This presentation provides insight into my UNDESTANDING of netnography as a QUALITATIVE and EXPLORATORY OBSERVATIONAL research approach. By listening to natural occurring CONSUMER DIALOGUE in ONLINE COMMUNITIES Netnography allows to gain UNBIASED CONSUMER INSIGHTS and DEEP UNDERSTANDING of explicitly verbalized and implicitly existing NEED- and SOLUTION-INFORMATION of highly INVOLVED CONSUMERS. Furthermore for us it is a great approach to start consumer-centric (open) INNOVATION and COCREATION projects.

1. NETNOGRAPHY
Insights2.0 derived from Online-Communities
Steffen Hück
HYVE Innovation Research Lab

2. NETNOGRAPHY
WHY you should listen to online conversations

3. WHY you should LISTEN to ONLINE CONVERSATIONS
MARKETS are CONVERSATIONS
CONSUMERS are EMPOWERED
CONSUMERS are CREATIVE
COMMUNITIES are EVERYWHERE
COMMUNITIES are TRIBES

4. MARKETS are CONVERSATIONS
Information Product
Seeking reviews
WOM
Buying
Decisions
Complaints
Recommendations
Brand Ambassadors
ONLINE enables CONVERSATIONS that were NOT POSSIBLE BEFORE
See: The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual, by Christopher Locke, Rick Levine, und Doc Searls

5. CONSUMERS are EMPOWERED
creative & smart
create knowledge create media create stars create brands
powerful
vs.
fight brands criticize brands support b(r)ands own brands
critical & innovative
discuss/review products unmask product lies co-create products modify/create products
SOCIAL MEDIA supports KNOWLEDGE, CREATIVITY & POWER

6. CONSUMERS are CREATIVE
VARIOUS INNOVATIONS developed at first by CREATIVE CONSUMERS
Several studies document the innovative potential of consumers
Herstatt & von Hippel 1992; von Hippel 1986; 2001; Shah 2000; Franke & Shah 2001; Franke 2001; Lüthje 2001; Thomke & von Hippel 2002; ...

7. COMMUNITIES are EVERYWHERE
ONLINE COMMUNITIES exist for nearly every IMAGINABLE INTEREST

8. COMMUNITIES are EVERYWHERE
2,081,357 Members 1,454,706Members 1,347,454 Members 1,346,681 Members 722,714 Members
615,725 Members 550,000 Members 531,905 Members 398,456 Members 362,928 Members
356,457 Members 351,779 Members 256,964 Members 233,910 Members 222,370 Members
226,124 Members 196,714 Members 197,517 Members 209,240 Members 209,191 Members
187,433 Members 186,920 Members 180,462 Members 174,784 Members 173,941 Members
ONLINE COMMUNITIES exist for nearly every IMAGINABLE INTEREST

9. COMMUNITIES are TRIBES
TRIBES are
ENTREPRENEURS
degree of market annexation
TRIBES are TRIBES are
DOUBLE AGENTS PLUNDERERS
TRIBES are
ACTIVATORS
degree of market appropriation
CONSUMERS TRIBES are groups of people sharing a COMMON PASSION
See: Consumer tribes, by B Cova, R Kozinets, A Shankar

10. NETNOGRAPHY
HOW we see netnography and research 2.0

11. NETNOGRAPHY: context and theoretical touchpoints
METHODOLOGY
content analysis
and text mining
METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY
ethnography and narrative interviews
observational research and storytelling
THEORY THEORY
virtual communities grounded theory and
and consumer tribes cultural anthropology
THEORY
open innovation
and co-creation

12. NETNOGRAPHY: our understanding
NETNOGRAPHY [interNET & ethNOGRAPHY] is a QUALITATIVE and EXPLORATIVE research approach to analyze
the CONSUMER DIALOGUE in ONLINE COMMUNITIES in order to gain UNBIASED CONSUMER INSIGHTS.
The EMPATHIC and NON-OBTRUSIVE online OBSERVATION and LISTENING allows a DEEP UNDERSTANDING of
explicitly verbalized and implicitly existing NEED- and SOLUTION-INFORMATION of highly INVOLVED CONSUMERS.
NETNOGRAPHY is a great approach for consumer-centric (open) INNOVATION and COCREATION. Conducted by
INTERDISCIPLINARY project teams of RESEARCHERS and DESIGNERS the derived insights are directly TRASNFERED
into initial PRODUCT SOLUTIONS for the EARLY STAGES of the innovation process.
Systematic LISTENING to online CONVERSATIONS of highly involved CONSUMERS

13. NETNOGRAPHY: interNET & ethNOGRAPHY
foreign cultures
ethnography
urban subcultures
trendscouting modern consumer tribes
nethnography
MODERN CONSUMER TRIBES can be observed within ONLINE COMMUNITIES

14. NETNOGRAPHY: observation and listening
observe-and-listen research
unobtrusive explorative
Less-biased Fresher
Insight Insight
FRESHER & LESS-BIASED INSIGHTS with NETNOGRAPHY

15. NETNOGRAPHY: qualitative research understanding
UNDERSTANDING READING
before before
MEASURING COUNTING
INDUCTIVE DETAILED
before before
DEDUCTIVE AGGREGATED
Real CONSUMER UNDERSTANDING requires INDUCTIVE RESEARCH and CONTEXT

16. NETNOGRAPHY: explorative research design
testing research explorative research
 pre-structured study designs  flexible study designs
 deductive research approach  inductive research approach
 sequential research process  circular research process

17. NETNOGRAPHY: deep understanding („Thick Descriptions“)
In anthropology and other fields, a “thick description” of a human behavior is
one that explains not just the behavior, but its context as well, such that the
behavior becomes meaningful to an outsider.
Exploring the DIFFERENCES between a TWITCH and a WINK
WORDS & STORIES tell more than NUMBERS
Interpreting SIGNS to gain their MEANING within the COMMUNITY
Geertz, Clifford. "Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture".
In The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. (New York: Basic Books, 1973) 3-30.

18. NETNOGRAPHY: analysis of highly involved consumers

19. NETNOGRAPHY: gaining insight into need- & solution-information
Solution Information
Solution
for Company
Level 4
Solution Principle
or Method
Level 3
Need Information
Problem / Desire; Disadvantage / Advantage;
Satisfaction / Dissatisfaction; Experience
Level 2
Motivation / Needs; Attitudes; Buying & Consumption Behavior
Level 1

20. NETNOGRAPHY: conducted by interdisciplinary teams
Solution Information
Solution Creative
for Company
Open
Level 4
Solution-oriented
Solution Principle
or Method
Level 3
Need Information
Problem / Desire; Disadvantage / Advantage;
Satisfaction / Dissatisfaction; Experience Analytical
Level 2
Structured
Need-oriented
Motivation / Needs; Attitudes; Buying & Consumption Behavior
Level 1

21. NETNOGRAPHY: conducted by interdisciplinary teams
Analytical Creative
Structured Open
Need-oriented Solution-oriented
Human-centred
Innovation
consumer driven
Need- & Solution Information
See: Human-Centred Innovation Presentation on Slideshare or ESOMAR Qualitative 2009 Paper

22. NETNOGRAPHY
HOW we listen to community conversations

23. NETNOGRAPHY: Systematic listening to online conversations
Research Community Community Data Analysis Product
Definition Selection Observation and Insights Solutions
1 2 3 4 5
Key Word Community Initial Coding Innovation
Brainstorming
Definition Observation Structure Fields
Community Discussion Qualitative Content Creative
Desk Research
Identification Selection Analysis Workshop
(Coding-Report)
Topic Community Discussion Initial
Consumer Insights
Dimensions Selection Download Solutions
(Presentation)
(Mindmap) (Community-List) (Text-Files) (Presentation)

24. NETNOGRAPHY: main CHALLENGES and TASKS
1 2
IDENTIFY LISTEN
valuable consumers for your company to unbiased consumer conversations
5
TRANSFER
insights into initial solutions
4 3
UNDERSTAND EXPLORE
culture and language of consumers the hot topics of involved consumers

25. NETNOGRAPHY: IDENTIFY valuable consumers for your company
Quantitative Filter Qualitative Filter Profile-Analysis
• Number of Posts • Involvement • Network Centrality (Reach)
• Replies & Views on User’s Posts • Expertise • Socio demographics
• Frequency of Posting (per week) • Reputation • Interests
• Share of voice • Topic Leadership •…
•… •…
ALL Users
ACTIVE Users
INNOVATIVE Users

26. NETNOGRAPHY: LISTEN to unbiased consumer conversations
spontaneous
& unreflected
implicit
& emotion
synchronous
interaction
special rooms with a “mirror” in
research institutes & test studios
Focus Groups
artificial natural
biased unbiased
research conversation
& forced & involved
situation situation
natural occurring conversations in
forums, social networks & blogs
NetnographyInsights©
asynchronous
interaction
explicit
& cognition
time-delayed
& content-rich

27. NETNOGRAPHY: EXPLORE the hot topics of involved consumers
Insight 1
Insight 2
Insight 4
Insight 3
Insight 6
Insight 5

28. NETNOGRAPHY: UNDERSTAND culture & language of consumers
Implication Essence
(Ideas & Actions) (Surprise & AHA Effect)
Insights2.0 Framework
Understanding Relevance
(Causality & Context) (Problem & Opportunity)

29. NETNOGRAPHY: UNDERSTAND culture & language of consumers

30. NETNOGRAPHY: TRANSFER insights into initial solutions
Essence
Consumer Insight
Benefit
Reason
to Believe
Character

31. NETNOGRAPHY: TRANSFER insights into initial solutions

32. NETNOGRAPHY: TRANSFER insights into initial solutions
Insights Fields of innovation Possible Solutions
Innovation Field
Innovation Field
Innovation Field
Innovation Field

33. Netnography
HOW we listened to „sunless tannig“ community conversations

34. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation
Objectives and Definition of Research Field
 Learn what INFLUENCES her
 Learn how she THINKS
 See the WORLD through her EYES
 Know her daily RITUALS and HABITS of usage
 Hear WHAT she SAYS and HOW she SAYS it
 Understnad the PERSON not only single BODY PARTS
 Learn what DRIVES her
 Know what she LIKES/DISLIKES and
how she encounters PROBLEMS
 Consider her INNOVATIONS

35. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation

36. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation
Threads Posts Members Activity Index
Posts/Members-Ratio
53.702 964.035 9.086 106
n/a 427.273 ~ 5.000 85
147.783 1.399.971 6.129 228
n/a 2.390.463 n/a ~ 30
422.828 2.539.801 292.425 9
10.493 127.946 16.213 8

37. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation

38. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation

39. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation
Cosmetic applicators
Professional tanning booth „mystic tanning“
Adjustable professional airbrush pistol

40. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation
Tanning Desasters
S: MY GOD!!!!!!!! THIS SOOOOOOOOOO HAPPENED TO ME!!!! i absalutely HATE the jergens
natural glow now. my neck was sooo blotchy and my dad told me i
looked like i had a skin
disease!!!!!!! it was impossible to scrub off the remaining parts!! i scrubbed
and scrubbed at my neck with a lufa until my skin was red but the blotches still wouldnt
come off!!! i ALSO have the jergens natural glow for the face(which was the biggest waste of
money) because ya! i would apply it before iwent to bed and the next morning-NOTHING!! it
didnt even work and it stunk horribly and gave me a stuffy nose!! i will NEVER
use this line again!!!!!!
TanSweetHrt4Hi
Source: www.iamtan.com
Challenge of De-Tanning
Q: I know we talked about this a little while ago, but I tried using nail polish
remover to make sure the corners of my nails didn't get orange, but it didn't
work. Normally I just clip my nails really short so if there is discoloration you
can't really tell that much, but it's really starting to bug me. The nail polish
remover is acetone free... does that make a difference?
Source: www.iamtan.com
Jamie A

41. NETNOGRAPHY – online communities as source of innovation
Challenge of
De-Tanning
… Tanning
Desasters
…

42. Netnography
You want to know more about doing research 2.0?

43. „MUST READS“ for netnographers and open-minded marketers

44. Check out presentations & interviews of netnography08 conference
http://www.netnographyinsights.com
2008

45. Share your thoughts on netnography with me
Steffen Hück
Project Manager Innovation Research
HYVE AG
www.hyve.de
steffen.hueck@hyve.de
twitter.com/netnoblography
netnography.wordpress.com