Use Social Networking for Market Research

by admin on September 8, 2010


Traditionally, marketers used demographics (compiled by market research firms) as one of the main tools to identify and target potential customers. Factors such as a person’s age, sex, and where they live remain important to getting your message across to the right people. However, social networking provides a new opportunity to assess markets in near real-time. Word of mouth has always been one of the most powerful marketing methods — people more often that not use the products that their friends like and recommend. Social media sites can provide this type of data on numerous products and services. Want to find the best laptop computer? Doing a traditional Google search won’t get you far. Why? Because you won’t get a recommendation, or multiple recommendations. More than likely, you’ll get review sites. However, do a search on a social networking site, and I guarantee you will find a list of what people think are the best laptops. Because of the open nature of social networking, you can easily find your customers and see what they do online and who their friends are. Friends of your customers are an excellent target market. In fact, research has shown that people are as much as five times more likely to buy a product if their friends like it.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

zjzj101 September 8, 2010 at 8:58 pm

We need participants that have the ability to spend 1-2 hours daily taking part in research groups by email and/or internet chat groups. The pay is 5 70 dollars per study/group, depending on how long it takes to complete h t t p : / / v l . a m / W R u

Relativity2 September 8, 2010 at 9:07 pm

Very good point. Thank you for your comments.

David C skul
CEO
Relativity

iiiNoToRious September 8, 2010 at 9:50 pm

You will always have resp. who lie but those will appear as outliers within the data. Often studies being conducted are those which people are interested and related to in their area.

Relativity2 September 8, 2010 at 10:12 pm

You cannot. But with a statistical analysis of the entire data set you can make assumptions and plan new strategies based upon mathemeatical probability. Some people do lie but most who are truly interested do not.

seeallican September 8, 2010 at 10:57 pm

how do you know or how do you tell resp. are telling the truth? they can tell you anything

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