How to Conduct Market Research Online

Easy access to the World Wide Web has put volumes of information at our fingertips and has made research a lot easier than countless trips to the library. Put the resources of the Internet to work for you as you develop your market strategy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet Access
• E-mail Accounts
• Computers
• Word-processing Software

1. Approach your online research as you would traditional market research and determine what you want to accomplish (see "How to Conduct Market Research," under Related eHows).
2. Secure readily available access to a computer with an Internet connection. It's a good idea to have your own computer so that you can work during the times that are most convenient for you.
3. Conduct an Internet search using several search engines. Search engines sort through millions of Internet documents to come up with the closest match to whatever phrases, words or other search criteria you specify.
4. Use the online versions of demographics magazines, trade journals and industry newsletters. These resources are usually free of charge, but some sites might require you to register before allowing you access to any information.
5. Conduct an online survey. Design a survey (see "How to Write a Survey or Questionnaire," under Related eHows) and send it via e-mail to professionals and experts you locate during your online search sessions. For example, if you're conducting research on a subject related to higher education, assemble a list of college faculty - along with their e-mail addresses - by visiting university and college Web sites.
6. Drop in on chat rooms and discussion groups to set up makeshift focus groups. Gather the appropriate personal information from the participants and conduct the sessions as you would a standard focus group, encouraging honest responses.
7. Study the subject of your market research and understand the jargon. Use those specific phrases and words to further customize your Internet searches.
8. Be prepared to adjust your search phrases and keywords several times before you get the desired results.

Tips & Warnings

• Familiarize yourself with common search terms and search logic. Boolean logic (a search methodology that uses a defined set of operators, such as AND, OR, NOR and NOT) is the most widely used. However, some search engines will have their own guidelines when it comes to entering search requests.
• By their very nature, online surveys are not as reliable as surveys done in person or on the telephone. Although the distant nature of the communication lends itself to the increased likelihood of very honest responses, you cannot be sure that the intended recipient is actually the person responding to the survey. Consider sending a follow-up e-mail to confirm the respondent's participation in the survey.
• Online focus group sessions are also not totally reliable. Unless you personally know each participant, you can't be sure of who is actually lurking behind that screen name. So consider the information gathered by this method a general guideline and not the gospel.
• Confirm any information you receive over the Internet with a secondary source. Unless you're dealing with a well-known company or publication, you can't be certain of the validity of the information.