Marketing Research

Process
Written By michele ronsen

What is it? Marketing Research is defined as the influence, reach, and execution of marketing actions, to learn more about the behaviors, interests, or any other information pertinent to developing successful marketing strategies and messages for a selected target audience, For example, first time mothers in the southeast. 

Whether Market Research and Marketing Research are interchangeable is often debated. Market research is focused on understanding the whole consumer/user and potential or existing market opportunities whereas marketing research focuses on how best to reach, motivate and communicate with them.

When is it best used? Marketing research is used to help develop marketing strategies (what kind of content to create, which media to place marketing content in, etc) and messaging to target audiences. 

Marketing researchers may employ qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews/dyads/triads/mini-groups or focus groups, diary studies, mobile ethnos, online bulletin boards, chat based research, VOC, NPS. etc., or quantitative research methods such as regression analysis, pricing research, brand/advertising tracking, and surveys such as concept tests.

What does it entail? Marketing research can be primary or secondary research. As primary research, it can entail surveys, interviews, observations, and focus groups. As secondary research, it could include researching social media commentary, reviews of government reports, industry or university publications.

Interchangeable term: The term is commonly and mistakenly interchanged with market research; however, market research is concerned specifically with all aspects of a market/target audience, while marketing research is concerned specifically with marketing content, messages, placement strategies and tracking.

Use in a sentence: Let’s conduct brand tagline research as part of our overall marketing plan. 

Related Terms: user research, message or content test, market research, communications research

Interchangeable Terms: none

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michele ronsen
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