The value of qualitative research has undergone a major shift in the past decade with the changing technologies of the 21st century offering broader, easily accessible and nearly constant chatter from which a company can mine for data. Being able to reference subjective information on products and services 24/7 via the Internet and social media..

Let’s start with the good news: there are plenty of reasons to conduct social media market research. For example, this approach drives engagement and interaction with participants, it is relatively easier for researchers to segment participants, and of course, the most glorious factor of all: the investment level is typically lower compared to..

While there have been several major innovations in the market research world over the last decade — and many more are emerging, like facial expression recognition technology and smartphone/tablet-driven ethnography — arguably no development since the web and email has had a greater impact than social media.

However, this does not necessarily mean..

As noted by Business2Community.com, “understanding customers in their natural environments rather than asking them what they want, is exactly why social media listening is such an exciting opportunity for marketers today”.