29.04.2009

Studying user behaviour improves results

By Daniel Ghinn

User research informs education website

It’s one of the basic rules of business relationships: listen first, before you speak. Or to use a healthcare analogy, diagnose before you prescribe! Yet the Internet is crowded with marketers and communicators broadcasting messages as if the Internet was purely an above the line medium.

One of the most effective ways of engaging stakeholders and customers is to start by listening; analysing the way they use the Internet.

For example, an understanding of how people search will help you plan a successful strategy for engaging through search engines. Analysing social media discussions can define the tone and nature of your own content.

Online, communities of like-minded people flock together on social media websites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. An understanding of what unites these communities is essential before any successful engagement can take place.

Ultimately, the more insights you gain about the way Internet users behave, the better you can interact with them in an appropriate, relevant way.

The good news is that Internet technologies make available a vast amount of information about user behaviour. Data can be collected on your own websites as well as through tools providing data on search engine, social media, or third party website usage.

Collecting and analysing data about Internet user behaviour will help you to define an informed strategy and to set clear expectations of results. This was the approach taken by Pfizer when they launched a successful anti-counterfeit medicine campaign.

Pfizer commissioned Creation Interactive, who started by researching how users were searching for medicine online, and analysing the findings. This research and analysis process provided insights for Pfizer’s team that informed discussions with regulators and patient groups about legal and medical issues.

A key to the success of the campaign was the integration of messages across offline and online channels including social media, PR and viral marketing. Creation Interactive ensured that core messages were consistent with user behaviour insights across all creative and technical work carried out by an extensive team of agencies working on the campaign.

To find out more about how studying user behaviour improved the results, download a full case study about Pfizer’s campaign to combat counterfeit medicines.

Creation Interactive’s 7D methodology for informed engagement strategy development is built on understanding user behaviour before planning a campaign, so that every stage of the campaign – from planning, to implementation, to engagement, is aligned with stakeholder activity.

If you would like to know how user behaviour affects your results online, a Digital Results Analysis will help you find out what’s working – and what’s not.

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Meet the Author

Daniel Ghinn

Daniel has been at the helm throughout the company’s life since 1998. His rich expertise in working with pharmaceutical businesses has enabled CREATION to build business solutions that fit our clients’ needs.

Daniel is married to Jo, has three children, a cat, a dog, 28 fish, and 160,000 bees.