One of our most viewed blog posts in recent months is one that addresses a question we get a lot here at Dialsmith, namely, “What is Dial Testing?” In the post, I offer an official answer to the question but then delve into the “give it to me straight…” answer […]
Video: Improving Engagement in Online Research
With online research, participant engagement is critical. Conducing online market research offers many benefits but also a new set of challenges—participant engagement being a big one. If you’re thinking of ways to best test various forms of media (video and/or audio) online, check out this short video. It explains how […]
Video: Eliminating Recall Bias and Group Think in Focus Group Settings
In research, the devil is in the detail. Should you say “recycled” or “upcycled?” “Domestic economy” or “US economy?” This is why your research group needs to be clear of false influencers: recall bias and group think. Dial testing is one of the market research industry’s most reliable methods for […]
TRUE GRIT – Report Highlights Three Key Factors in Market Research Study Design
Greenbook’s market research industry GRIT Report is the gold standard for understanding the state of the market research industry and what clients are looking for. In this recent report, I was struck by three of the most important factors in study design: Proven methodology Participant engagement Trust in the results These […]
Media-Rich Data Collection Techniques for Online Surveys: Proceed with Smarts
Emojis are Not Valid ‘Media-Rich’ Data In this recent Qualtrics post, the authors explored some potential drawbacks of media-rich data collection techniques for surveys; elements such as star ratings, emojis for emotional response, sliders, etc. Their position is that these complex elements should be minimized because not all respondents will […]
Your Best Story Hinges on a Single Word
Recently, our own David Paull wrote a post about, of all things, a direct mail piece. But it is more than that. The Tale of Two Sides highlights the thin line between strong and weak communication; How a hit or a miss comes down to just a few words. DS: You […]
My Time Off: Protecting Children in Liberia (and a wee bit of White Port)
There are big, heart-wrenching challenges in this world. This is how Courtney Ulrich, one of our own, tackles them: One community at a time. I am a graduate student and a Dialsmith team member. With a team that’s ‘here, there, and everywhere’ (at all times), I do the things around here […]
Talking Audience Polling and Dial Testing with Realscreen West Content Director Barry Walsh
Most market researchers associate dial testing with focus groups, numbering typically 8-25 participants. However, Dialsmith has executed audience polling to much larger audiences. We have put dials in the hands of hundreds of attendees at large conference venues such as TED and the Banff Media Festival. Just recently, the […]
Don’t Bring Geckos to the Czech Republic (and 5 other travel tips)
As you venture out on your July 4th travels, here are some travel tips from one of our field consultants, Greg Treat. Greg runs research projects for clients across the globe. The result: a wealth of knowledge about the simplest things that can make international travel more bearable. It is […]
Moment-to-Moment Cheat Sheet: Online Research vs In-Person Research
Online research has become the mode of choice for many brands and content producers due, in no small part, to the modest relative cost and faster turnaround. Moment-to-moment research (aka dial testing) has traditionally been conducted in-person, the use of online moment-to-moment is becoming much more prevalent. So, how do […]
