
What is the best type of market research? With so many types of market research available to businesses today, it can be difficult to discern which type will be most beneficial for your specific needs.
In this article we’ll provide an overview of the different types of market research and help you determine which one is best suited for your business goals.
What Is The Best Type Of Market Research?

Market research is an essential tool for businesses to gain insight into their target market and understand how they feel and behave. It helps companies make informed decisions about their products, services, and marketing strategies.
There are 7 variations of market research that can be used to gather information about customer needs and preferences. These can be divided into two main categories: primary and secondary market research.
Primary market research involves gathering data directly from the source, such as surveys or interviews with customers. This type of research is often more expensive than secondary market research but provides more accurate results.
Secondary market research involves collecting data from existing sources such as industry reports or competitor analysis. This type of research is usually less expensive but may not provide as much detail as primary market research.
Qualtrics offers a free eBook on how to rethink and reinvent market research, providing valuable insights into the different types of market research available today.
Primary Research
Primary research is a tool that businesses use to gather data directly from their target customer base. Focus groups are one type of primary research, where a select group of people representing the target market are asked questions about a product or service and the key researcher takes notes on their responses. This data can be helpful to inform marketing strategies and product development decisions.
Secondary Research
Secondary research is a type of research that analyzes pre-existing data from multiple sources, like think tanks and newspapers, to gain insights. It is usually cheaper and quicker than primary research methods; however, the information may not always be current or relevant.
Qualitative Research
Qualitative market research involves the collection of non-numerical data, such as opinions and attitudes. It can be used to uncover insights about a target market that otherwise would remain hidden, such as how a new product or service is received.
This information can be used by companies to better understand their target audience and make informed decisions on their marketing strategy.
Branding Research
Branding research is important for any business and helps them create, maintain and measure their brand identity. There are various forms of branding research such as interviews, focus groups, surveys, and more to gain insights into customer perceptions, loyalty, brand positioning and more. Through this research businesses can make informed decisions about their brands.
Customer Research
Customer market research is essential for a company to understand their customers and make changes to increase sales. The research focuses on exploring customer satisfaction and loyalty, allowing companies to identify where they can improve in order to better meet the customers’ needs.
Competitor Research
Competitor research is a necessary part of any business strategy. It involves gathering information about competitors and understanding customer preferences, trends in the industry, and how to differentiate your business from competitors. Through competitor research, a business can create a SWOT analysis to identify areas where they may be able to improve or stand out in the market.
Product research
Product research is an essential part of the product development process. It helps to ensure that products and services are fit for launching in the market, and are performing as well as they can.
Product research involves a number of different activities, such as product branding, feature testing, and customer feedback. Through product branding, companies can assess whether their product brand and design will attract customers in the intended way.
Feature testing allows companies to test out new or improved features at various stages of development with target markets before launching the product. Finally, customer feedback helps to determine how customers perceive the product and if it is providing value to them.
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