If you’re like most marketers and product developers you are continually seeking ways to get closer to the consumer as a means for informing plans and strategies. New developments in the world of behavioral research offer exciting opportunities to add more depth to your decision-making.
At Radius, we call these tools “Behavioral Research 2.0,” and they include approaches such as online eye tracking, enhanced facial coding and voice evaluation and coding.
Sophisticated machine learning and algorithms have made these approaches more accessible, easier to implement, and more cost efficient. The result is that marketers can now apply these compelling techniques as a means for integrating more authentic customer feedback into their research efforts.
Online eye tracking
Online eye tracking allows respondents to take the survey online using a webcam. Eye movements are recorded for all sections with eye tracking. They are then analyzed via sophisticated algorithms. Results are similar to traditional eye tracking.
The benefit to you as marketers is that you can more readily integrate eye tracking into evaluations of packaging, new products, creative, etc. to round out your assessments of new ideas and deepen your insights when making final decisions.
Enhanced facial coding
Facial coding is a well-known method for revealing how a given element of interest is truly being received. Until now results could only be interpreted by experts in the field. However, new advancements have helped to automate the process, reducing expenses and increasing efficiency.
Enhanced facial coding can be implemented via webcam or smartphone camera. For qualitative studies it can be added to focus groups, individual interviews, and experiential audits. It can also be incorporated into online surveys with a web cam.
Pairing online eye tracking with enhanced facial coding can lead to exceptionally powerful results — marketers can determine which visuals both attracted attention and provoked favorable emotions.
Voice evaluation and coding
A newer form for capturing deeper insights, voice evaluation and coding allows marketers to expand their understanding of the underlying emotions connected to their brands. Participants are asked to answer some questions verbally and responses are recorded. The responses are then analyzed via algorithms to determine the positive or negative nature of the reply based on metrics related to the tone of voice, pacing, etc.
This holds the potential to add depth to brand tracking, brand health, VOC, and other types of work being done to understand consumer connections.
Maximizing the value of Behavioral Research 2.0
There are a number of areas where these tools can add value, including package and product design, creative testing, customer journey, shopper experience, and brand tracking.
However, we also know that to truly maximize this value it is critical to combine them with other proven approaches that will round out your insights. Equally important is picking the right time and place for using these tools.
If you’d like to learn more about how Radius can help your brand achieve its goals through these new behavioral approaches, please contact us.
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