U.S. Small Business Administration
sba.gov › business-guide › plan-your-business › market-research-competitive-analysis
Market research and competitive analysis | U.S. Small Business Administration
You’ll also want to keep up with the latest small business trends. It’s important to gain a sense of the specific market share that will impact your profits. You can do market research using existing sources, or you can do the research yourself and go direct to consumers.
Indeed
indeed.com › career guide › career development › 10 methods of market research
10 Methods of Market Research | Indeed.com
2 weeks ago - The two major categories of market research are primary research and secondary research. Every method of market research falls into one of those categories. Both primary and secondary market research fulfill the same purpose, but they differ ...
What are the best methods for conducting market research on my target audience before launching my business?
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1 month agoHow to do market research?
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June 17, 2021How To Conduct Market Research
Define your target audience: Even though your product is for a broad market, try to segment potential users based on factors like age, income, location, and whether they're first-time buyers, sellers, or investors. Secondary research: Start by gathering existing data on the real estate market, including: Industry reports and statistics Government data on housing trends Competitor analysis Real estate technology adoption rates Primary research methods: a) Surveys: Create online surveys using tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey Distribute them through social media, real estate forums, and local community groups Ask about pain points in the buying/selling process, desired features, and willingness to try new tools b) Interviews: Conduct in-depth interviews with real estate agents, brokers, and recent home buyers/sellers Use these to gain qualitative insights into the market needs and challenges c) Focus groups: Organize small group discussions with potential users Present your concept and gather feedback on its appeal and potential issues d) Social media listening: Monitor real estate-related discussions on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn Identify common complaints and desires in the market More on reddit.com
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April 20, 2024How to do proper market research
Find out where your potential customers hangs out and ask them! (There is a big chance you can do it on reddit!) More on reddit.com
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February 9, 2020What is the difference between market research and user research?
Market research takes a broad look at potential customers—what problems they’re trying to solve, their buying experience, and overall demand. User research, on the other hand, is more narrowly focused on the use (and usability) of specific products.
contentsquare.com
contentsquare.com › blog › market-research
How to Do Market Research [4-Step Framework]
What are the main criticisms of market research?
Many marketing professionals are critical of market research because it can be expensive and time-consuming. It’s often easier to convince your CEO or CMO to let you do lean market research rather than something more extensive because you can do it yourself. It also gives you quick answers so you can stay ahead of the competition.
contentsquare.com
contentsquare.com › blog › market-research
How to Do Market Research [4-Step Framework]
Do I need a market research firm to get reliable data?
Absolutely not! In fact, we recommend that you start small and do it yourself in the beginning. By following a lean market research strategy, you can uncover some solid insights about your clients. Then you can make changes, test them out, and see whether the results are positive. This is an excellent strategy for making quick changes and remaining competitive.
contentsquare.com
contentsquare.com › blog › market-research
How to Do Market Research [4-Step Framework]
Videos
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Cision
cision.com › resources › insights › what-is-market-research
Market Research Definition: Types, Methods, and Benefits
It helps you understand the "why" behind customer behavior and gain insight into what they might do next. Social listening is a great place to start here, but focus groups and open-ended interviews are other, more traditional methods for qualitative ...
Qualtrics
qualtrics.com › articles & news › types of market research
The 8 Types of Market Research - Qualtrics
Product feature testing – this can happen at various stages of development with target markets (in early development, between versions, before product launch, etc.) to check if there are positive reaction to new or improved features · Product design thinking – what solutions would solve your customers’ current or future problems? Product marketing – Do the marketing messages help your product’s memorability and saleability, or can they be improved? Primary research methods have a clear advantage in this kind of market research: Surveys can ask for rankings on the popularity or usefulness of features or conduct conjoint analysis, while in-person observation interviews (where the participant can handle a product) can be particularly useful in seeing what customers do with the product in real time.
Attest
askattest.com › home › blog › guide › 11 market research methods for fresh consumer and competitor insights
11 Market Research Methods for Fresh Consumer Insights | Attest Blog
3 weeks ago - From surveys and focus groups to social media watching and consumer interviews, these market research methods are here to give you great insights. ... There are plenty of roads that lead to Rome, and the same goes for market research.
Brandwatch
brandwatch.com › 10 essential market research methods to help you understand consumer preferences
10 Essential Methods for Effective Consumer and Market Research | Brandwatch
October 13, 2025 - Before we dive into the methods, it’s worth noting two main approaches you’ll encounter: qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative methods (think focus groups or interviews) dig into the “why” – the stories, opinions, and ...
Contentsquare
contentsquare.com › blog › market-research
How to Do Market Research [4-Step Framework]
4 common types of market research techniques include surveys, interviews, focus groups, and customer observation. Which method you use may vary based on your business type: ecommerce business owners have different goals from SaaS businesses, so it’s typically best to mix and match these methods ...
American Public University
apu.apus.edu › home › area of study › business and management › business and management resources › research methods for marketing: growing your market share
Research Methods for Marketing: Growing Your Market Share | American Public University
July 16, 2025 - Market research methods can be divided into two categories: primary market research and secondary market research. Depending on the method, this research may take place in a natural or controlled environment.
BBC
bbc.co.uk › bitesize › guides › zpcvpbk › revision › 4
Desk research/Secondary research - Market research - National 5 Business management Revision - BBC Bitesize
May 9, 2025 - Revise the different methods of market research for National 5 Business Management.
Hanover Research
hanoverresearch.com › home › insights blog › what are the market research methods?
Market Research Methods: What They Are and How to Use Them
September 8, 2025 - Learn the value, benefits, and challenges of data analytics, survey, qualitative, and secondary market research methods.
Drive Research
driveresearch.com › home › resources › ultimate guide to market research types & methods (2025)
Ultimate Guide to Market Research Types & Methods (2025)
2 weeks ago - The two main types are qualitative research, which mainly explores consumer motivations and feelings, and quantitative research, which involves numerical data collection and statistical analysis.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/smallbusiness › what are the best methods for conducting market research on my target audience before launching my business?
r/smallbusiness on Reddit: What are the best methods for conducting market research on my target audience before launching my business?
1 month ago -
As I prepare to launch my small business, I realize the importance of understanding my target audience. I want to ensure that my products or services meet their needs and preferences.
What are some effective methods for conducting market research?
Should I focus on surveys, interviews, or using social media analytics? Additionally, how do I analyze the data I collect to make informed decisions?
I’m looking for practical tips and tools that have worked for others in similar situations. Any advice on pitfalls to avoid while doing market research would also be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Top answer 1 of 14
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I do not know what specific product you have, but practice shows that no survey will give accurate information. Accurate information appears only when you see who is ready to pay. The user votes with money
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This doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. The best approach combines a few methods so you can see patterns from different angles. Surveys are great for getting quantifiable data like preferences, price sensitivity, or buying habits, but they only tell you what people say they’ll do. Pairing that with interviews or informal conversations gives you context on why they think that way. Even five or ten thoughtful interviews can reveal themes you’d never catch from a spreadsheet alone. Social media is another underrated source. You can analyze who’s engaging with competitors, what pain points people mention in comments, and what language they use to describe their needs. That phrasing is gold when you start working on messaging later. When it comes to analyzing data, look for trends rather than one-off opinions. If you hear the same complaint or desire from multiple people, that’s a signal. And don’t forget to validate your assumptions with small, low-cost tests. Landing pages, sample offers, or even polls can confirm whether your research is pointing you in the right direction. The biggest pitfall I see is getting stuck in research mode for too long. At some point, you have to start testing your idea in the real world. The goal isn’t perfect data; it’s clarity on where to focus next.
Dummies
dummies.com › article › business-careers-money › business › marketing › 13-cheap-market-research-methods-you-can-do-yourself-152890
13 Ways To Do Inexpensive Market Research | dummies
When you compare your marketing approach to competitors, you easily find out what customers like best. Make a list of the things that your competitors do differently than you. Does one of them price higher? Does another give away free samples?
Salesforce
salesforce.com › marketing › how-to-conduct-market-research
How To Conduct Market Research: A Guide | Salesforce US
Surveys provide quantitative data on customer preferences, while interviews offer in-depth insights into motivations and experiences. Observations capture real-world consumer behavior, experiments test causal relationships, and focus groups generate collective opinions and ideas. Each method has unique advantages and should align with research goals and data requirements. Published market reports: Industry studies illustrate market trends, competitor analysis, and consumer behavior.
SurveyMonkey
surveymonkey.com › market-research › resources › primary-market-research-types-examples
Types And Examples Of Primary Market Research | SurveyMonkey
The process involves approaching your targeted source and asking questions about your product or service. You can do this through different interviewing methods: in-person, phone calls, focus groups, and online surveys.
Crunchbase
about.crunchbase.com › blog › market-research-methods
The Types of Market Research [+10 Market Research Methods]
1 month ago - One of the most commonly used market research methods, Surveys are an easy way to understand your target audience and allow you to test a large sample size to determine if findings are true across a larger segment of your customers.
JWU Online
online.jwu.edu › jwu online › what is market research? methods and examples
What Is Market Research? Methods and Examples | JWU Online
September 10, 2025 - One of the most popular methods of gathering data through primary market research, the survey is an ideal way to reach large numbers of participants easily and inexpensively. With that said, surveys are generally limited when it comes to collecting in-depth, descriptive, qualitative feedback, and people are often quite reluctant to complete them.
The Hartford
thehartford.com › business strategy › how to start a business in 10 easy steps › marketing for startups › market research: the basics › types of research: primary vs secondary
Types of Market Research: Primary vs Secondary | The Hartford
Primary research is research you conduct yourself (or hire someone to do for you.) It involves going directly to a source – usually customers and prospective customers in your target market – to ask questions and gather information. Examples of primary research are:
Shopify
shopify.com › blog › what-is-market-research
How To Do Market Research: Types and Templates (2024) - Shopify
Depending on your research methods, you might need to prepare questionnaires, conduct interviews, or analyze data courses. You can conduct the process in-house or outsource it to a third party to help speed things along. Now it's time to turn that raw data into insights. Identify any patterns or trends that answer your objectives. For example, you may analyze and identify the percentage of customers who prefer sustainable packaging over traditional options.
Gwi
gwi.com › blog › market-research-methods
Market Research Methods | GWI
September 15, 2025 - Select methods that best match your objectives - quantitative for broad validation, qualitative for deep understanding, syndicated for ongoing trends, and social listening for real-time insights.