RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

We do netnography: our qualitative research methodology is based on grounded theory, founded in the pioneering works of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. First we learn the nature and specialities of the researched field: we learn how our client’s brand, competitors, market, issue or challenges are built up, what are the main factors, topics, questions.

We don’t start with hypotheses, instead we start with a simple question: what is the problem that our client is trying to solve or understand? For this, we gather free, open online data – articles, opinions, comments, reactions, posts, updates via online content monitoring tools and complex algorithms, from almost 150 channels, from tens of thousands of sources. Therefor the answers does not come from us: they come from everybody.

Our researchers then dive into the data: they look after patterns, recurring ideas and elements, then break them down into groups of concepts. Concepts evolve and build up into categories, and based on those categories and the supporting data a working theory emerges. We retest the theory against the rest of the data and we tune our inductively created theory until it provides a clear answer to our initial question or problem.

We can research all countries around the globe in over 120 languages.

METHODOLOGICAL STEPS

1. Research design

Detailed, step by step research plan is created in accordance with bespoke business questions and research objectives.

2. Relevant keyword compilation

Exploratory research to identify authentic words and phrases of organic online conversations about researched topics, brands or themes.

3. Open web data assembly

Using the identified consumer language and a complex keywords syntax – often going into the thousands of items – the open web data becomes accessible via social media monitoring tool. We crawl and filter relevant data from blogs, forums, comment sections, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more.

4. Human assessment

Using an exploratory reading method, the analyst team reads the conversational data, and maps the topic nodes till qualitative saturation – drawing the narrative landscape.

5. Analysis and interpretation

Insights captured during the conversation discovery are validated, quantified and analysed in-depth by a native speaking analyst team. Research validity and reliability is ensured by rigorous inter-coder reliability measures.

6. Insight generation

Bringing you strategic insights grounded in unfiltered opinions and experiences of your products or category.