GOMC Blog
Content is from the site's 2010-2011 archived pages.
Trackings
To Incentivize or Not to Incentivize? That is the question.
Written by: TheresaSorenson
5/4/2011
I recently came across a great discussion on LinkedIn, where the question was posed to the group: “Incentivizing online qualitative respondents - more, less, or about the same as offline? How significant is the incentive as an 'engagement tool?'"
What motivates people to participate in a focus group can be subjective and personal. On one end of the spectrum, there is 
monetary motivation, and at the other end, the motivation is altruistic, where people are ecstatic to share their opinions. There are brand “extremists” or “activists” who are more than willing to share their joy and opinions for the benefit of shaping the future of the brand/product. These motivational factors are present in both online and offline qualitative research.
Online or offline, the fact remains, that as researchers, you are asking people to give up their time to capture insights on consumer behavior and opinions with the end goal of increasing your client’s ROI. Incentives do not always have to be monetary in value. For example, business professionals may prefer a copy of the research findings, or participants in a video focus group may receive a webcam as an incentive. Physicians are the most likely to request to be compensated for their time. Knowing your audience will assist in determining the incentive.
This is my personal opinion and it does not necessarily represent Itracks’ views. What do you think, GOMC?
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Understanding Online Communities
Aug 6
Written by: Derek.Sawchuk
8/6/2010 12:47 PM
I wanted to share a snippet of an article that was recently published in QRCA’s Views Magazine. I hope you enjoy.
Step-by-Step Success
Step One: Before you take on a community project, step back and think about what your client is trying to achieve within that strategic framework. They may think they want a community, but what they really need is another research method to fulfill their research goals. Defining a clear objective for the community is the first and most important step.
Some of the reasons to employ an online community include:
• Sharing ideas with customers
• Hearing and understanding how customers talk to each other
• Receiving unsolicited advice and feedback
• Understanding attitudes and awareness
• Ideation
• Exploring the customer’s mindset
• Having access to customer feedback on demand
After you have a good grasp on what you hope to accomplish, set specific goals for the project. Having a clear outline will help guide you through the design phase and platform selection process.
Step Two: Your next responsibility will be to choose a platform which the community can form around. Creating an environment that is comfortable for the members is essential for most projects - this means creating a professional appearance that matches the client’s corporate branding. An experienced community platform provider can help you create this seamlessly.
Additionally, when choosing a platform, it is to your advantage to select a provider that has analytics and participation reports which allow you assess the community’s wellbeing. Unlike a focus group, 100% participation from members is not a realistic expectation. Communities take time to build momentum and members have to be engaged in multiple ways, so you will want to measure the overall health of your community throughout your project. Metrics are the most convenient and easiest way to do this. Metric measurements can include new membership joining, page views, participation and response rates. These reports can also help you understand what engagement exercises are best received and most effective with your members.
Step Three: Recruiting methods for online communities can vary widely and may include multiple methods such as: website intercepts, reaching out to clients, signage, online advertising, and utilizing online panels to name a few. Try to think less about recruiting and more about creating a space where people who share a common interest can congregate. If the content is compelling and the members are properly engaged, a monetary incentive is not always necessary. Often sharing information and hearing what others have to say is enough to keep members coming back and contributing.
Step Four: Setting the stage for the expectations of members is essential for gaining the best participation levels. As with all online studies, it is important to clearly outline what is expected of the participants and what their incentive, monetary or not, will be. Tell them how often you will interact with them - daily, weekly, certain day of the week or time of the day - and tell them that you are going to respect their privacy. Bring down the boundaries and be transparent in order to gain their trust. Sharing information like the purpose or strategic objective of the community will help you gain members’ trust in the overall process. Armed with this information, members will tend to be more invested in the community and it will make contributing less intimidating for them.
Step Five: As the community begins to form and members begin to contribute, it is important to let the members know that you are listening. Embrace the ideas of collaboration and talk actively to them - figure out what makes them tick. Their needs are the foundation of the community and the best way to understand those needs is to listen and encourage conversation. When members contribute, acknowledge them and thank them. Also, remember to share what may be considered restricted information, such as new product design or future store locations to create a sense of exclusivity.
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Saturday Mornings from the Smurfs to The Age of Persuasion
Written by: Derek.Sawchuk
7/29/2010 9:44 AM
I remember waking up as a child on Saturday mornings like it was yesterday.
Rushing down the stairs, pouring a bowl of Franken Berries all the while singing LA LA LA LA LA LA in anticipation of joining the Smurfs on their latest adventure! I never understood why my mother insisted that Saturday mornings were meant for sleeping in. All I knew was that my favorite TV show was only on once a week!
It’s weird how some things change and others remain the same as we get older, enter the work force and establish ourselves in our chosen profession. I have been given many words of advice (and have taken some from the likes of Papa Smurf) and one that resonates with me is, “Don’t take your work home with you”.
Saturday mornings still hold a host of potential possibilities, although watching the Smurfs is no longer an option. Now I anticipate a game of pickleball with friends. Pickleball, for those unacquainted, is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. The thrill of striking that perforated polymer ball, the sound it makes as it bounces on the court, and the camaraderie among players make it a delightful way to start the day. Organizing my equipment and ensuring my pickleball bags are packed with paddles, balls, and perhaps an extra pair of shoes, becomes a part of the ritual. Just like how Smurfs had their little sacks to carry their smurfberry collections, we have our specialized bags for various purposes, and my pickleball bag holds a special place in my heart. What did our parents do without these specialized bags for their hobbies? Imagine Papa Smurf without a bag for his magical potions or Jokey Smurf without a bag for his surprise gifts! What would hospitals, businesses, schools, or teachers do without big and little bags for storage or for carrying their essentials? Just as the Smurfs had their unique roles in their village, each type of bag has its unique purpose in our lives. And while the Smurfs may no longer be a regular part of our Saturday mornings, the memories, pickleball games, and the bags we carry, remain integral to our daily routines.
I truly love my profession, so why not take part of it home with me? It is me. An artist does not leave their medium in the study; a poet does not just stop thinking; and Brainy Smurf sure did not stop conjuring up some crazy plan to help his friends.
This is why I still wake up early Saturday mornings. These days instead of rushing to watch the Smurfs, I wake up early to tune into CBC radio for Terry O’Reilly’s ‘Age of Persuasion’. O’Reilly covers a wide range of topics in marketing, advertising and market research that ignites curiosity and provides insight for the market researcher.
O’Reilly takes his audience through a historical overview of advertising and marketing campaigns from radio to print to TV and then online mediums and the evolution of consumer habits. In the age of social networks and social media, marketing and ad agencies are vastly adapting to the online WOM where consumers rely less on advertising when making purchasing decisions. I turn to O’Reilly to help me stay connected to the ever-changing landscape. I find him insightful and inciteful and my only concern is his overuse of University of Maryland T shirts. I'm pretty sure he's not an alum, but why else would he have such a large variety of UMD Ts? It's not only visually distracting, but I keep looking for editorial significance in his branded attire. When he's exceptionally rude (which I love) I'm sure the deans are cringing in their ivory towers, something O'Reilly takes great pleasure in, I'm certain.
When I get some time I'll make it possible to click the above image if you like to sleep in on Saturdays and you can listen to the episodes online anytime.
More Background on ModeratorCommunity.com
ModeratorCommunity.com is a platform designed for professionals in market research and online community management, offering insights into the dynamics of managing online communities and the best practices for incentivizing participant engagement. Though no longer active, the content from its archived pages from 2010 to 2011 provides valuable information on how online communities were formed and moderated during that period.
History and Purpose
Launched in the early 2010s, ModeratorCommunity.com aimed to be a hub for community managers, researchers, and moderators to share knowledge, strategies, and challenges about online focus groups and broader community management. The platform was known for hosting discussions on engagement, online incentives, and best practices for moderating qualitative research spaces.
At its core, the site sought to bridge the gap between traditional focus group methods and the evolving landscape of online communities. The emphasis was on helping market researchers understand the needs and behaviors of online participants and how to keep them engaged through thoughtful incentives, often beyond monetary compensation, such as sharing research outcomes or offering relevant digital tools.
Reviews and Press Coverage
Although ModeratorCommunity.com did not receive mainstream media coverage, it was highly regarded within the niche industry of community management and market research. Publications like QRCA's Views Magazine referenced its contributions to discussions on building successful online communities and the nuances of participant engagement. The site attracted professionals from various industries who needed to create meaningful, interactive online spaces. The feedback on the platform’s blogs and forums reflected a positive reception among community moderators and market researchers looking for practical, data-driven insights.
One blog post from 2011 emphasized the debate over incentivization in online qualitative research, questioning whether online participants needed as much motivation as those participating offline. The article was insightful, drawing on experiences shared by professionals on platforms like LinkedIn, where the value of incentives was debated. This kind of engagement made ModeratorCommunity.com a go-to resource for qualitative researchers navigating the shift from offline to online methodologies.
Audience and Known For
The audience for ModeratorCommunity.com comprised market researchers, online community managers, and professionals involved in customer engagement and feedback. The site was particularly valuable to those managing or participating in focus groups, offering advice on maintaining high engagement rates, understanding consumer behavior, and creating platforms that fostered ongoing, meaningful dialogue.
One unique feature of the site was its focus on "non-monetary" incentives—how to motivate participants without relying on financial compensation. In the early 2010s, as more businesses transitioned to online community research, this advice was crucial. Some participants, particularly professionals like doctors, expected compensation for their time. Still, ModeratorCommunity.com provided strategies for offering value in other forms, such as access to research findings or exclusive insights into product development.
Cultural and Social Significance
While the website may not have been a household name, it played a significant role in the development of online community management practices that continue to influence the field today. Its emphasis on ethical moderation, participant engagement, and strategic platform design reflected broader trends in online spaces, particularly the need to create trusted environments where users felt heard and valued.
The discussions on ModeratorCommunity.com about transparency and setting clear expectations for community participants mirrored larger conversations about trust in digital spaces, which have only become more relevant in today’s social media-driven world. Concepts like ensuring privacy, setting clear participation expectations, and offering real value to community members still resonate as essential elements in fostering authentic online interactions.
Specifics and Examples
A standout example of the site’s impact is its detailed breakdown of community management strategies, such as platform selection, engagement metrics, and the importance of regular communication with community members. These strategies have been adopted by modern community platforms, with emphasis on data-driven engagement, such as tracking participation rates and understanding what types of content best resonate with users.
In a 2010 post titled "Step-by-Step Success," the site walked readers through the process of launching and managing a community, from defining clear objectives to choosing the right platform and tools. This methodical approach helped many moderators understand the importance of designing communities that reflect the branding and objectives of their clients, while also providing a space that is comfortable and engaging for users.
ModeratorCommunity.com was a forward-thinking platform that addressed the challenges of transitioning market research and community management from offline to online environments. Although the site is now defunct, its archived content from 2010-2011 remains a valuable resource for understanding the early challenges and successes of online community engagement. It provided professionals with a clear, strategic framework for building, managing, and maintaining vibrant online communities, lessons that are still applicable today in an age where digital spaces are more important than ever for customer engagement and brand building.