing company, took a moment out of her busy schedule to discuss the relationship between communication companies and market research ones like DigitalMR.

She is a Harvard MBA graduate, whose extensive experience in strategic marketing communications spans almost 18 years. In addition to her zest and drive, her success stems from her combined experience in both industrial and consulting branches of the sector, thereby creating a business model built around value creation. Equipped with the agility of a small company and armed with a dedicated team of over 40 professionals Brandnew MC boasts the resources, the skills and the expertise that companies need. Consequently it has been recognised for its pragmatic creativity. Letizia long-term vision for Brandnew MC is to see it ‘become a point of reference in Italy for companies willing to adapt a strategic approach through innovation focused on achievement of value and result.’

According to her, the key component for successfully implementing a communication and marketing campaign lies in making the project meet its ROI so that the needs of the target audience are covered both online and offline. The starting point is therefore always market research which itself must be designed around the client’s objectives and needs. The insights gained from market research can be invaluable, as Letizia quotes Unilever’s greatly successful Dove campaign, from which it was revealed that only 2% of women around the world thought themselves beautiful. Armed with this knowledge, an omni-comprehensive campaign was developed around the concept of real beauty and using a mixture of online and offline tools a master brand was created.

Unilever’s outlook on digital technology, just like Brandnew MC’s, relies on formulating an appropriate and strategic approach that creates advocacy around a brand, company or service. Not simply through Facebook fan pages or twitter feed bombardment but via valuable content that motivates, inspires and gives the customer the opportunity to experience something new. Being on the same digital wave length strengthens the necessary bond needed to create innovation, commitment and engagement.

It was these values that brought Brandnew MC and DigitalMR together into a fruitful partnership as the notions of co-creation, advocacy and crowd sourcing are the key components of DigitalMR’s solutions. Applying the concepts of the accelerated customer advocacy model through a private online community or online focus groups can drive sales, it can defend current customer relationships and above all it can build brand equity. Through active web listening you can tune in to your target audience and identify key influencers or detractors to further understand needs of your audience. These research tools are therefore not only gaining insights but also vital instruments of engagement and co-creation.

A partnership between innovative market research companies and marketing communication ones can offer the right solutions, resources and methodologies to help companies successfully and safely navigate the web blue ocean to generate leads, in a cost effective and most productive way.

Anyone past the age of 45 and with no formal training in IT is often perplexed by any turn of a conversation that gets into software, hardware and... social media. When it goes further into programming and code, then we become truly lost. Yes, we do understand a lot of basic IT and systems concepts, but beyond a certain point some of us do draw blanks.

The FT ran an article entitled "Coding as a second language". An excerpt:

Alliott Cole sees a large number of tech start-ups in his work as principal in the early-stage investment team of private equity firm Octopus. The trouble is that he often struggles to comprehend what those writing the software that underpins those companies are talking about.....Now, however, as modern technology is changing his industry, he feels the need to revisit the basics of how technology functions.

So, a company called Decoded offers training courses to people who are digital "immigrants". It was launched by three former advertising executives and an award-winning web designer /developer. It is clear that "immigrants" will never be able to speak "digital" without an accent, but at least they should aim to understand and use the "grammar and syntax" properly.

So much for understanding code and the new digital language these courses help convey. However, the digital divide is still there when it comes to the use of technology on a daily basis to access websites, both social media and other. Advertisers need to understand the differences and similarities between these two groups when they design their digital campaigns for social media. Indeed, the younger generations, especially those under the age of 30, have grown up not knowing a world where digital technologies were not ubiquitous. This is a generation steeped in technology and adept at multi-tasking: texting friends, downloading music, uploading videos, watching a movie on a phone or tablet, and reading and/or posting things on Facebook and Twitter. They use three, and sometimes even four screens simultaneously (i.e. TV, Laptop, Tablet, Mobile). Companies trying to figure out how to use Facebook for marketing should keep this fact in mind when they design their complex digital campaigns. Also, it is important for companies to keep in mind that a current 6 year old's idea of a computer is a smartphone or a tablet.

Rumour has it that certain venture capital firms in the Silicon Valley will not invest in a technology company if the CEO is older than thirty!

Don Tapscott's Grown Up Digital is a look at the age cohort he calls The Net Generation. Net Geners are those currently between the ages of 11 and 30, who are the first generation to have literally grown up in a digital world– and are part of a global cultural phenomenon that's here to stay. Our view is that when it comes to using a computer or any other device to navigate any site on the internet – be it web or mobile, a "native's" brain functioning is very different from an "immigrant's".

You may have your own view on this type of market segmentation – one that is at least partly shaped by your age but also by how adept you've become in using digital technologies. And if you are a researcher, that will probably determine how prone you are to embrace new techniques and platforms such as online qualitative research and more specifically online focus groups, online communities or active web listening.