Blogs … a look inside the consumer’s head?
I recently read the following article…Will blog research spell the death of focus groups? I just finished discussing this very topic with one of my clients. The answer is no. It’s pretty tough to see the facial expression of someone over a blog.
However, that being said, for sometime now my agency has turned to blogs as one source of insight. In fact, I know many organizations that have set up blogs regarding specific topics to monitor their customers behavior. Not sure I totally agree with that approach … but anyway, blogs are a great source of insight.
Here’s why…
1. With the explosion of blogs and social media over the past couple years, you can find a specific blog on just about any topic, product and/or demographic…you name it, its out there
2. No incentive to activate participation, no room with two way mirrors … just raw conversations about real subjects
3. The people found within the blog want to share their thoughts … therefore participation is never an issue
4. And finally ... its free!
Again, this is not a replacement to traditional research tactics. But I would encourage you to take a closer look at using blogs as one source of insight gathering. In combination with other market research…it can be a powerful tool.
