china sns focus group project
DESCRIPTION
this is a call for collaborative SNS focus group research project in China to deep dive factual insights on China Consumer Internet/ SNS.TRANSCRIPT
SNS Focus Group Project
Collaborative qualitative market research on China SNS users
October 2007
2 Geni Inc. confidential
SNS Focus Group Proposal
• Proposal: Joint Focus Group on China SNS users– Possible Participants: Interested Social Networking Sites (SNS), Market
Researchers, Scholars, Bloggers/Media– Start with 1-2 test focus groups with minimal, shared cost
• Purpose: Do a “deep dive” on China internet users’ needs and wants for SNS– SNS: Gain deeper insight on user motivation to build better product,
improve marketing– Market Researchers / Scholars: Do cutting edge research where
currently no data exists– Bloggers / Media: Unearth interesting material for blogs / articles
• All participants will benefit from reputation as industry leaders
• Collaborative approach minimizes work from each participant but all gain benefits
3 Geni Inc. confidential
Why Focus on SNS Users?
• General internet data on China widely available: fast growing population, young demographics, interested mostly in entertainment, etc.
• But there is limited data on China’s SNS users…
Chinese internet users, mostly young, love entertainment but they don’t seem to be spending as much time on SNS as US users.
Why not?
Is it because of cultural differences, or the maturity of Chinese SNS?
4 Geni Inc. confidential
Why Focus Group over Quantitative Survey?
Quantitative surveys need large samples and are best to test incremental improvements to existing products.
However, at this stage of the SNS market, products are too new for users to provide useful feedback.
We need to first understand our users’ needs and motivations better to build better product and do better marketing.
5 Geni Inc. confidential
Qualitative Quantitative
Focus Group
Survey
Contextual Digital RESULT
Qualitative Focus Group vs Quantitative Survey
6 Geni Inc. confidential
Project Participants’ Roles
Publish public results of the study, thus helping promote participants as SNS thought leaders
Bloggers / MediaMarketing
Pay for incidentals and focus group attendees’ incentives
All split costs; estimated 2000 RMB/group?
Funding
Ensure focus group is run properly to get credible results
Market researcher and/or Scholar
Focus Group design, facilitation, analysis
Free usage of conference room with whiteboard, projector, screen, etc at convenient location for 10 person focus group
Any participantDonate location
Database of ~200 target users to contact; assuming 10% conversion rate => 2 focus groups of 10 people each
SNSFocus Group Users
Overall project coordinationGeniCoordinator
ContributionParticipantRole
7 Geni Inc. confidential
Project Input and Output
report
Test focus group 1
10 people2000 rmb budget?
Test focus group 2
10 people2000 rmb budget?
focusgroup
focusgroup
focusgroup
focusgroup
Shared Work / CostsBenefits
1. SNS• User database• Location• Funding• Questions
Product and marketing insights
2. Scholar / Marketing Agency
• Expertise• Credibility
Industry insights; Future biz to do more focus groups
3. Blogger / Media
• PR• Credibility
Interesting/ unique content
4. VC / others• $
Investment insights
PR
/ B
ran
d /
Rep
uta
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n
8 Geni Inc. confidential
Project Plan
Time 29-Oct 4-Nov 12-Nov 19-NovRecruit Participants 1 weekPlanning 1 weekFocus groups 2 daysAnalysis and report 1 week
9 Geni Inc. confidential
Possible User Demographics Sample
Career - teachers
Career - students
Career - investors
Friend SNS user
Family SNS user
Biz SNS user
Education - high-school
Education - college
Career - IT professional
Gender - female
Gender - male
>4527~45<27Age
Target Group to be discussed with Project
Participants
10 Geni Inc. confidential
Focus Group Sample Agenda
• Introductions
• Define Social Networking Sites– Show a few examples – Chinese or English ones?
• Chinese is more understandable but may influence answers
• English ones (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) may better show example functionality
• Do you use any SNS?– If no, why not? If yes, which ones and why?
• If you were to do networking online, what would you want? What would you use it for?
• What are your concerns about networking online?
11 Geni Inc. confidential
Join Our Project Today
• Looking for a couple more of partners to share the work and costs so we can all gain in better understanding of our users
• Already on board– 2 Scholars
– 1 SNS pioneer
– 1 marketing research agency
• Deadline: Friday, Nov 2nd, 2007
12 Geni Inc. confidential
Contact
• Reno Peng 彭丞杰– Email: [email protected], [email protected]
– Mobile: +86 1365 1802 841
– Tel: +86 21 6133 1800
– Skype/ Meebo: pilareno
– MSN: [email protected]
– Facebook: Reno Peng
– LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/renopeng
– Wealink: http://renopeng.wealink.com
– Geni: Reno Peng