brand online buzz index:  Study Design

Executive Summary

The word of mouth (WOM) or consumer buzz study by ethority GmbH & Co. KG aims at identifying, categorizing and analyzing the unaffected authentic opinion of consumers as it is formulated self-motivated in consumer generated online media (communities, blogs, review sites). This way all available authentic consumer data about brands is indiscriminatory used for the analysis. .

The acquired sample of users is considered as equipped with particular intelligence concerning the respective segment, as a self-motivated text contribution is made without external stimulation concerning one or several brands. The study’s representativeness is guaranteed by selective encoded technical and manual processes.

Analyzing Method

Standardized quantitative content analysis using evaluation software. Internet monitoring of communities (harvester method) and blogs (search method) filing in a category system according to pre-defined keywords.

The research is conducted in three stages to assure the rating’s reliability and validity.

1. Stage: Analysis with computer software
Algorithms ensure specificity of classification and intersubjective traceability.

2. Stage: Manual Postprocession
Manual review and post-categorization of all results according to code book if necessary.

3. Stage: Ensuring authenticity of results
Continuous analysis of control samples precludes artificial influence on results

Units of Analysis

Sample: The mentioning of a listed brand is criterion for inclusion in study

The following samples have been analyzed

Blogs: complete survey of all blogs that mention the brand;
Communities: : 10 communities are selected from all English-speaking communities according to two relevance criteria: 1. Minimum of terms related to segment or topic on the website; 2. Average number of comments per registered member.

Field time
Starting March 2007, weekly update (monthly update of publication on www.ethority.de).

Institute
ethority GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg

We are happy to provide you with an expansive description of study design and methodology at your request.