Complete Market Research Tutorial for Digital Marketing

Author: Pouya Eti

Learn market research and the main 4 steps to prepare the fundamentals of digital marketing

 


Market research is a very important and vital step in the process of digital marketing and skipping it will fail the whole digital marketing process. In this market research tutorial, we will go over all the main steps, learn with depth, and practice it together. Finally, we will also learn how to use AI to improve the results we receive.

I have prepared a Google Sheet for all the tables we need to work with if you are interested in using it you can click on the link below and make sure to use your Google account (Gmail) to create a copy for yourself by clicking on "File" > "Make a copy".

Click here to view the Google Sheet

 

So let's begin with the first out of 5 steps of Market research.

 

 

 

1. Product Definition

It's very important to know the product you want to market before you start the marketing process. It doesn't matter if it's your own product in your own company or if you are hired by another company and have to sell a product. You must know everything exists about the product. Here are the questions you need to answer to define the product you want to do marketing for.

  1. What problem does it solve?
  2. What are the 3 main features?
  3. Who is it for?
  4. Why choose this over alternatives?
  5. How and when is it used?

Inside the Google sheet, I have made some examples for different kinds of products such as digital or physical products.

To download this table as a PDF or CSV you can use the links below.

You can upload one of the files above (pdf/CSV) on any AI you prefer. You can upload the file to ChatGPT or Claude and use the prompt below to use AI to help you fill each of the tables we have on this page.

 

Prompt:
Act as a professional digital marketer and a researcher. I want you to complete the response column of the attached table about product definition similar to the examples provided in the table, but according to my product and the additional information provided below. 
product: 
company: 
Additional info: 

 

 

2. Market Segmentation

Let's begin step two of our market research process which is market segmentation. Market segmentation focuses on defining our target audience, knowing how they are, what they like, and more. It's important to know who our target audience is and use this information in the process of marketing.

 

Beginner version

Before we look at the table we have let's practice the simplified version of questions on an example. Let's practice on a yoga mat and answer the questions below about the majority of potential customers we want to have in the future.

  1. Age range and gender:
  2. Interests:
  3. What do they value:
  4. Location:
  5. Where do they spend time online:
  6. Where do they look for this product:
  7. Which customer group will be more likely to purchase:

 

 

 

How to answer these questions

  1. Think about it and do guesswork
  2. Use AI and compare the responses

 

Age range and gender: 20-60, Predominantly female
Interests: Health-oriented
What do they value: Durability & comfort
Location: Urban and suburban areas
Where do they spend time online: Instagram, YouTube, fitness apps
Where do they look for this product: Yoga websites and forums, fitness influencers on social media
Which customer group will be more likely to purchase: Urban young adult regular practitioners

 

To download this table as a PDF or CSV you can use the links below.

 

 

So let's try uploading the table above inside one of the AI models such as ChatGPT or Claude (for the example below I used Claude 3.5 Sonnet) and see how the result will be for a "digital marketing course" on Udemy.

 

I used the prompt below along with the CSV file of the Market Segmentation table:
Act as a professional digital marketer and a researcher. I want you to complete the response column of the attached table about market segmentation similar to the examples provided in the table, but according to my product and the additional information provided below. 
product: Mega Digital Marketing Course
company: Udemy
Additional info: The course includes over 80 hours of video content with a student workstation and AI assistant. The course will be sold exclusively on Udemy for $ 49.99


Here is the result table:

Factors Question Response
Title What is your product? Mega Digital Marketing Course (Online Course on Udemy)
Demographic Age range and gender: 18-45, Mixed gender with slight male predominance
Psychographic Interests: Digital marketing, entrepreneurship, career advancement, technology
Behavioral What do they value: Comprehensive learning, practical skills, career growth, flexibility
Geographic Location: Global, English-speaking countries primarily
Online Presence Where do they spend time online: LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, marketing blogs, Udemy
Information Sources Where do they look for this product: Online course platforms, digital marketing forums, social media, professional networks
Priority Segments Which customer group will be more likely to purchase: Young professionals (25-35) looking to upskill or change careers

 

 

 

 

Pro version

The pro version is very similar to the beginner version but with more depth and details. So if we get hired as a digital marketer in a company and they ask us to do market research, it's better to use this table than the previous one. So here are the questions:

  1. Who are the typical customers for this product in terms of age, gender, income, and occupation?
  2. What are the lifestyle choices, personal values, and interests that characterize the target customers?
  3. How do customers typically use the product, how loyal are they to brands in this category, and what specific benefits are they seeking?
  4. Where are the target customers located, do they primarily live in urban or rural areas, and how does climate affect their need for the product?
  5. Which social media platforms, websites, or apps do the target customers frequently use?
  6. Where do the target customers typically look for information or solutions related to this product category?
  7. Which customer groups are likely to be the most valuable for this product in terms of size and profitability?

 

 

Inside the Google sheet, I have made some examples for different kinds of products such as digital or physical products.

To download this table as a PDF or CSV you can use the links below.

You can upload one of the files above (PDF/CSV) on any AI you prefer. You can upload the file to ChatGPT or Claude and use the prompt below to use AI to help you fill each of the tables we have on this page.

 

Prompt:
Act as a professional digital marketer and a researcher. I want you to complete the response column of the attached table about market segmentation similar to the examples provided in the table, but according to my product and the additional information provided below. 
product: 
company: 
Additional info: 

 

 

 

 

3. Competitor Analysis

The next part of market research is called competitor analysis. This section can help us to stay ahead of the competition and avoid the mistakes others made in the same market. So here are the main questions we need to find answers for.

  1. Identify top players
  2. What are the top competitors' digital marketing strategies causing their success (5-10 factors)
  3. Identify weak competitors
  4. what are the weak competitors' digital marketing mistakes causing failure (5-10 factors)
  5. Which areas or features do you think the market needs or wants but the competitors don't have it?
  6. What new companies, startups, or alternative solutions have recently entered the market?

 

How to find answers

same as before we can use the help of AI and we will do but before that, we need to go on the internet and do hard research. It means we have to search on search engines like Google and find out the top players in our market, then pay attention to what they are doing. We have to do the same for weak players and see what they are doing wrong so we avoid it.

let's talk about an example and practice hard research together. Let's go on Google and search for yoga mats and see what good or bad examples we can find online.

 

  1. Identify top players
    1. Amazon Basics Yoga mat
    2. SKY-TOUCH Yoga Mat
    3. ...
  2. What are the top competitors' digital marketing strategies causing their success (5-10 factors)
    1. Good slides
      1. Showing the benefits of using the product
      2. top features
      3. short texts
    2. Additional info about the product and brand
    3. ...
  3. Identify weak competitors
    1. ARNV yoga mat
    2. ...
  4. what are the weak competitors' digital marketing mistakes causing failure (5-10 factors)
    1. bad slides
    2. Not enough slides
    3. Not showing product features
  5. Which areas or features do you think the market needs or wants but the competitors don't have it?
    1. Maybe a mat bag
    2. Maybe a cool surface
    3. ...
  6. What new companies, startups, or alternative solutions have recently entered the market?
    1. To answer this you have to check the market from time to time and be aware of the new players in the market.

 

😳 IMPORTANT 🧐

You can also gather information about the production of competitors and report it to the product team. This is a team work and a company can not become successful if the marketing is good but the product is bad.

 

 

Now that we have done the hard research we can also use the help of AI to get some ideas or additional info. You can use the Google sheet which includes all tables or use the links below to download the PDF or CSV version of this table.

Prompt:
Act as a professional digital marketer and a researcher. I want you to complete the response column of the attached table about competitor analysis for digital marketing similar to the examples provided in the table, but according to my product and the additional information provided below. 
product: 
company: 
Additional info: 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Market Validation

We are almost done with the marker research process. The only step remaining is market validation which we need to validate the result we got with real users or potential customers. We must make sure the research we made is clear and that we are going in the right direction.

Market validation has 3 main steps that we need to follow.

 

Step 1: Design a 6-15 question survey that covers product usage, preferences, pain points, and willingness to pay. Include relevant demographic questions.

Example for a yoga mat (you can see the survey with their choices by clicking here):

  1. How often do you practice yoga?
  2. Where do you primarily practice yoga? (Select all that apply)
  3. How long have you been using your current yoga mat?
  4. What material is your current yoga mat made of?
  5. On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with your current yoga mat? (1 being very unsatisfied, 5 being very satisfied)
  6. What are the most important features you look for in a yoga mat? (Rank from 1-5, with 1 being most important)
  7. What is your biggest pain point or frustration with your current yoga mat?
  8. How much did you pay for your current yoga mat?
  9. How much would you be willing to pay for a high-quality yoga mat that addresses your current pain points?
  10. Would you be interested in a yoga mat with smart features (e.g., pose alignment sensors, app connectivity)?
  11. How important is eco-friendliness in your yoga mat purchase decision?
  12. What is your age group?
  13. What is your gender?
  14. What is your annual household income?
  15. Is there anything else you'd like to share about your yoga mat preferences or experiences?

 

You can use the prompt below to use AI tools to generate questions and then modify them based on your needs.

Prompt:

Design a 6-15 question survey for the product below that covers product usage, preferences, pain points, and willingness to pay. Include relevant demographic questions.
product:
location:
additional info:

 

 

Tools to Create Survey

  • Google Forms
    • Free, easy to use
    • Integrates well with other Google services
    • Good for basic surveys
  • SurveyMonkey
    • Offers both free and paid plans
    • Wide range of question types and analytics
    • User-friendly interface
  • Typeform
    • Known for beautiful, interactive designs
    • Good for engaging, conversational surveys
    • Offers free and paid plans

 

 

Step 2: Identify and list 3-5 channels where your target audience is most likely to engage with your survey. Include both online and offline distribution methods.

You can use the prompt below inside any AI tool to get some ideas of where you can share these surveys. This is an example prompt for a yoga mat product (remember to provide information about your product and location).

 

Prompt:

Identify and list 3-5 channels where the target audience for the product below is most likely to engage with our survey. Include both online and offline distribution methods.
product:
location:
additional info:

 

Result:

1. Online Channels:
   a. Social Media:
      - Instagram: Target yoga influencers and studios in Dubai
      - Facebook: Join and post in Dubai-based yoga and wellness groups

   b. Fitness and Wellness Apps:
      - Partner with popular yoga apps used in Dubai (e.g., ClassPass, MindBody) to send push notifications or in-app surveys

2. Offline Channels:
   a. Yoga Studios:
      - Distribute paper surveys or QR codes to online surveys at popular yoga studios in Dubai (e.g., Yoga House, Yoga La Vie, 136.1 Yoga Studio)

   b. Fitness Expos and Wellness Events:
      - Set up a booth or distribute surveys at events like the Dubai Active Show or Dubai Muscle Show

3. Hybrid Approach:
   a. Yoga Retreats and Beach Yoga Sessions:
      - Partner with organizers of popular yoga retreats and beach yoga sessions in Dubai to distribute surveys both in-person and through their mailing lists

4. Community Partnerships:
   a. Wellness-focused Cafes and Shops:
      - Place QR codes or paper surveys in wellness-focused cafes and shops that attract yoga practitioners (e.g., Life'n One, Comptoir 102)

5. Digital Advertising:
   a. Targeted Online Ads:
      - Use geo-targeted ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach yoga enthusiasts in Dubai
      - Consider Google Ads with keywords related to yoga in Dubai

 

 

Step 3: Plan 2-3 activities that allow direct interaction with potential customers in their natural environment or while using similar products. Prepare a list of open-ended questions or observation points.

You can use the prompt below to get help from AI as I did for the yoga mat with the location in Dubai and here is the result I got from Claude which is really good.

 

Prompt:

Plan 2-3 activities that allow direct interaction with potential customers in their natural environment or while using similar products. Prepare a list of open-ended questions or observation points.

product:
location:
additional info:

 

Result:

Activity 1: Yoga Class Observation and Post-Class Interviews
Location: Popular yoga studios in Dubai (e.g., Yoga House, 136.1 Yoga Studio)

Activity 2: Beach Yoga Session Participation
Location: Popular beach yoga spots in Dubai (e.g., Kite Beach, JBR Beach)

Activity 3: Yoga Equipment Store Visit
Location: Sports equipment stores or yoga-specific shops in Dubai

 

 

 

 

Buyer Persona

A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers. It's a detailed profile that describes a typical customer, including demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals.

We will use buyer persona every step of the way in digital marketing. If we want to do social media marketing, creating content, email marketing or even running ads we can use buyer persona to target the right group of people.

 

Here are 12 questions that can help us create the buyer persona based on the research we did for our product.

  1. Name:
  2. Age range:
  3. Gender:
  4. Occupation:
  5. Income level:
  6. Education:
  7. Family status:
  8. Interests/Hobbies:
  9. Goals:
  10. Pain points:
  11. Preferred Channels:
  12. Decision Factors

 

To complete our buyer persona we can use the result of the research we made for our product, or use AI to fill it, but if you use AI you must provide your research to AI so it can fill the fields based on the research.

 

You can use the links below to download the PDF/CSV version of the buyer persona:

 

and here is an example result for the yoga mat sample:

  • Name: Mia
  • Age range: 28-35
  • Gender: Female
  • Occupation: Marketing Manager at a multinational company
  • Income level: Upper-middle class (AED 25,000 - 35,000 per month)
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration
  • Family status: Single, no children
  • Interests/Hobbies:
    • Yoga and meditation
    • Healthy eating and cooking
    • Travel and cultural experiences
    • Environmental sustainability
    • Reading self-help and wellness books
  • Goals:
    • Maintain a healthy work-life balance
    • Advance in her career while prioritizing personal well-being
    • Deepen her yoga practice and potentially become a part-time instructor
    • Reduce her environmental impact through conscious consumer choices
    • Build a supportive community of like-minded individuals
  • Pain points:
    • Struggles with stress from a demanding job
    • Finds it challenging to maintain consistency in her yoga practice due to busy schedule
    • Concerned about the environmental impact of her lifestyle choices
    • Experiences discomfort with current yoga mat during intense practices
    • Wants to justify spending more on high-quality wellness products
  • Preferred Channels:
    • Instagram and YouTube for fitness and wellness content
    • WhatsApp for communication with friends and yoga community
    • Fitness apps for tracking progress and finding classes
    • Wellness podcasts for on-the-go inspiration
    • In-person yoga classes and wellness workshops
  • Decision Factors:
    • Quality and durability of the product
    • Eco-friendliness and sustainability of materials
    • Brand reputation and values alignment
    • Comfort and performance during various yoga styles
    • Aesthetics and design
    • Price in relation to perceived value
    • Recommendations from yoga instructors and peers
    • Versatility for both studio and home practice

 

 

These were all the steps we needed to take to complete market research for our products. Now here is a great tool I built for you that will create the whole research with one single button. Of course, you have to go through it and validate the responses, but in general, it will make your work easier.

 

- Search

Introducing the V-Search tool to do market research. Click on the link below to view the tool.

View the tool

Don't share it with others it's just for you as a gift 😍🎁