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Digital ethnography is a specialized form of qualitative research where market researchers virtually follow a group of consumers for a short or long period and observe them in their natural environment. Digital ethnographers collect information about their target audience in various ways, including directly interviewing people, having them record diaries, taking photos, or virtually recording their interactions with products or services. This article will explore the definition of digital ethnography, research methods used by ethnographers for market research, the benefits of this type of research, and a pertinent use case.
How Does Digital Ethnography Work?
Digital ethnography helps brands understand how people use their products or services daily and develop better versions of those offerings.
The internet is an essential tool for digital ethnographers. It allows them to collect data at scale, meaning they can gather the opinions and experiences of dozens of people all at once. Thanks to new technology, like smartphones, researchers can utilize video diaries, photo uploads, and location tracking to get a peek into respondents’ lives without the need to be physically present.
How Do Digital Ethnographers Conduct Research?
Digital ethnographers conduct research in a variety of ways, including:
- Market researchers recruit carefully selected research participants to join an invite-only online space where there are specific, prepared assignments.
- Participants keep an online journal, engage in forum discussions, take photos/videos, or create digital mood boards which they share with researchers.
- In addition to asking participants direct questions regarding their attitudes toward something, ethnographic interviews use open-ended questions to illuminate more complex issues.
- Participants may be offered incentives like free products or gift cards to join the project.
Benefits of Digital Ethnography
It’s More Cost-Effective
Digital ethnography is more cost-effective than traditional ethnography. You can do it yourself with online tools or outsource to a research agency. It’s also possible to do this remotely, with the added benefit of minimizing travel expenses and carbon footprint.
It’s More Convenient
Digital ethnography allows you to conduct research from anywhere, at any time of day. You don’t have to travel where your research participants live or work, so you can spend your time on other, more valuable aspects of a project.
It also doesn’t require a lot of equipment. With traditional data collection methods—such as participant observation—you need cameras or a plethora of notebooks to document interviews or observations during fieldwork trips. With digital ethnography, all you need is a smartphone or laptop!
It’s More Flexible
Conduct digital ethnography remotely and at any time of the day or night. This flexibility makes it an excellent option for those with busy schedules or who live far away from their target users. Research from the comfort of your home or office saves you time and money on travel expenses, as noted above, and is easier for your research participants too.
It’s Globally Accessible
International research is a challenge for many companies and organizations. Thankfully, with digital ethnographic research, there are fewer logistical barriers to working with large groups than during traditional fieldwork—you could interview many people from different countries without paying for flights or having extremely long project timelines.
This is especially beneficial for global brands hoping to reach diverse markets with various perspectives.
Potential Drawbacks
Although ethnographic research has many benefits, there are potential drawbacks to consider.
It’s Time-Consuming
Ethnography can be time-consuming. Recruiting participants, mapping out assignments, gathering insights, and compiling reports don’t happen overnight. The process can take months or even years, depending on a project’s scope.
Luckily, there are many new tools to help researchers complete projects quickly.
It Requires Trust
Ethnography requires a high level of trust with participants, and it can take time to build and ensure you capture the most genuine and honest answers. Consumers can feel self-conscious about their answers or worry about offending the researcher if they have something negative to say. Getting past this apprehension isn’t easy.
The good news is market research companies like Sago have sample audiences ready and willing to participate, reducing the initial trust barrier.
It’s Challenging
It’s a challenge to recruit the right participants for your ethnographic research. You need to find participants who are not only comfortable answering questions but also taking videos or pictures, perhaps keeping a diary and giving up some of their free time.
However, incentives (like gift cards or free products) help overcome this challenge. You can also work with a recruitment partner like Sago to speed up this process and ensure you have an eager and engaged group of respondents.
Digital Ethnography in Action
An example use case for digital ethnography would be tracking customer shopping habits in real-time.
For example, you can view a research participant shopping in a retail location as they rate the store layout, customer service, product selection, prices, and more. The opinions shared are fresh and in the moment, so they are more reliable than if you asked questions about these categories a few days or weeks later.
Moreover, since all data is digitally recorded, researchers don’t have to fuss with writing up reports and potentially making errors along the way.
Bottom Line
Digital ethnography is an exciting and effective way to learn about your target audience. While it does require a time investment, trust-building, and the right incentives, the payoff is worth it. Digital ethnography allows brands, big and small, to make better products, services, or websites based on feedback from customer stakeholders.
This type of qualitative research is cost-effective, convenient, efficient, customizable, and scalable. Ready for even more good news? All you need is a smartphone to get started.
Request a consultation to learn how to leverage digital ethnography at your organization.
