Types of marketing research
- Primary research: information you collect yourself, through surveys, interviews, focus groups, user tests and experiments.
- Secondary research: information that already exists, such as industry reports, official statistics, competitors’ websites and published studies.
- Qualitative research: explores why people think and act as they do, through open conversations.
- Quantitative research: measures how many, how much and how often, with numbers you can analyze.
Digital sources of insight
- Search data from keyword tools and Google Search Console shows what people want and the words they use.
- Website analytics shows how visitors behave and what converts.
- Reviews, forums and social media reveal customers’ real opinions and problems.
- Competitor analysis shows how others position and price their offers.
Marketing research vs market research
The terms are often used interchangeably. Strictly, market research studies a market (its size, customers and competitors), while marketing research covers anything that informs marketing decisions, including the effect of your own campaigns.
Marketing research example
A company considers launching an organic dog-food line. It starts with secondary research: industry reports and the websites of five competitors. Then it runs a ten-question survey among 200 dog owners and interviews eight of them. The findings show owners care most about ingredients and delivery convenience, and are willing to pay about 15% more for organic. The company launches with a subscription and a clear ingredient list.
How to run low-cost research
- Write the decision you need to make and the question that would help.
- Check existing data first: your analytics, support emails, reviews and search data.
- Talk to five to ten customers or prospects.
- If needed, run a short survey with a clear audience.
- Write what you learned and what you will do differently.
Marketing research mistakes
- Asking leading questions that confirm what you already believe.
- Surveying friends and colleagues rather than real customers.
- Researching without a decision to make.
- Keeping the results in a document nobody reads.
Marketing research FAQs
What is the difference between primary and secondary research?
Primary is collected by you. Secondary already exists. See competitive analysis and buyer personas.
Does it help SEO?
Yes, because it shows the words and questions of your audience. See keyword research and customer pain points.