The Handbook of Mobile Market Research

The premier guide to mobile market research

The Handbook of Mobile Market Research is the first guide to focus exclusively on the use of mobile technology in market research. From a global perspective, more people own mobile phones than landlines or computers, and most people have their mobile phones with them at all times—along with their tablets, smartwatches, media players, and navigation devices. The continuous surge of mobile innovation provides unprecedented access to real-time consumer behaviour. Mobile market research allows users to reach more people, engage more people, and collect more valuable data as respondents are free to engage at their own pace, on their own time.

Industry forerunners Ray Poynter, Navin Williams, and Sue York employ decades of study to examine the present and future state of mobile market research, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches. This book contains clear, comprehensive knowledge for those who implement, utilise, and study the field. Readers will learn:

• The characteristics, scope, and importance of mobile market research
• Purposes and effects of principal tools like brand tracking, ad testing, customer satisfaction research, and research technology
• How mobile devices are used for qualitative and quantitative research by way of online focus groups, online discussions, mobile diaries, mobile ethnographies, and mobile surveys
• Aspects and implications of mobile computer interviews, mobile phone interviews, mixed-mode research, international mobile research, and research using passive data, panels, lists, and communities
• The significance of the mobile ecosystem, market research ethics, and research on research

Designed to be accessible and helpful for beginners and advanced users alike, The Handbook of Mobile Market Research is an extensive guide to one of the most promising, dynamic methods of data collection.

Foreword ix

Introduction xi

PART 1 Mobile Market Research 1

1 Overview of Mobile Market Research 3

2 Mobile Research in Action 16

3 The Technology of Mobile Market Research 32

PART 2 Qualitative and Quantitative Research 53

4 Mobile Qualitative Research 55

5 Mobile Forums and Online Focus Groups 70

6 Mobile Diaries and Ethnography 83

7 Mobile Quantitative Research 103

8 Designing and Conducting Mobile Surveys 120

PART 3 The Methods and Applications of Mobile Market Research 147

9 mCAPI –Mobile Computer Aided Personal Interviewing 149

10 mCATI – Mobile Telephone Interviewing 160

11 Mixed-Mode Research 171

12 Utilizing Passive Data 180

13 Panels, Lists, and Communities 192

14 International Mobile Research 206

PART 4 Researching the Mobile Ecosystem, Ethics, and the Future 223

15 Researching the Mobile Ecosystem 225

16 Ethics, Laws, and Guidelines 237

17 Research-on-Research 246

18 The Evolving Picture 252

Glossary 271

References 279

About the Authors 283

A Note of Thanks 285

Index 000

Ray Poynter has spent the last 35 years at the forefront of market research, technology and innovation. He is the creator of NewMR, author of The Handbook of Online and Social Media Research, Director of Vision Critical's knowledge sharing centre, and Managing Director of The Future Place. He is in frequent demand as a workshop leader, conference speaker, session facilitator, writer of articles, trainer, and consultant. Ray feels his mission is to help people, have fun, keep learning, and ideally make some money along the way.

Navin Williams has lived and worked in diverse markets like China, Africa and India, where he has had the opportunity to be part of market research technological adoptions in developing environments. His quest to drive mobile adoption in market research led him to form MobileMeasure Consultancy Limited. A pioneer in mobile enabled market research, Navin has written a number of whitepapers and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and educational campuses. An early voice on mobile market research, he is very excited by the current chorus of industry captains, industry bodies and researchers championing mobile.

Sue York has a love of new research methods and is an advocate of methodological rigour and the need for research-on-research. Sue has a high profile within the global market research community, and has run workshops for bodies such as ESOMAR, AMSRS and the Singapore MRSS. She is joint editor and curator of the ESOMAR book Answers to Contemporary Market Research Questions. Sue is an active member of the market research online community and was a founder of NewMR.

'The whole point of market research is to understand consumer behaviour and decision making. In the early days of the industry there was very limited science or technology available to support researchers and their clients in this quest – but we made the best of what there was, and developed pragmatic approaches, based on the thinking of the time.

Now, with hugely improved science and technology available, how do responsible researchers and decision makers decide how and when to use new approaches like mobile? How do you separate the real from the hype, the wheat from the chaff? We all need to be able to make good decisions about our research methodologies, not be drawn into having to test every new fashion for ourselves.

The Handbook of Mobile Market Research cuts through this dilemma by presenting current thinking clearly, comprehensively, and completely objectively. Armed with this knowledge you will be able to adopt mobile research methodologies appropriately, and with confidence, knowing what you're gaining, and the potential downsides. If only keeping up with all new thinking was this easy!'

—Phyllis Macfarlane, Training in Africa Programme Manager, GfK Verein, and former Chairman, GfK NOP

'Ray Poynter does it again in The Handbook of Mobile Market Research, this time with the aid of co-authors Sue York and Navin Williams. Drawing upon decades of study in the methods of market research practice, Ray, Sue, and Navin clarify the manner in which mobile devices are changing market research today and will continue to shape it in the future. The book incorporates social media, big data, and other technology of our times to provide a detailed reference document of applications and implementation practices for mobile research. Most importantly, it provides what is the most comprehensive summary of research-on [mobile]-research available in the industry today. This book has something to offer researchers irrespective of their role – from methodologists to CEOs.'

—Leslie Townsend, President, Kinesis Survey Technologies

The pioneering book on the use of mobile technology in market research

'Wow – Ray Poynter and the team have done it again! Without a doubt, mobile has changed the relationship between brands and customers and this is changing how market and social research will need to be conducted and delivered. The Handbook of Mobile Market Research is both timely and an invaluable resource for marketers and researchers of all ages and experiences. A practical guide that does not get bogged down in technology speak, but focuses more on how to get things done and addresses the tough but important topics such as ethics, incentives and the challenges of "in the moment". It will become an essential reference guide with practical tips and tricks for success (my favorite tip is "don't collect more data than can be analyzed with the resources available!").'

—Peter Harris, EVP & Managing Director, Vision Critical Asia Pacific

'Poynter, Williams, and York have created an incomparable primer; truly the first of its kind, for the use of mobile technologies in the practice of market research. The Handbook of Mobile Market Research provides a deep-dive into mobile as an emerging marketing measurement and data collection platform, while also providing a holistic view of current and future opportunities for marketers as mobile and cross platform research methods continue to evolve.'

—Kristin Luck, President and CMO, Decipher

'In this book Ray, Sue, and Navin lift the lid on mobile marketing research to comprehensively reveal how the various components work and fit together. This is an essential read for any researcher contemplating or already undertaking mobile data collection.'

—Guy Rolfe, Head Mobile Practice, Global Operations, Kantar