Doing audience research in a Web 2.0 world Dr Lynda Kelly, Australian Museum

What is audience research? How is it done? What has it told us? How do we use it? Coverage

What is audience research?

How is it done?

What has it told us?

How do we use it?

Gilman: 1916 Robinson & Melton: 1930-1940s Alt, Shaw, Griggs: 1970-1980s Screven, Hood: 1980-1990s Falk & Dierking: 1990-2004 Hein, 1998 Museum Learning Collaborative: 2000  Web 2.0 & Evaluation: Kelly & Russo, 2007; 2008 Website Analytics: Chan, 2008 Development of audience research

Gilman: 1916

Robinson & Melton: 1930-1940s

Alt, Shaw, Griggs: 1970-1980s

Screven, Hood: 1980-1990s

Falk & Dierking: 1990-2004

Hein, 1998

Museum Learning Collaborative: 2000 

Web 2.0 & Evaluation: Kelly & Russo, 2007; 2008

Website Analytics: Chan, 2008

Purpose of audience research: Who uses audience research What have they done What have they used it for Feedback/questions Exercise 1

Purpose of audience research:

Who uses audience research

What have they done

What have they used it for

Feedback/questions

It gives us data about: leisure patterns: who , where, why demographics what people want from a visit what they do when they visit prior interests and knowledge satisfaction what they learn and take away Why do audience research?

It gives us data about:

leisure patterns: who , where, why

demographics

what people want from a visit

what they do when they visit

prior interests and knowledge

satisfaction

what they learn and take away

Find out visitor mix: locals, tourists (Austn, O/s), age, social grouping Visiting patterns: weekdays, weekends, seasonal helps to plan programs, opening hours, pages Track advertising and marketing

Find out visitor mix:

locals, tourists (Austn, O/s), age, social grouping

Visiting patterns:

weekdays, weekends, seasonal

helps to plan programs, opening hours, pages

Track advertising and marketing

For use in: promotion and marketing grant applications grant acquittals decision making programming improvements and change seeking funding (e.g. Councils, Ministry, Federal agencies, others)

For use in:

promotion and marketing

grant applications

grant acquittals

decision making

programming

improvements and change

seeking funding (e.g. Councils, Ministry, Federal agencies, others)

Before embarking on anything there are a number of questions we need to ask… Doing audience research

Before embarking on anything there are a number of questions we need to ask…

What information do we already have? What are the gaps in our information? Who will use the information? What will the information be used for? What will be the consequences if we don’t get the information?

What information do we already have?

What are the gaps in our information?

Who will use the information?

What will the information be used for?

What will be the consequences if we don’t get the information?

Who do we need to get the information from? How can we get the information? What methods will we use? How much will we invest : cost vs. benefit Then ask …

Who do we need to get the information from?

How can we get the information?

What methods will we use?

How much will we invest : cost vs. benefit

What does this mean for your institutions?? Implications 1

What does this mean for your institutions??

Methods: What types of audience research are you aware of/used? How are you measuring visitation/online users Feedback/questions Exercise 2

Methods:

What types of audience research are you aware of/used?

How are you measuring visitation/online users

Feedback/questions

Structured surveys, questionnaires Log files, analytics Usually closed questions (e.g. yes/no, rating scales, agree/disagree) Results often presented as percentages, frequency counts Gives statistical measures : extrapolate to general population trend data : over time and across programs and/or venues Quantitative research

Structured surveys, questionnaires

Log files, analytics

Usually closed questions (e.g. yes/no, rating scales, agree/disagree)

Results often presented as percentages, frequency counts

Gives statistical measures :

extrapolate to general population

trend data : over time and across programs and/or venues

demographics where else they visit/sites used how they find out/how they got there areas visited (physical/online) satisfaction what stood out things they’d tell others messages retained, meanings made Surveys

demographics

where else they visit/sites used

how they find out/how they got there

areas visited (physical/online)

satisfaction

what stood out

things they’d tell others

messages retained, meanings made

Focuses on people’s own recounts and meaning s ma de Through : in-depth interviews case studies observation/tracking focus groups community consultation Results are interpretations Qualitative research

Focuses on people’s own recounts and meaning s ma de

Through :

in-depth interviews

case studies

observation/tracking

focus groups

community consultation

Results are interpretations

What research methods might be suitable? How can it be done effectively and efficiently? Implications 2

What research methods might be suitable?

How can it be done effectively and efficiently?

Visitor Motivation: Why do people visit museums/museum websites? Who visits your institutions - profiles Exercise 3

Visitor Motivation:

Why do people visit museums/museum websites?

Who visits your institutions - profiles

77% visit to experience something new 71% visit for entertainment 71% for learning 70% for interests of children/family 64% worthwhile leisure 57% special events I must see or do 56% recommended by others AM research found

77% visit to experience something new

71% visit for entertainment

71% for learning

70% for interests of children/family

64% worthwhile leisure

57% special events I must see or do

56% recommended by others

How will you factor visitor motivation into programs and services? Implications 3

How will you factor visitor motivation into programs and services?

Visitor needs: What do visitors want when they visit a museum? Exercise 4

Visitor needs:

What do visitors want when they visit a museum?

People have strong views about what they want from a physical museum visit … Wants

People have strong views about what they want from a physical museum visit …

Experiences that are : hands-on, active sensory memorable, with something to take away Learning that : goes from familiar to unfamiliar concepts is controlled by them cater s for all levels and styles is new They want

Experiences that are :

hands-on, active

sensory

memorable, with something to take away

Learning that :

goes from familiar to unfamiliar concepts

is controlled by them

cater s for all levels and styles

is new

Exhibit s : to touch and explore not overloaded with words & information that can get up close to with staff there to answer questions that are realistic relaxing spaces to ‘take it all in’ that encourage talking/sharing amongst groups

Exhibit s :

to touch and explore

not overloaded with words & information

that can get up close to

with staff there to answer questions

that are realistic

relaxing spaces to ‘take it all in’

that encourage talking/sharing amongst groups

AM research has found that visitors have specific interests and information needs about collection items Collections

AM research has found that visitors have specific interests and information needs about collection items

What is it made of? How is it used? What is it used for? How often is it used? What is the symbolism of it? How old is it? Is it still used today? If not, what is? Who were/are the people and what are their stories? Anthropology collections

What is it made of?

How is it used?

What is it used for?

How often is it used?

What is the symbolism of it?

How old is it?

Is it still used today? If not, what is?

Who were/are the people and what are their stories?

What is it? scientific name everyday name/description Where did it come from: and when was it found distribution The ‘museum’ things: how is it preserved why is it in a museum? what is it used for? What is it related to that’s familiar to me? Natural history collections

What is it?

scientific name

everyday name/description

Where did it come from:

and when was it found

distribution

The ‘museum’ things:

how is it preserved

why is it in a museum? what is it used for?

What is it related to that’s familiar to me?

How will you factor these needs into programming both physical and online? Implications 4

How will you factor these needs into programming both physical and online?

Visitor behaviour: What have you noticed about how visitors behave in your institutions? How are visitors navigating your sites? What data do you have to support this? Exercise 5

Visitor behaviour:

What have you noticed about how visitors behave in your institutions?

How are visitors navigating your sites?

What data do you have to support this?

Include in planning Involve in data gathering Work through findings Debriefs Use consultants Communication systems Staff ‘buy-in’

Include in planning

Involve in data gathering

Work through findings

Debriefs

Use consultants

Communication systems

Imagine: Listening to young children in museum environments Museum 3.0: providing excellent physical and virtual museum experiences for young people Communicating results

Imagine:

Listening to young children in museum environments

Museum 3.0:

providing excellent physical and virtual museum experiences for young people

Web 2.0: YouTube Facebook Flickr Two-way interaction Equal relationship Visitor voice Visitor voice

Web 2.0:

YouTube

Facebook

Flickr

Two-way interaction

Equal relationship

Visitor voice

To fulfil its complete purpose as a show, a museum must do the needful in both ways. It must arrange it contents so that they can be looked at; but also help its average visitors to know what they mean. It must at once install its contents and see to their interpretation. Gilman, 1918

To fulfil its complete purpose as a show, a museum must do the needful in both ways. It must arrange it contents so that they can be looked at; but also help its average visitors to know what they mean. It must at once install its contents and see to their interpretation.

All audiences want … Respect for them as individuals Choice Welcoming atmosphere from trained, aware, friendly, knowledgeable staff: both front & back of house See themselves reflected in programs, exhibitions, collections & staffing: the “work” of the museum Active & varied learning experiences: group-based & individual Involvement A contemporary experience: in communication & interpretation modes content/issues that are relevant & current

All audiences want …

Respect for them as individuals

Choice

Welcoming atmosphere from trained, aware, friendly, knowledgeable staff:

both front & back of house

See themselves reflected in programs, exhibitions, collections & staffing:

the “work” of the museum

Active & varied learning experiences:

group-based & individual

Involvement

A contemporary experience:

in communication & interpretation modes

content/issues that are relevant & current

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