3 Great Applications for Mobile Research

With the explosive growth of mobile usage among consumers, the market research industry continues to scramble to keep pace. The same is true with market research online communities (MROC's). So in the market research online community space, or insight communities as they are sometimes referred to, newer platforms are responsive in design – meaning the system will detect the type of device and respond with a format that matches. That is one major step in taking advantage of the growth in mobile usage.  However, there is a further opportunity for researchers to consider certain kinds of research or activities that particularly lend themselves to mobile response in which researchers can provide an even better experience through a smartphone app.

Different Applications of Mobile Market Research

Certain types of research such as retail and in-home are examples of applications that lend themselves to a mobile oriented solution. This kind of 'in the moment' research favors the use of a native mobile app that is specifically designed for a smartphone. Mobile apps offer the advantage of being readily accessible through the one device that is always with consumers – their smartphone. Additionally, a well-designed mobile app will offer location check-in and easy image and video capture – all in a manner consumers are used to To learn more about the growth of this latest market research trend, check out What is Mobile Ethnography and Why Researchers Should Use it. 

These 'in the moment' mobile applications are an excellent complement to those activities typically executed in a market research online community. Some excellent applications for mobile research among communities include:

1. Retail

   Sometimes things are going on in the market that don’t meet expectations, or just don’t make sense. Second and third hand information doesn’t always bring clarity to the issue. A mobile app provides a platform for consumers to provide direct feedback by taking a picture, shooting a video, or simply responding to questions in the moment. Many apps also offer the ability to check-in and provide the location.

2. In-home-testing

   One of the powerful aspects within an online insight community is the execution of home use testing. This can be done at various milestones, including once the product or service has launched into the marketplace. A mobile component can add a powerful element to this kind of activity by capturing feedback as it happens. Some examples include videoing the out of box experience or documenting how the product fits into the home environment.

3. Persona enhancement

   This is my personal favorite. Personas help visualize typical buyers of the product or service. What better way to bring personas to life than to have representative video or audio examples of each type?Video is extremely effective in bringing the story to life, especially if the information is being communicated to varied functions throughout the organization.

In summary, the choice to go mobile or traditional in research is not binary. A mobile specific activity can complement other research by delivering a more ‘in the moment’ experience. A mobile app allows consumers to easily share video that brings research to life like no other medium.

To learn how we can help your brand capture your own consumers’ ‘in the moment’ experiences and more, contact the My-Take team.