This document discusses how market research is moving from traditional methods like surveys and focus groups to analyzing social media data. It outlines both the pros and cons of using social media for insights. Specifically, it explains how the company EmPower Research uses pattern recognition and human analysis of online opinions to generate structured insights from unstructured social media data. EmPower applies this approach across different types of online communities to supplement traditional research methods.

1. www.empowerresearch.com
The Community Enthusiast:
Source Code Revealed
Debjani Deb
Managing Partner
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2. Historically, market research involves collecting, analyzing & generating
insights from qualitative & quantitative data
Depth Interviews
Paired Depths
Triads Face-to-Face Interviews
Mini-Groups Telephone Interview
Focus Groups Omnibus Survey
Observation Online Survey
Workshops Postal and Self-
Completion Survey
Time Consuming $ Expensive
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3. Of late, social media has emerged as a rich repository of spontaneous
user sentiments on category and brands
66% 14% 21% 31%
Of online 14% either publish a 21% post ratings or 31% post updates
Americans now use blog/ web page or comments in social networking
social media upload video/ audio online forums sites
HOW MANY TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN MAKING PURCHASES
Travel Apparels Personal Care Food/Beverages Groceries
28% 26% 18% 26% 17%
Sources: www.sanfranciscosentinel.com, www.blogs.forrester.com, Knowledge Networks – May 2010
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4. “ Social media listening isn't only replacing some survey
research but also making it harder to do by changing
consumer behavior and expectations.
"The more people see two-way engagement and being able to interact with
people all over the world, I think the less they want to be involved in
structured research," she said. "If I have something to say to that company
now, there are lots of ways to say it.“
"But we need to get away from the notion that being representative of
something is the only way to learn," she said. "I still hear people say, 'That
social-media thing, that's not really going to pan out.' We will learn
enormously whether [social-media samples are] representative or not."
“
Joan Lewis
Global Consumer and Market Knowledge Officer, P&G
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5. However, understand the pros and cons
Pros Cons
Spontaneous primary opinion Data is highly unstructured
reflecting behaviour attitude and May not get specific response to
interest questions we seek to answer
You can tap “latent” needs/ Origin of declaration often
unidentified
opinions that have been expressed Represents only that population
pro actively that is online and chooses to
You save on costs express an opinion
You save on time
Conclusion
Social Media can be an agent for deriving deep insights if one can convert
unstructured data to a structured form
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6. Market is moving from a pure tool based listening to insight generation
Tool Generated Community
Listening Listening
 Garbage in –  Like a focus
garbage out group, the first
 Understands stop for online
content but not research
Context  Triggered instead
of being True Insights from
spontaneous World at Large
2 Research Benefits
 Going
to where the
1
DISCUSSION is
 NOT biasing by asking the
question
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7. So how does one enable focused community based learning?
Tools for aggregating
across communities of
interest
Methodology and
processes to harness
online opinions with
statistical significance
Insight generation
and learning through
human analysis
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8. Patterns and Perception key to bringing structure to the unstructured
EmPower uses pattern
recognition tool for
Pattern iterative search string Perception
Recognition refinement and Identification
human/analyst analysis
for theme identification
Topics of
Pattern Sub topics within
discussion around Human
recognition Brand / Category / analysis
Brand / Category /
tool Stakeholders
Stakeholders
Perception or themes : What is
in the consumer’s mind
share for Brand / Category
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9. 3 ways of using community based learning
1 Precursor to traditional research
2 Alternative to traditional research
3 Augment traditional research
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10. Applications are seen across different types of communities
Advocacy
Groups
Stakeholder
Communities
4
Event
Communities
Hobby Ethnic Integrating
2 Communities 7 Community
Communities
Data
Influencer
1 5 9
Groups Ideation
Forums
3 8
Enquiry
Forums
6
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11. 1: learning about target audience hobbies for better
engagement strategy
Top hobbies / interests
Client Music
Global leader in
aerated beverages Movies
Their need Sports
To identify top online platforms
to engage target segment Communities Inbound Visitors
Solution Yahoo!Music 119825 7.4M
Identify top online Allmusic 11603 391K
communities of interest and
understand behavior in these
communities
41% 26% 19%
41% discuss 26% expressed 19% liked a new
beverages in health concerns flavor and
Impact online from aerated recommended to
30% increase in target communities beverages friends
segment engagement

12. 2: better stakeholder segmentation by listening to focused
online communities
Yummy Mummy:
1
Client Highly emphasized on nutritional aspects of food
World’s leading baby Coach Mom:
care brand 2 Encourages leading disciplined life at an early age
Sponge Mom:
Their need 3 Put their own needs aside for kid’s welfare
Customized campaign
messaging targeted at Gen-Y Economy Mom:
moms
4 Discounts, coupons attracted economy mothers
Green Mom:
5 Identified to be environment-conscious
Solution
DIY Mom: Analyzing chatter in Gen-Y
6 Moms prefer doing things themselves for their kids mom communities revealed 8
different segments of moms
Ever Connected Mom:
7 Mothers who are updated with modern technology Impact
Safety Mom: A new campaign which
8 Always on the lookout for prevention of diseases led to 12% sales growth

13. 3: learning about communities which influence your target
segments
Client Activities &
World’s leading male Lifestyle
grooming brand Gaming Music
Their need
To engage influencers at point Technology
of market entry (POME)
Social
Action
Solution Relationships
Quantify influence parameters Self
like awareness, engagement, Actualization
impact etc. to gauge Work-life Celebrities
influence balance
Personal
fulfillment
Peers
Parental
Influence
Impact
16% increase in POME
customer base

14. 4: tracking impact on brand equity and consideration by
advocacy groups / communities
Increase in Awareness Sentiment
Client
A leading confectionary
manufacturer
Negative
Their need Sentiment
Gauge impact on brand
reputation owing to online
campaign by environmental
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
advocacies
First timers Solution
Loyalist
Track brand KPIs in correlation
with brand loyalty to measure
impact of the campaign
Switchers Impact
Increased awareness led
to 37% more first-timers

15. 5: understanding ethnic cultural values and nuances by
studying corresponding communities
Client Need states
A leading CPG
Why ? With Whom ? How ?
company
Their need • Gifting • Family • Eaten with milk
To learn about Chinese need • Leisure – Children during breakfast
states related to cookies • Friends
and before
• Nutritional value going to bed at
Solution night
Listening to Chinese
communities for associations
of cookies and how they vary
by occasions
Impact
Re-branded their cookies
as gifts for occasions

16. 6: alert mechanism for better handling of customer service
queries and sales opportunities
Sales alerts Service alerts
Client
Global leader in data
storage solutions
Their need
Utilizing online queries for sales
and service fulfilments
Engagement alerts
ENABLE ACTION
Determine Solution
 Pain areas related to customer services Monitor technology forums
 The most important product attributes for and define rules for auto alert
exceeding end user expectations mechanism
Develop
 Strategies that addresses enduring Impact
customer service needs and expectations Client C-SAT went up by
a staggering 42%

17. 7: expectation management by listening to niche communities
on event / launches
Client Hi
One of world’s top
Pharma company
Their need
Measure euphoria around
their new drug launch
Competition drug in
Awareness
Solution pipeline
Quantify sentiments ,
awareness and benchmark
against competitor’s pipeline
drug
Launched
drug
Impact Lo
-Ve Sentiments +Ve
Early alert on competitor’s
much greater popularity

18. 8: idea generation and white-space identification by listening to
category discussion communities
Beauty
Client Green
World’s largest wellness Ecosystem
company Nature Moisturizing
Spa
Their need Glowing Skin
Environmental
Identifying new opportunities Exfoliate
Manicure
in the health and wellness
Regular
space Shower Cleansing
Hands
H1N1 Hygiene
Healthcare
Meditation
H1N1 Solution
Cholera
Chinese Regular
Security Shower
Listening to category
Medicines discussions on new emerging
Vaccination OTC drugs
associations of wellness
Impact
Naturopathy Energy
Drinks
Spiritual Revamped product R&D
as per new associations

19. 9: understand voice of your customers by integrating internal
data with community based listening
Client
Client Competitor
Global leader in
currency cards
Their need 33% Unhappy about
Quantify customer experience Service verification
59%
and identify improvement charges
areas
Solution
Safe
26% transactions
Integrate internal IVR, sales, Security won customer
service data with social media 58% confidence
feedback
premium
cards
30%
Respect provided
48% were
admired
Impact Sentiments (%)
3 major CE improvement
areas were identified

20. Benefits of listening to online communities over traditional research
Cross-Stakeholder Re-scoping
Solutions Flexibility
Lesser
Cost Global
Reach
Unbiased Social
Insights Media Real-time
Research Insights
Lesser Agile and
Execution De-risked
Time
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21. Primary research vs. social media costing: an illustrative case
Understanding physician opinion/issues faced on COPD category
Project Scope
in UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy.
Primary Research Elements Social Media Research Elements
Sample Size = 200 Sample Size = 200
Component Complexity Component Complexity
Sampling High Sampling High
Questionnaire Design High Questionnaire Design NA
Questionnaire Administration High Questionnaire Administration NA
Honorariums Honorariums NA
Data Analysis Medium Data Analysis High
Approx Cost $ 40,000 Approx Cost $ 20,000
Approx Execution Time 8 -10 weeks Approx Execution Time 4 - 6 weeks

22. What is needed to kick-start your online community led research
Well-defined research problem that fit
1
the criteria
2 Adequate conversation volumes
Understanding of possible shortcomings
3
and cross functional buy-in
A reliable methodology for harnessing
4
data with statistical significance
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23. www.empowerresearch.com
Retail/CPG Advertising Communications/ High Tech/ Pharmaceuticals Financial
Public Relations Telecom Health Care Services
Contact Information
Debjani Deb
ddeb@empowerresearch.com
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