Communication and marketing have changed with the exponential growth of social networks, research has been no less. The way of relating to the consumer and therefore the way of research is changing. The consumer is changing his name from “interviewee” because he has become an “opinionator.” He has gone from being a spectator to being an actor. The consumer gives their opinion and believes online through multiple platforms, whether or not they are social networks. Researchers capture this opinion, compile it, structure it, analyze it and turn it into useful knowledge for the brand.
Every day new consumer monitoring tools and platforms are being created on the Internet, all of them based on capturing the information that the consumer releases on social networks, on blogs, on microblogs, co-creation platforms, social bookmarking, discussion forums. , product reviews, video and photo sharing and etc.
That is why the example of Alice in Wonderland comes to mind:
“Alice looked around with great surprise. -But how? It seems like we've been under this tree the whole time! Everything is the same as before!
-Of course yes! -the Queen agreed-. And, how else?
"Well, what it is in my country," Alicia clarified, still panting a lot, when you run as fast as we have been doing and for some time, you usually end up somewhere else...
-A pretty slow country! -replied the Queen-. What it is here, as you see, is that you have to run as much as you can to stay in the same place. “If you want to get somewhere else you have to run at least twice as fast.”
– Lewis Carrol, Alice Through the Looking Glass
The red queen effect illustrates the reality of marketing these days, brands move and some very quickly and the feeling that remains is that they are not doing it fast enough since every day a new category is born, a A new product, different marketing and communication actions or even a new social network is imposed among consumers, buyers, among ourselves. But this is a half-truth, the inbreeding of those of us who often participate in this game makes us believe that if we are not hyperactive we are nobody. The Internet has accelerated and multiplied this sensation and the movement on social networks even more. However, experience shows that taking a step online without having previously studied and analyzed this reality condemns us to failure.
Before hyperactivity on the internet and social networks and just being there, we need a strategy and an action plan on the internet in accordance with the communication objectives and marketing actions and strategies.
The relevance of market research in marketing actions
But the key to all this will be, as always, in the analysis of the information. So far the solutions offered are more concerned with obtaining information than analyzing it. Although in these incipient moments of internet analytics the sources (by number and quality) may be differential in the very near future, the differential will be based on the analysis. And in the translation of this information + analysis into useful knowledge for brands since it is useless to act without measuring.
If the brand correctly interprets this knowledge, it has the best starting point to define, redefine or refine its actions, both in communication and marketing, and not only on the Internet but outside of it, because no one doubts that the loudspeaker effect of the Internet is also for those who buy off (and not just on).
As a final reflection, shouldn't we talk about thinking instead of knowledge? because the social pressure exerted by the network (and specifically social networks) forces and will force brands to have more responsible behavior. Brands have to think more than know.
