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Analysing Blogs in Market Research

There are many research methods available to market researchers. The most common methods are the use of survey questionnaires and interviews. However, these methods are dependent on respondents’ ability to recall their experiences accurately. The use of diaries in market research has been argued to be a more valid research method. Respondents record their experiences almost immediately after an event, and the data is thus subjected to less distortion. In addition, diaries generate a regular stream of undirected data in chronological order, which allows for deeper insights into consumption patterns and changes in attitudes or behaviours. More recently, the development of blogs or electronic diaries opens new possibilities for researchers interested in the use of diaries as a research method. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the use of blogs as a market research tool. The chapter first reviews the arguments for using blogs in market research. This is followed by an examination of two case studies using blogs in market research and a discussion on how blogs can be used effectively in such studies.