4 User Research Methods You Must Know When Doing Private Domain

This article proposes that the core of private domain operation is user operation, and the basis of the strategy to achieve user operation is user research, and introduces four methods of user research. The author lists the steps, usage, advantages and disadvantages of these methods in detail, and recommends them to novices in operation to learn together.

We often say that the core of private domain operations is user operations. According to the 80/20 rule, 20% of super users contribute 80% of the company's profits. Therefore, companies must operate in a targeted manner based on user value contribution.

However, in actual private domain operations, we not only need to find out users with different contribution values, but also approach from multiple dimensions such as interests, channels, regions, etc. to help companies better formulate operating strategies, optimize product and service quality, and thus improve conversion rates.

The basis for implementing all these strategies is to conduct user research . The following will specifically explain how to conduct research.

1. Clarify the purpose of the research

Before conducting user research, you must first clarify the purpose, which is usually to solve a certain need or problem. There are three common purposes in private domain scenarios :

1. Infrastructure

Provide a foundation for the development of various private domains. For example, in the early stages of private domain operations, user portraits are indispensable. It is one of the prerequisites for private domain operation plans such as IP, content, activities, and memberships . It is necessary to conduct user portrait analysis through basic user surveys.

2. Index Fluctuation

Analyze the reasons for "abnormal" data and make timely adjustments. For example, during a major promotion in a private domain, the conversion rate, retention rate and other data are significantly reduced. In order to find out the cause of the problem, you can choose to conduct user surveys to quickly understand and adjust.

3. Evaluate your decision

Provide important decision-making basis. For example, if a brand wants to launch "paid membership" for membership operation, it needs to set the price and benefits of paid membership. It is necessary to understand the average contribution amount of users, the number of high-value contribution users, and the user's willingness to pay . It is necessary to obtain relevant data through research to provide decision support.

Therefore, we can see that user research can provide several application values ​​in the private domain:

1) Determine the target user group

Through research, you can screen your target users, provide them with more accurate products and services, and improve ROI;

2) Develop/improve products

The private domain is closer to users, and can receive more authentic user "voices", helping brands improve the shortcomings of their products more efficiently;

3) Improve user loyalty

Conducting layered operations based on user survey results is conducive to creating interactions and improving experience, thereby increasing user loyalty;

4) Expand the market

By understanding user needs and pain points, companies can develop more precise marketing strategies for different user groups and increase the market share of products or services. Therefore, companies that are preparing to do or are doing private domain business may wish to think about whether they have done a serious user survey and truly understand their users.

2. Four common methods of user research

After clarifying the purpose of the survey, the next step is to determine the specific survey method. Here are four common user survey methods.

1. Interview method

Interviews are a way to gain in-depth understanding of user needs and feedback, which can be conducted face-to-face, by phone, by video, etc. Because the form of interviews takes up a lot of time and cost, it is usually necessary to screen high-value or representative users for interviews.

Steps and suggestions:

1) Clarify the purpose of the research

Before starting a research interview, you need to clarify information such as the purpose of the research, interviewees, and research scope so that the interview can be conducted more targeted.

2) Develop an interview plan

Before the interview, an interview plan needs to be developed, including interview questions and processes, etc. Interview questions need to be designed to be open-ended in order to gain a deep understanding of user needs and feedback.

3) Conduct interviews

During the interview process, it is necessary to establish good communication and trust with the interviewees so that they are willing to share their true thoughts and feedback. It should be noted that the opinions and privacy of the interviewees need to be respected during the interview process.

4) Record and organize the interview content

During the interview, the interview content needs to be recorded. After the interview, the interview content needs to be organized and analyzed to summarize useful conclusions and suggestions.

The interview method can deeply understand the needs and feedback of users, is highly targeted , and can better help companies design products that better meet user needs. However, the cost is high, the sample size is limited , and it may not represent the needs and feedback of the entire user group.

2. Questionnaire survey method

Questionnaire survey is currently the most common user research method. By designing a series of questions, questionnaires are distributed to the target audience to obtain their feedback and willingness, and provide support for private domain operations, product design and other decisions.

Steps and suggestions:

1) Clarify the purpose of the study

Before starting to design a questionnaire, you need to clarify information such as the purpose of the survey, the research subjects, and the scope of the survey in order to design the questionnaire more specifically.

2) Determine the questionnaire type

There are two types of questionnaires: open-ended and closed-ended. Open-ended questions are more free-form, but the results are more difficult to analyze.

3) Design issues

When designing questions, you need to pay attention to the clarity, accuracy, and operability of the questions. Try to avoid double negatives, ambiguous questions, or questions that contain personal opinions.

4) Test Questionnaire

Before officially launching the questionnaire, you can conduct a small-scale test to evaluate the effectiveness of the questionnaire and the user experience.

5) Conduct questionnaire survey

Before officially releasing the questionnaire, important information such as the target audience, questionnaire distribution channel and questionnaire deadline needs to be determined.

6) Analyze the results

The data collected needs to be analyzed and interpreted to draw valid conclusions and make recommendations.

The advantage of the questionnaire survey method is that it covers a wide range of people and can save time and cost . However, the disadvantages are also obvious. The sample may be biased and the authenticity of the data may be problematic . Questionnaires with large sample sizes usually require data cleaning.

3. Competitive product analysis

Competitive product analysis is a method of analyzing competitors' products through market research to understand their characteristics, prices, market share and other information, to help determine the product's market positioning and strategy, or to analyze and compare the competitive advantages and disadvantages of your own products in the market.

Steps and suggestions:

1) Determine the scope of competing products

First, you need to determine the scope of competitors, including direct competitors and indirect competitors.

2) Collect information about competing products

It is necessary to collect information on the market, brand, function, pricing, user experience, etc. of competing products

3) Comparison and analysis

After collecting information about competing products, you need to compare and analyze the competing products. You can use tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, and five forces model to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of competing products and market competition.

4) Understand user needs

Competitive product analysis can help you understand users’ needs and expectations for products or services. You can also collect user feedback and conduct surveys to understand users’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction with competing products, thereby optimizing your own products or services.

5) Make recommendations

According to the results of competitive product analysis, corresponding improvement and optimization suggestions can be put forward. For example, targeting the weaknesses of competitive products, optimizing your own products or services, and enhancing market competitiveness.

Competitive product analysis can help companies understand the overall situation of the target market and develop more accurate marketing strategies. However, it lacks user awareness and is not suitable for innovative products.

4. Historical data analysis method

Historical data analysis is a method of analyzing historical user data to understand user behavior, preferences, needs, etc., extract effective information, and find the results you want to investigate.

Steps and suggestions:

1) Clarify the purpose of analysis

First, you need to clarify the purpose of the analysis, including understanding user needs, behaviors, and trends.

2) Collect data

It is necessary to collect a large amount of user history data, including user behavior, purchase records, search records, usage records, etc. The source of data can include the company's internal data warehouse, CRM system, etc.

3) Organize and clean the data

After collecting the data, it needs to be organized and cleaned, including removing duplicate data, processing missing data, and eliminating abnormal data.

4) Perform data analysis

After collating and cleaning the data, it is necessary to use various data analysis tools and techniques, such as data mining and machine learning, to analyze and mine the data. You can choose the appropriate data analysis method according to the purpose of the analysis.

5) Draw conclusions and make recommendations

Based on the data analysis results, conclusions can be drawn about user needs, behaviors, and trends, and corresponding improvement and optimization suggestions can be made.

Compared with other research methods, historical data analysis can save a lot of cost and time . However, there are limitations, and historical data may not cover the latest market trends.

3. Research Dimension Reference

User research can be conducted from multiple dimensions to obtain comprehensive user information. Here are some commonly used dimension references:

1. Demographic Dimension

Research demographic information, such as age, gender, education level, income, etc., to understand the needs and characteristics of different user groups.

2. Behavioral pattern dimension

Investigate user behavior patterns, such as purchase frequency, purchase channels, usage time, usage scenarios, etc., to obtain feedback and suggestions on products or services.

3. Emotional Dimension

Investigate users’ emotional needs and preferences, such as emotional associations, emotional experiences, emotional satisfaction, etc., to understand users’ emotional perception of products or services.

4. Opinions and suggestions

By collecting users' opinions and suggestions, we can understand their suggestions for improving and optimizing products or services to meet their needs.

5. Competitor Dimension

Research competitors' products or services to understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to optimize and upgrade your own products or services.

The dimension references for different industries are also different, for example:

• Retail industry: demographic dimension, consumer behavior dimension, brand preference dimension, and purchase intention dimension.
• Catering industry: demographic dimension, dining environment dimension, food taste dimension, and service attitude dimension.
• Financial industry: demographic dimension, investment preference dimension, financial knowledge dimension, and financial product satisfaction dimension.
• Healthcare industry: demographic dimension, health status dimension, medical experience dimension, and health service demand dimension.
• Education and training industry: demographic dimension, learning needs dimension, learning style preference dimension, and teaching experience dimension.

The dimensional reference of user research should be combined with the characteristics of specific industries and products or services to obtain more accurate and comprehensive user information.

4. Data Analysis and Report Output

After completing the survey, data analysis and report output are very critical steps. The following is the general data analysis and report output process:

1. Data cleaning and organization

Before data analysis, the collected data needs to be cleaned and organized. This includes removing duplicate data, handling missing values, correcting outliers, etc. At the same time, the data needs to be organized into a format suitable for analysis, such as converting text answers into numbers or categorical data.

2. Data Analysis

Choose the appropriate data analysis method based on the purpose and questions of the survey. Commonly used data analysis methods include descriptive statistics, factor analysis, regression analysis, etc. By analyzing the data, you can draw conclusions and explain the trends and relationships behind the data.

3. Data Visualization

Based on the results of the data analysis, write a report and present it. The results of the data analysis can be presented in the form of charts, tables, etc. , and the analysis results need to be explained and illustrated. The content of the report should be specific, clear, and concise, and include conclusions and recommendations on the results.

4. Promotion and application

The results of data analysis can be used to formulate business strategies, adjust product positioning, optimize operations, etc. Therefore, after the report is output, specific action suggestions need to be made based on the analysis results to promote the application and promotion of the research results.

It should be noted that data analysis and report output is an ongoing process that needs to be constantly adjusted and improved according to actual conditions. At the same time, before data analysis and report output, the quality and reliability of the data need to be guaranteed to avoid misleading and distorted results.

The above is what I shared today.

In summary, the importance of user research reports lies not in simply recording research questions and answers, but in finding ideas and inspiration for solving problems from these questions and answers. Although user research seems simple, it takes a lot of effort to do it well, in order to deeply understand the psychological needs and expectations of users, so as to better meet user needs.

Author: Yan Tao

Source: WeChat public account "Yan Tao San Shou"