SNS Focus Group Project Collaborative qualitative market research on China SNS users October 2007

SNS Focus Group Proposal Proposal: Joint Focus Group on China SNS users Possible Participants: Interested Social Networking Sites (SNS), Market Researchers, Scholars, Bloggers/Media Start with 1-2 test focus groups with minimal, shared cost Purpose: Do a “deep dive” on China internet users’ needs and wants for SNS SNS: Gain deeper insight on user motivation to build better product, improve marketing Market Researchers / Scholars: Do cutting edge research where currently no data exists Bloggers / Media: Unearth interesting material for blogs / articles All participants will benefit from reputation as industry leaders Collaborative approach minimizes work from each participant but all gain benefits

Proposal: Joint Focus Group on China SNS users

Possible Participants: Interested Social Networking Sites (SNS), Market Researchers, Scholars, Bloggers/Media

Start with 1-2 test focus groups with minimal, shared cost

Purpose: Do a “deep dive” on China internet users’ needs and wants for SNS

SNS: Gain deeper insight on user motivation to build better product, improve marketing

Market Researchers / Scholars: Do cutting edge research where currently no data exists

Bloggers / Media: Unearth interesting material for blogs / articles

All participants will benefit from reputation as industry leaders

Collaborative approach minimizes work from each participant but all gain benefits

Why Focus on SNS Users? General internet data on China widely available: fast growing population, young demographics, interested mostly in entertainment, etc. But there is limited data on China’s SNS users… Chinese internet users, mostly young, love entertainment but they don’t seem to be spending as much time on SNS as US users. Why not? Is it because of cultural differences, or the maturity of Chinese SNS?

General internet data on China widely available: fast growing population, young demographics, interested mostly in entertainment, etc.

But there is limited data on China’s SNS users…

Why Focus Group over Quantitative Survey? Quantitative surveys need large samples and are best to test incremental improvements to existing products. However, at this stage of the SNS market, products are too new for users to provide useful feedback. We need to first understand our users’ needs and motivations better to build better product and do better marketing.

Qualitative Quantitative Focus Group Survey Contextual Digital  RESULT  Qualitative Focus Group vs Quantitative Survey

Project Participants’ Roles Publish public results of the study, thus helping promote participants as SNS thought leaders Bloggers / Media Marketing Pay for incidentals and focus group attendees’ incentives All split costs; estimated 2000 RMB/group? Funding Ensure focus group is run properly to get credible results Market researcher and/or Scholar Focus Group design, facilitation, analysis Free usage of conference room with whiteboard, projector, screen, etc at convenient location for 10 person focus group Any participant Donate location Database of ~200 target users to contact; assuming 10% conversion rate => 2 focus groups of 10 people each SNS Focus Group Users Overall project coordination Geni Coordinator Contribution Participant Role

Project Input and Output report Test focus group 1 10 people 2000 rmb budget? Test focus group 2 10 people 2000 rmb budget? focus group focus group focus group focus group Shared Work / Costs Benefits 1. SNS User database Location Funding Questions Product and marketing insights 2. Scholar / Marketing Agency Expertise Credibility Industry insights; Future biz to do more focus groups 3. Blogger / Media PR Credibility Interesting/ unique content 4. VC / others $ Investment insights PR / Brand / Reputation

1. SNS

User database

Location

Funding

Questions

2. Scholar / Marketing Agency

Expertise

Credibility

3. Blogger / Media

PR

Credibility

4. VC / others

$

Project Plan

Possible User Demographics Sample Target Group to be discussed with Project Participants Career - teachers Career - students Career - investors Friend SNS user Family SNS user Biz SNS user Education - high-school Education - college Career - IT professional G ender - female G ender - male >45 27~45 <27 Age

Focus Group Sample Agenda Introductions Define Social Networking Sites Show a few examples – Chinese or English ones? Chinese is more understandable but may influence answers English ones (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) may better show example functionality Do you use any SNS? If no, why not? If yes, which ones and why? If you were to do networking online, what would you want? What would you use it for? What are your concerns about networking online?

Introductions

Define Social Networking Sites

Show a few examples – Chinese or English ones?

Chinese is more understandable but may influence answers

English ones (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) may better show example functionality

Do you use any SNS?

If no, why not? If yes, which ones and why?

If you were to do networking online, what would you want? What would you use it for?

What are your concerns about networking online?

Join Our Project Today Looking for a couple more of partners to share the work and costs so we can all gain in better understanding of our users Already on board 2 S cholars 1 SNS pioneer 1 marketing research agency Deadline : Friday, Nov 2nd, 2007

Looking for a couple more of partners to share the work and costs so we can all gain in better understanding of our users

Already on board

2 S cholars

1 SNS pioneer

1 marketing research agency

Deadline : Friday, Nov 2nd, 2007

Contact Reno Peng 彭丞杰 Email: [email_address] , [email_address] Mobile: +86 1365 1802 841 Tel: +86 21 6133 1800 Skype/ Meebo: pilareno MSN: [email_address] Facebook: Reno Peng LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/renopeng Wealink: http://renopeng.wealink.com Geni: Reno Peng

Reno Peng 彭丞杰

Email: [email_address] , [email_address]

Mobile: +86 1365 1802 841

Tel: +86 21 6133 1800

Skype/ Meebo: pilareno

MSN: [email_address]

Facebook: Reno Peng

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/renopeng

Wealink: http://renopeng.wealink.com

Geni: Reno Peng