This document discusses lessons learned from conducting research "in the backyard" or within social networks. It advocates going to where consumers already are rather than bringing them to your platform. Examples are given of how brands like Benjamin Moore, Post Cereals, and Suave have used private and public social media groups to generate insights. Key lessons include recruiting diverse participants from multiple networks, positioning studies as a chance to provide input, listening and engaging with consumers, and using analytics to identify influencers.

1. Lessons Learned From Doing Research
“In the Backyard”
Sang Kim
June 9, 2009
sang@ripple6.com

2. Agenda
• Introduction
• Welcome to the Backyard
– How and Why Does It Work?
– Examples
• Why is it Important?
• Optimizing Your Time: Things We’ve Learned
• Q&A

3. Ripple6
• Founded 2006
• Wholly-owned subsidiary of
Gannett Co., Inc.
• Social media software platform
• Strategic innovation partner
• Clients (sample list)
– Procter & Gamble, Unilever,
Benjamin Moore, Gannett,
Meredith, Post Cereals, Sahara
Media
• Management team
– Net Perceptions (Amazon),
McKinsey, SPSS, Microsoft,
About.com, Double-Click

4. Agenda
• Introduction
• Welcome to the Backyard
– How and Why Does It Work?
– Examples
• Why is it Important?
• Optimizing Your Time: Things We’ve Learned
• Q&A

5. The Back Yard – Transformative Communication
Anonymous hits People, conversations,
connections

6. Go to their Backyard, don’t bring them to yours
Their Backyard
Where They:
Affinity Networks Work Best:
• Go regularly
• Have rich profiles • Right context for Brands
• Have trusted networks
• Share information through those
networks.

7. The Right Tools Open the Gates
Public Communities Private Insights Social Analytics
•Ongoing discussions •Private Insights •Lots of conversations
•Listen and Engage Groups •Lots of Social Media
Opportunistically •Primary Research Data
•Analytics needed

8. Public Groups: e.g. Benjamin Moore
• Green Moms, a community
focused on “thinking, living and
buying green.”
• 80 local communities
• 400+ opt-in members in the first
week
• Conversations generated
organically about the brand
• Ongoing discussions and
interactions with the brand, plus
insights into the consumer.

9. Private Groups: e.g. Post Cereals
• 4 week qualitative research
study embedded in a social
network.
– 90+ moms / 70 topics
“The platform allowed us to reach
out to moms in a way that was
convenient and comfortable for
them. It created honest
conversations and feedback about
our brand which allowed for solid
insights.”
Greg Lanides
Brand Manager
Grape Nuts

10. Suave - Social Insights + Brand Community
• Private Research Group
– Discover brand advocates
– Develop knowledge for
strong brand community
• Spread the word and develop
awareness of salon quality
products from Suave
• Social Insights Week One:
– 31 conversations
– 1,800+ comments

11. Additional Examples
• Leading National Cereal Brand
– How moms are thinking, talking and learning about
finger food
– Recruited 178 moms in 72 hours
– 50 discussions over 4 weeks
• Ripple6 & MomsLikeMe.com
– How should marketers participate in social networks?
– What are the ground rules?
– Ongoing study (our next Webinar)

12. Agenda
• Introduction
• Welcome to the Backyard
– How and Why Does It Work?
– Examples
• Why is it Important?
• Optimizing Your Time: Things We’ve Learned
• Q&A

13. Is it the future of Research?
quot;I don't know if we are going to have a choice but to move
away from survey research,quot;
Donna Goldfarb, VP-consumer and market insights, Unilever Americas
quot;Without transforming our capabilities into approaches that
are more in touch with the lifestyles of the consumers we
seek to understand, the consumer-research industry as
we know it today will be on life support by 2012,quot;
Kim Dedeker, VP-external capability leadership, P&G

14. Consumers want companies to interact
37% 85%
think companies
believe a company
should be present
56%
feel a stronger
should develop new and interact with
connection with and
ways for consumers to solve
better served by
consumers to problems and solicit
companies whom
interact with their feedback
they interact with in
brand.
social media.
Source: 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study, conducted
September 2008 by Opinion Research Corporation

15. Brand must find ways to engage with consumers
“No matter what the obstacles are, marketers still
need to be where their customers are, and consumers
remain heavily involved in social networks.
And advertising is not the only way for marketers to
participate in social networks.”
December 2008

16. Agenda
• Introduction
• Welcome to the Backyard
– How and Why Does It Work?
– Examples
• Why is it Important?
• Optimizing Your Time: Things We’ve Learned
• Q&A

17. Recruitment

18. Tap into Multiple Social Networks
• Faster recruitment
• Diversity of
perspectives
• Technology
removes “one-site”
constraints

19. Position Your Study: A Chance to Talk…
• Don’t Underestimate the power of
“A Chance to Be Heard”
• REPORT:
“Moms specifically expressed
excitement to have direct input
to what the brand should do”
• “It’s always nice to get a response back from a company
you gave a comment or idea to. I love when companies
ask you, the consumer, for ideas.

20. Going to the Backyard is Makes it Simpler
“…I think it would be best to
• They’re already there reach all members on the
Home Page, since it’s the
first place I go when online!”
• Some Screening criteria is
already embedded in their
profiles
• You can leverage
Community Managers

21. Listening and Engaging

22. You are More than a “Moderator”
• Having the right style is
vital to success
• Understand the
community and its
customs
• Know the technology

23. It’s a Social Network. Use it.
• It can be acceptable to ask
for friends opinions
• Understanding Influencers
and Advocates may be a
primary objective
• With Social Media you can
recruit based on social
profiles – e.g. influencers.

24. Be Nimble. Be Quick.
• Great for diaries, laddering up, drilling down, BUT also…
– Quickly generate insights in the backyard.
– Great for spot needs. (e.g.100+ deep replies in 24hrs)
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25. Data / Analysis

26. Many Conversations Equals…
• Tremendous data can be
generated
• Tools for analysis are
critical to success
• Filtering conversations is
not convenient, it’s
required.
• Cross reference with rich
social data

27. Identify Influencers and Advocates
• Quickly identifying these
inflection points will focus a
great deal of the
conversation.
– Their voices are heard
– Their opinion is
important

28. Summary

29. Social Insights Promotions
• 1-Month or 3-Month Social Insights Program
– 80 local sites on MomsLikeMe.com
• The fastest growing social network for moms
• 2M unique visitors/mo.
– Social Analytics
• Who, when and what is being said
– On demand community
– Full Research Services
• Design, Development, Community Management
• Reporting & Analysis
• Contact marketing@ripple6.com for promo pricing

30. Agenda
• Introduction
• Welcome to the Backyard
– How and Why Does It Work?
– Examples
• Why is it Important?
• Optimizing Your Time: Things We’ve Learned
• Q&A

31. Q&A
Sang Kim
June 9, 2009
sang@ripple6.com

32. Lessons Learned From Doing Research
“In the Backyard”
Sang Kim
June 9, 2009
sang@ripple6.com