Digital Ethnography

Description

 Since consumers are shifting their living habits to the online environment, market research needs to stay abreast of this trend and understand: how consumers behave within this new universe; which needs consumers seek to satisfy on the web; and the impact these new interactions have on their daily lives and on their consumption decisions. To do this, MultiFocus launched at the 4th Brazilian Research Congress (ABEP) a methodology called Digital Ethnography, that won Alfredo Carmo prize as the best research paper. This innovative tool conciliates browser observation and depth understanding of online consumer’s behavior.

Research Objectives

Observing and measuring the behavior of a target on the internet  (tracking)

• Understanding their motivations, interests and degree of involvement in different uses of the medium
• Evaluating the types of changes contact with the internet causes in media consumption, purchasing, leisure and social relationship habits
• Developing an overview of their navigation, identifying what they are looking for, the sites they access, the subjects they are interested in and what attracts their attention in the pages they visit

Measures Tested

• Sites accessed and access frequency
• Pages clicked on in the sites
• Time spent on each site/page
• Subjects of interest
• Focuses of attention in sites and web pages
• Attitudes and behavior in use of internet
• Preference for subjects, content and formats in web pages, as well as in banners, pop-ups and other web materials

Data collection

Creation of a panel of internet users in accordance with the client’s goals; Observation and recording of navigation using specific software; real time interaction with panel participants using online questionnaires followed by chats

Minimum Recommended Sample

There is no ceiling either to the number of participants on the panel nor to the length of observation. However, it is recommended a minimum sample of 50 participants for at least 1 week, considering a chat with 20% of the sample.