what is a desk research in marketing

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Desk Research: What it is, Tips & Examples

What is desk research?

Desk research is a type of research that is based on the material published in reports and similar documents that are available in public libraries, websites, data obtained from surveys already carried out, etc. Some organizations also store data that can be used for research purposes.

It is a research method that involves the use of existing data. These are collected and summarized to increase the overall effectiveness of the investigation.

Secondary research is much more cost-effective than primary research , as it uses existing data, unlike primary research, in which data is collected first-hand by organizations, companies, or may employ a third party to obtain the data in your name.

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Desk research examples

Being a cost-effective method, desk research is a popular choice for businesses and organizations as not everyone can pay large sums of money to conduct research and collect data. That is why it’s also called “ documentary research “.

Here are some more common secondary research methods and examples:

1. Data available on the Internet: One of the most popular ways to collect data for desk research is through the Internet. The information is available and can be downloaded with just one click.

This data is practically free or you may have to pay a negligible amount for it. Websites have a lot of information that companies or organizations can use to meet their research needs. However, you need to consider a reliable website to collect information.

2. Government and non-government agencies: Data for secondary research can also be collected from some government and non-government agencies. There will always be valuable and relevant data that companies or organizations can use.

3. Public libraries: Public libraries are another good source to search for data by doing desk research. They have copies of important research that has been done before. They are a store of documents from which relevant information can be extracted.

The services offered at these public libraries vary. Most often, they have a huge collection of government publications with market statistics, a large collection of business directories, and newsletters.

4. Educational Institutions: The importance of collecting data from educational institutions for secondary research is often overlooked. However, more research is done in colleges and universities than in any other business sector.

The data collected by universities is mainly used for primary research. However, companies or organizations can go to educational institutions and request data.

5. Sources of business information: Newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations are a great source of data for desk research. These sources have first-hand information on economic developments, the political agenda, the market, demographic segmentation and similar topics.

Companies or organizations can request to obtain the most relevant data for their study. Not only do they have the opportunity to identify your potential customers, but they can also learn the ways to promote their products or services through these sources, as they have a broader scope.

Differences between primary research and Desk Research

How to do a desk research.

These are the steps to follow to conduct a desk investigation:

• Identify the research topic: Before you begin, identify the topic you need to research. Once done, make a list of the attributes of the research and its purpose.
• Identify research sources: Subsequently, explain the sources of information that will provide you with the most relevant data applicable to your research.
• Collect existing data: Once the sources of information collection have been narrowed, check to see if previous data is available that is closely related to the topic. They can be obtained from various sources, such as newspapers, public libraries, government and non-government agencies, etc.
• Combine and compare: Once the data is collected, combine and compare it so that the information is not duplicated and put it together in an accessible format. Make sure to collect data from authentic sources so you don’t get in the way of your investigation.
• Analyze data: Analyze the data that is collected and identify if all the questions have been answered. If not, repeat the process to dig deeper into practical ideas.
• Most of the information is secondary research and readily available. There are many sources from which the data you need can be collected and used, as opposed to primary research, where data must be collected from scratch.
• It is a less expensive and time-consuming process, as the required data is readily available and does not cost much if it is extracted from authentic sources.
• The data that is collected through secondary or desktop research gives organizations or companies an idea about the effectiveness of primary research. Thus, a hypothesis can be formed and the cost of conducting the primary research can be evaluated.
• Doing desk research is faster due to the availability of data. It can be completed in a few weeks, depending on the objective of the companies or the scale of the data required.

Disadvantages

• Although the data is readily available, the credibility and authenticity of the available information must be assessed.
• Not all secondary data resources offer the latest reports and statistics. Even when they are accurate, they may not be up to date.

Desk research is a very popular research method, because it uses existing and reliable data that can be easily obtained. This is a great benefit for businesses and organizations as it increases the effectiveness of the investigation.

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Blog General

Desk Research 101: Definition, Methods, and Examples

Parvathi vijayamohan.

2 March 2023

Table Of Contents

If you ever had to do a research study or a survey at some point, you would have started with desk research .

There’s another, more technical name for it – secondary research. To rewind a bit, there are two types of research: primary , where you go out and study things first-hand, and secondary , where you explore what others have done.

But what is desk research? How do you do it, and use it? This article will help you:

• Understand what is desk-based research
• Explore 3 examples of desk research
• Make note of 6 common desk research methods
• Uncover the advantages of desk research

What is desk research?

Desk research can be defined as a type of market/product research, where you collect data at your desk (metaphorically speaking) from existing sources to get initial ideas about your research topic.

Desk research or secondary research is an essential process from a business’s point of view. After all, secondary data sources are such an easy way to get information about their industry, trends, competitors, and customers.

Types of secondary data sources

#1. Internal secondary data: This consists of data from within the researcher’s company. Examples include:

• Company reports and presentations
• Case studies
• Podcasts, vlogs and blogs
• Press releases
• Websites and social media
• Company databases and data sets

#2. External secondary data: Researchers collect this from outside their respective firms. Examples include:

• Digital and print publications
• Domain-specific publications and periodicals
• Online research communities, like  ResearchGate
• Industry speeches and conference presentations
• Research papers

What are examples of desk research in action?

#1. testing product-audience match.

Let’s say you’re developing a fintech product. You want to do a concept testing study. To make sure you get it right, you’re interested in finding out your target audience’s attitudes about a topic in your domain. For e.g., Gen Z’s perceptions about money in the US.

With a quick Google search, you get news articles, reports, and research studies about Gen Z’s financial habits and attitudes. Also, infographics and videos provide plenty of quantitative data to draw on.

These steps are a solid starting point for framing your concept testing study. You can further reduce the time spent on survey design with a  Concept Testing Survey Template . Sign up to get free access to this and hundreds more templates.

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#2. Tracking the evolution of the Web

As we wade into the brave new world of  Web 5.0 , there are quite a few of us who still remember static websites, flash animations, and images sliced up into tables.

If you want to refresh your memory, you can hop on the  Wayback Machine . iI gives you access to over 20 years of web history, with over 635 billion web pages saved over time!

Curiosity aside, there are practical use cases for this web archive. SEO specialist Artur Bowsza explores this in his fantastic article  Internet Archeology with the Wayback Machine .

Imagine you’re investigating a recent drop in a website’s visibility. You know there were some recent changes in the website’s code, but couldn’t get any details. Or maybe you’re preparing a case study of your recent successful project, but the website has changed so much, and you never bothered to take a screenshot. Wouldn’t it be great to travel back in time and uncover the long-forgotten versions of the website – like an archaeologist, discovering secrets from the past but working in the digital world?

#3. Repairing a business reputation

As a brand, you hope that a crisis never happens. But if hell does break loose, having a crisis management strategy is essential.

If you want examples, just do a Google search. From Gamestop getting caught in a  Reddit stock trading frenzy  to Facebook being voted  The Worst Company of 2021 , we have seen plenty of brands come under fire in recent years.

Some in-depth desk research can help you nail your crisis communication. Reputation management expert Lida Citroen outlines this in her article 7 Ways to Recover After a Reputation Crisis .

Conduct a thoughtful and thorough perception sweep of the reputation hit’s after-effects. This includes assessing digital impact such as social media, online relationships and Google search results. The evaluation gives you a baseline. How serious is the situation? Sometimes the way we believe the situation to be is not reflected in the business impact of the damage.

6 popular methods of desk research

#1. the internet.

No surprise there. When was the last time you checked a book to answer the burning question of “is pineapple on pizza illegal?” (it should be).

However, choosing authentic and credible sources from an information overload can be tricky. To help you out, the Lydia M. Olson Library has a 6-point checklist to filter out low-quality sources. You can read them in detail here .

#2. Libraries

You have earned some serious street cred if your preferred source is a library. But, jokes apart, finding the correct information for your research topic in a library can be time-consuming.

However, depending on which library you visit, you will find a wealth of verifiable, quotable information in the form of newspapers, magazines, research journals, books, documents, and more.

#3. Governmental and non-governmental organizations

NGOs, and governmental agencies like the US Census Bureau, have valuable demographic data that businesses can use during desk research. This data is collected using survey tools like SurveySparrow .

You may have to pay a certain fee to download or access the information from these agencies. However, the data obtained will be reliable and trustworthy.

#4. Educational institutions

Colleges and universities conduct plenty of primary research studies every year. This makes them a treasure trove for desk researchers.

However, getting access to this data requires legwork. The procedures vary according to the institution; among other things, you will need to submit an application to the relevant authority and abide by a data use agreement.

#5. Company databases

For businesses, customer and employee data are focus areas all on their own. But after the pandemic, companies are using even more applications and tools for the operations and service sides.

This gives businesses access to vast amounts of information useful for desk research and beyond. For example, one interesting  use case  is making employee onboarding more effective with just basic employee data, like their hobbies or skills.

#6. Commercial information media

These include radio, newspapers, podcasts, YouTube, and TV stations. They are decent sources of first-hand info on political and economic developments, market research, public opinion and other trending subjects.

However, this is also a source that blurs the lines between advertising, information and entertainment. So as far as credibility is concerned, you are better off supporting this data with additional sources.

Why is desk research helpful?

Desk research helps with the following:

• Better domain understanding.  Before doing market research, running a usability test, or starting any user-centric project, you want to see what companies have done in the past (in related areas if not the same domain). Then, instead of learning everything from scratch, you can review their research, success, and mistakes and learn from that. 
• Quicker opportunity spotting.  How do you know if you’ve found something new? By reviewing what has gone before. By doing this, you can spot gaps in the data that match up with the problem you’re trying to solve.
• More money saved . Thanks to the internet, most of the data you need is at your fingertips, and they are cheaper to compile than field data. With a few (search and mental) filters, you can quickly find credible sources with factual information.
• More time saved . You have less than 15 minutes with your research participant. Two minutes if you’re doing an online survey. Do you really want to waste that time asking questions that have already been answered elsewhere? Lack of preparation can also hurt your credibility.
• Better context.  Desk research helps to provide focus and a framework for primary research. By using desk research, companies can also get the insight to make better decisions about their customers and employees.
• More meaningful data.  Desk research is the yin to the yang of field research – they are both required for a meaningful study. That’s why desk research serves as a starting point for every kind of study.

This brings us to the last question.

How do you do desk research?

Good question! In her blog post , Lorène Fauvelle covers the desk research process in detail.

Y ou can also follow our 4-step guide below:

• First,  start with a general topic l ike “handmade organic soaps”. Read through existing literature about handmade soaps to see if there is a gap in the literature that your study can fill.
• Once you find that gap, it’s time to  specify your research topic . So in the example above, you can specify it like this: “What is the global market size for handmade organic soaps”?
• Identify the relevant secondary data for desk research. This only applies if there is past data that could be useful for your research.
• Review the secondary data  according to:
• The aim of the previous study
• The author/sponsors of the study
• The methodology of the study
• The time of the research

Note: One more thing about desk research…

Beware of dismissing research just because it was done a few years ago. People new to research often make the mistake of viewing research reports like so many yogurts in a fridge where the sell-by dates have expired. Just because it was done a couple of years ago, don’t think it’s no longer relevant. The best research tends to focus on human behaviour, and that tends to change very slowly.

• Dr David Travis, Desk Research: The What, Why and How

Wrapping up

That’s all folks! We hope this blog was helpful for you.

How have you used desk research for your work? Let us know in the comments below.

Growth Marketer at SurveySparrow

Fledgling growth marketer. Cloud watcher. Aunty to a naughty beagle.

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Secondary research: definition, methods, & examples.

19 min read This ultimate guide to secondary research helps you understand changes in market trends, customers buying patterns and your competition using existing data sources.

In situations where you’re not involved in the data gathering process ( primary research ), you have to rely on existing information and data to arrive at specific research conclusions or outcomes. This approach is known as secondary research.

In this article, we’re going to explain what secondary research is, how it works, and share some examples of it in practice.

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What is secondary research?

Secondary research, also known as desk research, is a research method that involves compiling existing data sourced from a variety of channels . This includes internal sources (e.g.in-house research) or, more commonly, external sources (such as government statistics, organizational bodies, and the internet).

Secondary research comes in several formats, such as published datasets, reports, and survey responses , and can also be sourced from websites, libraries, and museums.

The information is usually free — or available at a limited access cost — and gathered using surveys , telephone interviews, observation, face-to-face interviews, and more.

When using secondary research, researchers collect, verify, analyze and incorporate it to help them confirm research goals for the research period.

As well as the above, it can be used to review previous research into an area of interest. Researchers can look for patterns across data spanning several years and identify trends — or use it to verify early hypothesis statements and establish whether it’s worth continuing research into a prospective area.

How to conduct secondary research

There are five key steps to conducting secondary research effectively and efficiently:

1.    Identify and define the research topic

First, understand what you will be researching and define the topic by thinking about the research questions you want to be answered.

Ask yourself: What is the point of conducting this research? Then, ask: What do we want to achieve?

This may indicate an exploratory reason (why something happened) or confirm a hypothesis. The answers may indicate ideas that need primary or secondary research (or a combination) to investigate them.

2.    Find research and existing data sources

If secondary research is needed, think about where you might find the information. This helps you narrow down your secondary sources to those that help you answer your questions. What keywords do you need to use?

Which organizations are closely working on this topic already? Are there any competitors that you need to be aware of?

Create a list of the data sources, information, and people that could help you with your work.

3.    Begin searching and collecting the existing data

Now that you have the list of data sources, start accessing the data and collect the information into an organized system. This may mean you start setting up research journal accounts or making telephone calls to book meetings with third-party research teams to verify the details around data results.

As you search and access information, remember to check the data’s date, the credibility of the source, the relevance of the material to your research topic, and the methodology used by the third-party researchers. Start small and as you gain results, investigate further in the areas that help your research’s aims.

4.    Combine the data and compare the results

When you have your data in one place, you need to understand, filter, order, and combine it intelligently. Data may come in different formats where some data could be unusable, while other information may need to be deleted.

After this, you can start to look at different data sets to see what they tell you. You may find that you need to compare the same datasets over different periods for changes over time or compare different datasets to notice overlaps or trends. Ask yourself: What does this data mean to my research? Does it help or hinder my research?

5.    Analyze your data and explore further

In this last stage of the process, look at the information you have and ask yourself if this answers your original questions for your research. Are there any gaps? Do you understand the information you’ve found? If you feel there is more to cover, repeat the steps and delve deeper into the topic so that you can get all the information you need.

If secondary research can’t provide these answers, consider supplementing your results with data gained from primary research. As you explore further, add to your knowledge and update your findings. This will help you present clear, credible information.

Primary vs secondary research

Unlike secondary research, primary research involves creating data first-hand by directly working with interviewees, target users, or a target market. Primary research focuses on the method for carrying out research, asking questions, and collecting data using approaches such as:

• Interviews (panel, face-to-face or over the phone)
• Questionnaires or surveys
• Focus groups

Using these methods, researchers can get in-depth, targeted responses to questions, making results more accurate and specific to their research goals. However, it does take time to do and administer.

Unlike primary research, secondary research uses existing data, which also includes published results from primary research. Researchers summarize the existing research and use the results to support their research goals.

Both primary and secondary research have their places. Primary research can support the findings found through secondary research (and fill knowledge gaps), while secondary research can be a starting point for further primary research. Because of this, these research methods are often combined for optimal research results that are accurate at both the micro and macro level.

Sources of Secondary Research

There are two types of secondary research sources: internal and external. Internal data refers to in-house data that can be gathered from the researcher’s organization. External data refers to data published outside of and not owned by the researcher’s organization.

Internal data

Internal data is a good first port of call for insights and knowledge, as you may already have relevant information stored in your systems. Because you own this information — and it won’t be available to other researchers — it can give you a competitive edge . Examples of internal data include:

• Database information on sales history and business goal conversions
• Information from website applications and mobile site data
• Customer-generated data on product and service efficiency and use
• Previous research results or supplemental research areas
• Previous campaign results

External data

External data is useful when you: 1) need information on a new topic, 2) want to fill in gaps in your knowledge, or 3) want data that breaks down a population or market for trend and pattern analysis. Examples of external data include:

• Government, non-government agencies, and trade body statistics
• Company reports and research
• Competitor research
• Public library collections
• Textbooks and research journals
• Media stories in newspapers
• Online journals and research sites

Three examples of secondary research methods in action

How and why might you conduct secondary research? Let’s look at a few examples:

1.    Collecting factual information from the internet on a specific topic or market

There are plenty of sites that hold data for people to view and use in their research. For example, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, or Wiley Online Library all provide previous research on a particular topic. Researchers can create free accounts and use the search facilities to look into a topic by keyword, before following the instructions to download or export results for further analysis.

This can be useful for exploring a new market that your organization wants to consider entering. For instance, by viewing the U.S Census Bureau demographic data for that area, you can see what the demographics of your target audience are , and create compelling marketing campaigns accordingly.

2.    Finding out the views of your target audience on a particular topic

If you’re interested in seeing the historical views on a particular topic, for example, attitudes to women’s rights in the US, you can turn to secondary sources.

Textbooks, news articles, reviews, and journal entries can all provide qualitative reports and interviews covering how people discussed women’s rights. There may be multimedia elements like video or documented posters of propaganda showing biased language usage.

By gathering this information, synthesizing it, and evaluating the language, who created it and when it was shared, you can create a timeline of how a topic was discussed over time.

3.    When you want to know the latest thinking on a topic

Educational institutions, such as schools and colleges, create a lot of research-based reports on younger audiences or their academic specialisms. Dissertations from students also can be submitted to research journals, making these places useful places to see the latest insights from a new generation of academics.

Information can be requested — and sometimes academic institutions may want to collaborate and conduct research on your behalf. This can provide key primary data in areas that you want to research, as well as secondary data sources for your research.

Advantages of secondary research

There are several benefits of using secondary research, which we’ve outlined below:

• Easily and readily available data – There is an abundance of readily accessible data sources that have been pre-collected for use, in person at local libraries and online using the internet. This data is usually sorted by filters or can be exported into spreadsheet format, meaning that little technical expertise is needed to access and use the data.
• Faster research speeds – Since the data is already published and in the public arena, you don’t need to collect this information through primary research. This can make the research easier to do and faster, as you can get started with the data quickly.
• Low financial and time costs – Most secondary data sources can be accessed for free or at a small cost to the researcher, so the overall research costs are kept low. In addition, by saving on preliminary research, the time costs for the researcher are kept down as well.
• Secondary data can drive additional research actions – The insights gained can support future research activities (like conducting a follow-up survey or specifying future detailed research topics) or help add value to these activities.
• Secondary data can be useful pre-research insights – Secondary source data can provide pre-research insights and information on effects that can help resolve whether research should be conducted. It can also help highlight knowledge gaps, so subsequent research can consider this.
• Ability to scale up results – Secondary sources can include large datasets (like Census data results across several states) so research results can be scaled up quickly using large secondary data sources.

Disadvantages of secondary research

The disadvantages of secondary research are worth considering in advance of conducting research :

• Secondary research data can be out of date – Secondary sources can be updated regularly, but if you’re exploring the data between two updates, the data can be out of date. Researchers will need to consider whether the data available provides the right research coverage dates, so that insights are accurate and timely, or if the data needs to be updated. Also, fast-moving markets may find secondary data expires very quickly.
• Secondary research needs to be verified and interpreted – Where there’s a lot of data from one source, a researcher needs to review and analyze it. The data may need to be verified against other data sets or your hypotheses for accuracy and to ensure you’re using the right data for your research.
• The researcher has had no control over the secondary research – As the researcher has not been involved in the secondary research, invalid data can affect the results. It’s therefore vital that the methodology and controls are closely reviewed so that the data is collected in a systematic and error-free way.
• Secondary research data is not exclusive – As data sets are commonly available, there is no exclusivity and many researchers can use the same data. This can be problematic where researchers want to have exclusive rights over the research results and risk duplication of research in the future.

When do we conduct secondary research?

Now that you know the basics of secondary research, when do researchers normally conduct secondary research?

It’s often used at the beginning of research, when the researcher is trying to understand the current landscape . In addition, if the research area is new to the researcher, it can form crucial background context to help them understand what information exists already. This can plug knowledge gaps, supplement the researcher’s own learning or add to the research.

Secondary research can also be used in conjunction with primary research. Secondary research can become the formative research that helps pinpoint where further primary research is needed to find out specific information. It can also support or verify the findings from primary research.

You can use secondary research where high levels of control aren’t needed by the researcher, but a lot of knowledge on a topic is required from different angles.

Secondary research should not be used in place of primary research as both are very different and are used for various circumstances.

Questions to ask before conducting secondary research

Before you start your secondary research, ask yourself these questions:

• Is there similar internal data that we have created for a similar area in the past?

If your organization has past research, it’s best to review this work before starting a new project. The older work may provide you with the answers, and give you a starting dataset and context of how your organization approached the research before. However, be mindful that the work is probably out of date and view it with that note in mind. Read through and look for where this helps your research goals or where more work is needed.

• What am I trying to achieve with this research?

When you have clear goals, and understand what you need to achieve, you can look for the perfect type of secondary or primary research to support the aims. Different secondary research data will provide you with different information – for example, looking at news stories to tell you a breakdown of your market’s buying patterns won’t be as useful as internal or external data e-commerce and sales data sources.

• How credible will my research be?

If you are looking for credibility, you want to consider how accurate the research results will need to be, and if you can sacrifice credibility for speed by using secondary sources to get you started. Bear in mind which sources you choose — low-credibility data sites, like political party websites that are highly biased to favor their own party, would skew your results.

• What is the date of the secondary research?

When you’re looking to conduct research, you want the results to be as useful as possible , so using data that is 10 years old won’t be as accurate as using data that was created a year ago. Since a lot can change in a few years, note the date of your research and look for earlier data sets that can tell you a more recent picture of results. One caveat to this is using data collected over a long-term period for comparisons with earlier periods, which can tell you about the rate and direction of change.

• Can the data sources be verified? Does the information you have check out?

If you can’t verify the data by looking at the research methodology, speaking to the original team or cross-checking the facts with other research, it could be hard to be sure that the data is accurate. Think about whether you can use another source, or if it’s worth doing some supplementary primary research to replicate and verify results to help with this issue.

We created a front-to-back guide on conducting market research, The ultimate guide to conducting market research , so you can understand the research journey with confidence.

In it, you’ll learn more about:

• What effective market research looks like
• The use cases for market research
• The most important steps to conducting market research
• And how to take action on your research findings

Download the free guide for a clearer view on secondary research and other key research types for your business.

Related resources

Market intelligence 10 min read, marketing insights 11 min read, ethnographic research 11 min read, qualitative vs quantitative research 13 min read, qualitative research questions 11 min read, qualitative research design 12 min read, primary vs secondary research 14 min read, request demo.

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• Desk Research: Definition, Types, Application, Pros & Cons

If you are looking for a way to conduct a research study while optimizing your resources, desk research is a great option. Desk research uses existing data from various sources, such as books, articles, websites, and databases, to answer your research questions. 

Let’s explore desk research methods and tips to help you select the one for your research.

What Is Desk Research?

Desk research, also known as secondary research or documentary research, is a type of research that relies on data that has already been collected and published by others. Its data sources include public libraries, websites, reports, surveys, journals, newspapers, magazines, books, podcasts, videos, and other sources. 

When performing desk research, you are not gathering new information from primary sources such as interviews, observations, experiments, or surveys. The information gathered will then be used to make informed decisions.

The most common use cases for desk research are market research , consumer behavior , industry trends , and competitor analysis .

How Is Desk Research Used?

Here are the most common use cases for desk research:

• Exploring a new topic or problem
• Identifying existing knowledge gaps
• Reviewing the literature on a specific subject
• Finding relevant data and statistics
• Analyzing trends and patterns
• Evaluating competitors and market trends
• Supporting or challenging hypotheses
• Validating or complementing primary research

Types of Desk Research Methods

There are two main types of desk research methods: qualitative and quantitative. 

• Qualitative Desk Research 

Analyzing non-numerical data, such as texts, images, audio, or video. Here are some examples of qualitative desk research methods:

Content analysis – Examining the content and meaning of texts, such as articles, books, reports, or social media posts. It uses data to help you identify themes, patterns, opinions, attitudes, emotions, or biases.

Discourse analysis – Studying the use of language and communication in texts, such as speeches, interviews, conversations, or documents. It helps you understand how language shapes reality, influences behavior, constructs identities, creates power relations, and more.

Narrative analysis – Analyzing the stories and narratives that people tell in texts, such as biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, or testimonials. This allows you to explore how people make sense of their experiences, express their emotions, construct their identities, or cope with challenges.

• Quantitative Desk Research

Analyzing numerical data, such as statistics, graphs, charts, or tables. 

Here are common examples of quantitative desk research methods:

Statistical analysis : This method involves applying mathematical techniques and tools to numerical data, such as percentages ratios, averages, correlations, or regressions.

You can use statistical analysis to measure, describe, compare, or test relationships in the data.

Meta-analysis : Combining and synthesizing the results of multiple studies on a similar topic or question. Meta-analysis can help you increase the sample size, reduce the margin of error, or identify common findings or discrepancies in data.

Trend analysis : This method involves examining the changes and developments in numerical data over time, such as sales, profits, prices, or market share. It helps you identify patterns, cycles, fluctuations, or anomalies. 

Examples of Desk Research

Here are some real-life examples of desk research questions:

• What are the current trends and challenges in the fintech industry?
• How do Gen Z consumers perceive money and financial services?
• What are the best practices for conducting concept testing for a new fintech product?
• Documentary on World War II and its effect on Austria as a country

You can use the secondary data sources listed below to answer these questions:

Industry reports and publications

• Market research surveys and studies
• Academic journals and papers
• News articles and blogs
• Podcasts and videos
• Social media posts and reviews
• Government and non-government agencies

How to Choose the Best Type of Desk Research

The main factors for selecting a desk research method are:

• Research objective and question
• Budget and deadlines
• Data sources availability and accessibility.
• Quality and reliability of data sources
• Your data analysis skills

Let’s say your research question requires an in-depth analysis of a particular topic, a literature review may be the best method. But if the research question requires analysis of large data sets, you can use trend analysis.

Differences Between Primary Research and Desk Research

The main difference between primary research and desk research is the source of data. Primary research uses data that is collected directly from the respondents or participants of the study. Desk research uses data that is collected by someone else for a different purpose.

Another key difference is the cost and time involved. Primary research is usually more expensive, time-consuming, and resource-intensive than desk research. However, it can also provide you with more specific, accurate, and actionable data that is tailored to your research goal and question.

The best practice is to use desk-based research before primary research; it refines the scope of the work and helps you optimize resources.

Read Also – Primary vs Secondary Research Methods: 15 Key Differences

How to Conduct a Desk Research

Here are the four main steps to conduct desk research:

• Define Research Goal and Question

What do you want to achieve with your desk research? What problem do you want to solve or what opportunity do you want to explore? What specific question do you want to answer with your desk research?

• Identify and Evaluate Data Sources

Where can you find relevant data for your desk research? How relevant and current are the data sources for your research? How consistent and comparable are they with each other? 

You can evaluate your data sources based on factors such as- 

– Authority: Who is the author or publisher of the data source? What are their credentials and reputation? Are they experts or credible sources on the topic?

– Accuracy: How accurate and precise is the data source? Does it contain any errors or mistakes? Is it supported by evidence or references?

– Objectivity: How objective and unbiased is the data source? Does it present facts or opinions? Does it have any hidden agenda or motive?

– Coverage: How comprehensive and complete is the data source? Does it cover all aspects of your topic? Does it provide enough depth and detail?

– Currency: How current and up-to-date is the data source? When was it published or updated? Is it still relevant to your topic?

• Collect and Analyze Your Data

How can you collect your data efficiently and effectively? What tools or techniques can you use to organize and analyze your data? How can you interpret your data with your research goal and question?

• Present and Report Your Findings

How can you communicate your findings clearly and convincingly? What format or medium can you use to accurately record your findings?

You can use spreadsheets, presentation slides, charts, infographics, and more.

Advantages of Desk Research

• Cost Effective

It is cheaper and faster than primary research, you don’t have to collect new data or report them. You can simply analyze and leverage your findings to make deductions.

• Prevents Effort Duplication

Desk research provides you with a broad and thorough overview of the research topic and related issues. This helps to avoid duplication of efforts and resources by using existing data.

• Improves Data Validity

Using desk research, you can compare and contrast various perspectives and opinions on the same topic. This enhances the credibility and validity of your research by referencing authoritative sources.

• Identify Data Trends and Patterns

 It helps you to identify new trends and patterns in the data that may not be obvious from primary research. This can help you see knowledge and research gaps to offer more effective solutions.

Disadvantages of Desk Research

• Outdated Information

One of the main challenges of desk research is that the data may not be relevant, accurate, or up-to-date for the specific research question or purpose. Desk research relies on data that was collected for a different reason or context, which may not match the current needs or goals of the researcher.

• Limited Scope

Another limitation of desk research is that it may not provide enough depth or insight into qualitative aspects of the market, such as consumer behavior, preferences, motivations, or opinions. 

Data obtained from existing sources may be biased or incomplete due to the agenda or perspective of the source.

Read More – Research Bias: Definition, Types + Examples

• Data Inconsistencies

It may also be inconsistent or incompatible with other data sources due to different definitions or methodologies.

• Legal and Technical Issues

Desk research data may also be difficult to access or analyze due to legal, ethical, or technical issues.

How to Use Desk Research Effectively

Here are some tips on how to use desk research effectively:

• Define the research problem and objectives clearly and precisely.
• Identify and evaluate the sources of secondary data carefully and critically.
• Compare and contrast different sources of data to check for consistency and reliability.
• Use multiple sources of data to triangulate and validate the findings.
• Supplement desk research with primary research when exploring deeper issues.
• Cite and reference the sources of data properly and ethically.

Desk research should not be used as a substitute for primary research, but rather as a complement or supplement. Combine it with primary research methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, and others to obtain a more complete and accurate picture of your research topic.

Desk research is a cost-effective tool for gaining insights into your research topic. Although it has limitations, if you choose the right method and carry out your desk research effectively, you will save a lot of time, money, and effort that primary research would require.

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• desk research
• market research
• primary vs secondary research
• research bias
• secondary research
• Moradeke Owa

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• What is desk research: Definition, tips & examples

Defne Çobanoğlu

Every research starts with thinking and then continues with reading. Lots of reading 🤓. It’s because you have to know what other scientists, marketers, and researchers have found on the subject so you can build on it. This is basically what desk research is. 

In this article, you will learn what secondary or desk research is and how to do it with some excellent tips and examples. Let us get started with the basic definition!

• What is desk research?

In layman’s terms, desk research is a type of research where you gather data while “ sitting at a desk .” It is another name for secondary research where the study itself is desk-based research and not experiment-based research. 

Broadly speaking, there are two types of main research types. One of them is primary research , where the researcher tries to gather data firsthand (directly from the data source). The other one is secondary research , where the researcher is going through secondary data from published books, case studies, and other quantitative research. In other words, secondary research basically equals desk research.

• Why do you need desk research?

No matter the objective of the study, desk research should always be the first step. Because previously done experimental research and explanatory research give a good starting point. If you can take advantage of the existing information, it is always constructive to see what was previously said. But that is not the only reason to use this research method. So here are the advantages of desk research:

✅Insightfulness

It would be foolish of you to just jump into the middle of research without doing any research beforehand. A researcher who collects data before going along with their plan will gather substantial information and continue with their plan with this obtained insightfulness.

✅Time efficiency

Conducting a full-on study from start to finish is quite time-consuming. However, secondary data is right there waiting to be inspected. Thanks to that, the data collection is very quick.

✅Availability

As mentioned above, the secondary data collection sources are available on many platforms. They can be found in libraries, databases, online sources, booklets, and many more.

✅Cost-effectiveness

In addition to the other advantages, doing desk research is very cheap, too. So long as you can access a library or have an internet connection, you can gather the appropriate data without a cost.

The benefits of desk research

• How to do desk research

The best approach to any research is a systematic one. That is why you should always have a plan or outline you will follow during your research. And we have gathered this step-by-step plan to guide you on your desk research. You can use it as is or build on these steps.

• Identify the topic: The first thing is to identify the research topic clearly to make sure you know what you want to know.. (You can change the topic as you explore the concept further.)
• Find research sources: Secondly, go on and identify the research sources.
• Collect data: Afterward, you can start collecting data from these sources. Go through every option to gather as much information as possible.
• Combine everything: Combine all that you gathered and compare it with the other information you collected. Make sure there are no contradictions.
• Make an informed analysis: The last step is to try to see if the findings answer the research topic well enough or not. If not, you can change the question or repeat the process. If you are satisfied with the findings you can decide if you want to continue with exploratory research methods to further your findings.

5 Steps to conduct a desk research

• Expert tips for desk research

Even the simplest task is best done by following a structured plan and organization. In addition to this, if you are planning to start your desk research, you should mind these smart tips to guide you in your way:

• Make sure the data you collect is not outdated .
• Take systematic notes while going through the sources so as not to get mixed up.
• Be critical and analytical and question your findings to make sure there are no contradictions.
• Do not limit yourself to just a few sources. It is better to make use of all options .
• Do not be biased. Stay open-minded . If you limit yourself to only a number of sources, your findings will be more than likely, insufficient. You should broaden your perspective by looking into various sides and frames.
• You can change course according to your findings. Do not feel limited to a frame. 
• You can combine and support your findings with some primary research techniques such as surveys, interviews, or observations.
• Applications of desk research

Now, we know how to do desk research, what to have in mind, and its advantages. But on what occasions can you use this type of research? Let us see some examples of desk research.

1. Doing market research on a subject

When you want information on the latest fashion trends and clothing preferences of teenagers, it is best to consult appropriate data. You can read through magazines, fashion articles, fashion brand reports, and so on. Worth the data you obtain, you can build your fashion brand or create an eye-catching ad.

2. When you have an academic approach

Let us say you are a scholar who specializes in second language acquisition in children in a bilingual household. You can check out available online academic sources such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Wiley Online Library, or Library Genesis. There, you can find previously done studies, articles, and statistics.  

3. Getting a general idea of a specific group of people

Let us say you will work with or around university students aged 18-28, and you want to know more about their behaviors and preferences to make informed decisions. You can use sources such as textbooks, news articles, reviews, journal entries, and previously done interviews and surveys. 

• Frequently asked questions about desk research

What are the common resources for desk research?

The sources for desk research are limitless. Because they are basically every study conducted on the research topic. As long as they are organized, tangible, and objective , there is no problem using them. Some appropriate resources for desk research are:

• Published books
• Case studies
• Directories
• Company financial data
• Government statistics
• Commercial publications

When is desk research not reliable?

You may go through the relevant sources all you want, but if you fail to make sure the data is accurate, this can disrupt your project. There are some instances where desk research is not reliable and usable. For example, you can not use information that is outdated, biased, insufficient, irrelevant, or inaccurate .

Desk research vs. Empirical research

Empirical research is based on observation as directly experienced by the researcher. And even though secondary research backs up the theory part, empirical data is a primary research method . In desk research, the researcher goes through existing sources; therefore, desk research is a secondary research method.

Desk research vs. Primary research

Desk research is also known as secondary research and it involves collecting data from secondary sources such as published documents. And, primary research involves collecting data directly from the original sources. For example, doing experiments, observations, or interviews. 

Desk research vs. Field research

Desk research, also known as secondary research, is when data collection is completed from secondary sources such as published documents or website sources. Field research, also known as primary research, is when data collection is directly from the source about a specific subject.

In desk research you collect pre-existing information while in field research you create new knowledge via exploration.

Desk research is an essential part of any study, no matter the concept. Thanks to desk research, the researcher collects all available data to draw their own conclusions or support their research theory.

It can be done using a number of source materials from books, reports, analyses, and entries. İt is a valuable part of the study. Desk research has its own advantages, and it can be perfected with some tips as well. What's more, you can use a smart tool such as a form and survey maker tool like forms.app to help you with all your research subjects!

Defne is a content writer at forms.app. She is also a translator specializing in literary translation. Defne loves reading, writing, and translating professionally and as a hobby. Her expertise lies in survey research, research methodologies, content writing, and translation.

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What Is Desk Research And How To Do It?

When it comes to pushing out a product to market, research and usability testing raises your chances of success. We have already covered a lot of different research and testing topics , but this time we wanted to focus on one of the easiest research methods – desk research. What is it and how you can do it?

What Is Desk Research?

There’s two types of research – primary and secondary. Primary research is when you actually go out and get first-hand data and gather information “in the wild”. Secondary research, which includes desk research, is when you look at secondary data or data that’s already available . So, instead of interviewing users or doing A/B testing (primary research) you just search for and sort through everything others published that is relevant to the issue at hand. The resources you find may vary greatly from simple articles, through industry reports to complex studies done by research institutes. All those things can be done from your desk or desktop (which is why some call desk research desktop research). That’s why this particular method of research is so popular.

Why Should You Do Desk Research?

There’s a common misconception that desk research will not be of any value to you, because the project is so cutting-edge and really innovative. And while that may be true, that doesn’t mean you should just rely on primary research. The data available online may not be 100% accurate but it doesn’t mean it’s not relevant to your project. You should search for any information that can be found about the specific market your business operates on. Doing this will save you time when planning your primary research and will help you ask your users more relevant questions. That’s the number one reason people do desk research – trying to find out information that somebody already researched and published is just a waste of time.

Besides that, desk research is completely free. Sitting at your desk, looking at market research, analyzing data and making conclusions is definitely cheaper than organizing primary research activities like focus groups or 1:1 interviews. It’s kind of like preparing for a job interview – you need to first get yourself familiar with the company you’re interviewing for, their market, process, competition etc. Otherwise you will seem unprofessional. To sum up, desk research is free, can be done right at your desk anytime and anywhere and will get you the information necessary to be more prepared for your other research activities.

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How to carry out desk research.

Because desk research is focused on searching for existing information, people tend to get lost in the available resources. If you just search for your question in Google you will get thousands and thousands of results. And you may find that quite overwhelming. Which sources should you trust? How to use available statistics? Which research is relevant to your specific business? How to sort through this information ? Your desk-based research should fall into one of these categories: users, their goals, their environment or an overlap of two or more of those. Here’s a Venn diagram we use to help us identify which pieces of information we found will be useful:

As you can see, the diagram has three circles which overlap. Each represents something that is a contact for how the users use your product. The spot where all three (users, goals and environments) overlap is the best kind of market research. And that’s because it contains information about who uses your product in a very specific context.

However, this kind of information is very hard to obtain, especially from secondary data. You will usually need to gather primary data from field visits to get such specific information. But that doesn’t make other data not relevant. You may not find market research that lies within all those categories. But there’s definitely some research published that will get you an overview of your users and their environments or the users and their goals. Just remember, desk research is not here to replace any research activities. It’s here to help you refine your studies.

Which Kinds Of Research To Look For?

Based on the diagram above, you can see that you can search for research that falls into three areas: users and goals, users and environments as well as environments and goals. When in doubt, you can always check the diagram to see which category does a specific research piece fall into. Here’s what to look for during your desk research:

• Research that covers your users and their goals but not in the context of their environment. This type of information can be found in the form of surveys, focus groups or customer interviews. All those will get you data about the target audience and their needs. But you will not get any information about how they might use the product in their natural environment.
• Research that provides information about what goals users want to achieve and their use environment but doesn’t cover the actual users themselves. This type of information may be published as a call centre analysis or a web analysis.
• Research that has information about the users in their environment but doesn’t contain any data on their goals. This can be found in the form of market research for the same target group but different functionalities.

Resource Types To Look For

These three types of data will help you find missing spots that you can fill in later with your field research. It may be hard to find articles and studies that cover those topics, so don’t forget to look inside your company. Chances are, there’s a lot of data from previous projects that can be used to aid your efforts. Another great resource are government websites and research institutes. They often publish a lot of different research papers, so finding the one most useful for you may take some time. But the quality of market research from those sources is top-notch! Also, when you search for data, opt for using Google Scholar. It’s a specific section of Google that you can use to find scientific, data-based research and academic papers. If you narrow your search it will be much easier to find relevant information.

If you’re looking for an experienced team to help you research your business idea – contact us and let’s set up a research plan together!

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Desk Research: What it is & Why it’s Essential in Product Development

Most product design projects start with desk research — also called secondary research. This type of market research involves collecting data from existing resources, making it the opposite of primary research where you go out and study things first-hand.   

But what is desk research? When is it needed, and how do you do it?  

This blog will answer these questions and explore how desk research will lead you towards user testing and continuous research throughout the product development process. 

Why is conducting research important? 

Before you decide to launch or design a product, you should get answers to several questions such as:

• What is the current market situation? 
• Does the market need this product? 
• Who are your potential customers? What are their needs and pain points? 
• What problems can you solve that competitors cannot? 
• What do customers like/dislike about your product? 

Product research helps you make well-informed product development decisions, identify potential issues, and gain insight into your customer’s needs and desires. This will enable you to build a well-structured strategy and develop products that your customers will love. 

The consequences of poor market research 

In 1985, Coca-Cola updated its classic coca-cola drink with a new formula. The company had performed 190,000 blind taste tests on consumers and discovered that they preferred the sweeter flavour of its rival Pepsi — so the ‘New Coke’ was launched. 

The problem was that Coca-Cola had underestimated loyal drinkers’ emotional attachments to the brand. Its market research testers failed to ask subjects how they would feel if the new formula replaced the old one. 

The new formula caused outrage among loyal customers and executives were forced to bring back Coca-Cola’s original flavour just 79 days after their initial announcement. This was a costly mistake that lost the company millions in revenue. 

What does desk research involve?

As mentioned, desk research is a research method that involves using existing data. This technique allows you to gather ideas and research your market and users “from your desk.” 

You can collect this type of secondary research from published materials in reports, articles, or similar documents that are easily accessible on the web or in public libraries.

Why is it essential? 

• Secondary data sources are  easy to find  
• This research method is  cheaper  than primary research 
• This research method takes much  less time  than primary research 

How to do desk research in 5 steps 

Step 1: define your research objective .

The first step is to describe what you intend to accomplish with your research project. You can identify this by answering key questions that are relevant to your market and customers. 

For example, if you are a French baker and want to create bread with alternative flour, your questions should break down every question within that process, such as: 

• What alternative flours are available in France? 
• Which of these flours are affordable? 
• Among the remaining choices, which flours are easy to use? 
• Among the remaining choices, which flours taste good? 
• What alternative flours are currently used by bakers in France? 
• Who are you selling this new bread to?

Step 2: Build a research plan 

You then need to decide how you will complete this research and answer the questions you have set. As part of your research plan, you’ll need to decide which platforms you will use for your research.

Some popular resources include: 

• Government, non-government agencies, and trade body statistics 
• Company reports and research 
• Competitor research 
• Public library collections 
• Textbooks and research journals 
• Media stories in newspapers 
• Online journals and research sites 

3 tips for conducting desk research: 

• Check the credibility of resources 
• Check the date on publications and use up-to-date information
• Avoid duplicating desk research by checking what has been done already

Step 3: Use the right tools and resources 

There are many resources available for desk research and you must choose the right tools for your project. 

Here are some reliable sources that we recommend using for secondary research:

• JSTOR:  This is a great resource to find research papers. Any article published before 1924 in the United States is available for free on JSTOR and the digital library also offers scholarships for independent researchers. 
• Google Scholar:  This is the most popular and easy-to-use search engine that can present scholarly pieces of writing on any topic you require. Google Scholar is free to use, and you can search for any type of publishing format. 
• ChatGPT:  This is a large language model (LLM), a machine-learning system that autonomously learns from data. 

There are also lots of great tools that you can use for competitive analyses, including:

• Crunchbase:  This is a live company database which updates constantly. This tool helps you identify upcoming marketing tendencies. 
• Capterra:  This is an intermediary between buyers and technology vendors within the software industry. Here, you can find the most comprehensive lists of products per industry, reviews, ratings, and infographics, and easily compare competitors. 
• Serpstat:  This is one of the top-rated SEO tools that will help you outline competitor analysis simply by entering your domain.

Step 4: Conduct user testing 

Desk research is a fast and affordable research method but it should be combined with qualitative user research to get the best results. Once you’ve completed your desk research, you can begin talking with real users and testing your products. 

User testing is a crucial part of the product design process and it is much more than simply having a functional product. It’s about maximising everyone’s return on investment and elevating the design to ensure the end product will achieve the desired goals and objectives. 

There are two types of usability testing: 

• Quantitative testing:  This focuses on the usability of a design and assesses users’ performance on a given task, such as completion rates or task times. Quantitative data is usually sourced from questionnaires, surveys, or A/B Testing
• Qualitative testing:  This focuses on the user’s emotions and identifies which design features are easy or hard to use. Qualitative data is usually sourced from interviews and user observations. 

Why user testing is important

Let’s look at an example of why user testing should be an essential part of product development…

In 1990, the well-known beer brewing company Coors decided to tap into the booming bottled-water market by introducing Rocky Mountain Sparkling Water. 

Coors kept its easily recognisable logo at the front and centre of the label. This confused customers, leaving many worried that the new beverage may contain alcohol. 

If Coors had carried out user testing, they would have discovered that the Coors name did not help sell the new product. In fact, it confused and even frightened customers. 

Step 5: Prepare a post-research report 

Documentation is essential to all areas of research, and you should start documenting right from the beginning of the process. Create a detailed research report of all desk research and user research you find. 

You can then share your research findings in the form of a presentation for your team and stakeholders.  

Final thoughts 

Desk research is an easy and cost-effective form of market research that should be the starting point of every product design project. Your desk research will guide your project, leading to effective user testing and ensuring continuous research throughout the design process. 

We hope this article has provided you with useful information about desk research and how to implement it in your next product development project. 

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What is Desk Research? Why it is Important for Business?: Cognitive Market Research

What is desk research why it is important for business.

The term "desk research" is so straightforward that it almost seems untrue. What that statement fails to inform you, though, is how you may utilize this strategy in order to have your work flourish, exceeding the highest possible standard if you have a few basic principles on your table.

There are two forms of research. The first is primary research, often known as field research, which involves conducting interviews, surveying, and gathering raw data. Second is secondary research, which is data gathered from primary sources. Desk research, a different name for secondary research, is crucial for the majority of small enterprises and start-ups. 

Without having to generate the data in the initial stages, desk research allows businesses to take advantage of the concrete data of primary research. What's more, you may discover the precise details you require in order to uncover the information that applies to you as well as your collaborators. 

Without performing the required research in the initial stages virtually nothing can start. Secondary research is an efficient approach for learning more, checking which topics the previous research has examined, making sure you are well-versed in your industry, and predict the demands of your customers.

How to perform desk research?

You require an unbiased viewpoint and an extremely thorough comprehension of what you are trying to find before you start your study. Unbiased research must always be done. Any initiative launched without a thorough awareness of the external marketing circumstances severely reduces the probability of success without maintaining a goal-oriented attitude. You must be rigorous in what you make use of and how because this research was not performed by considering your company.

Organizing your research is an excellent concept, and your first priority should be to start with the keywords and search terms from your subject matter statement, research question, or theoretical foundation. These can help you discover appropriate studies from dependable sources, depending whenever possible on information from acknowledged research organizations.

To benefit from having trustworthy data acquired by reliable researchers to assist you eliminate typical blunders or spinning the wheel, make sure you employ the most applicable web searches, industry publications, and online forums.

How desk research can affect the results of your project?

A minimum of three important factors make desk research essential. 

Firstly, it provides you with the underlying knowledge you need to avoid wasting time, effort, and resources. Additionally, you might discover previously unpublished work that you can exploit.

Additionally, stakeholders and users will have the ability to identify whether you have conducted your research and the times you haven't.

Last but not least, not planning shows disregard for other people's time. Users' time should not be wasted on issues that may have been avoided with a little advance planning.

Here are some of the ways desk research might positively affect your work, keeping the above in consideration.

Enhancing External Marketing Conditions Analysis

While certain projects need custom research, the majority of secondary research marketing is done using solid regular public statistics. Additionally, a lot of businesses make their operational information and numbers available to the public and release the results in industry reports. 

Desk research can disclose shifting customer preferences, trends, and queries along with providing an understanding of the laws and conditions governing a certain business.

Collecting Data on Consumers

Recognizing your consumers is equally crucial for success as being well familiar with your project. 

Desk research techniques can help you identify your intended audience, the types of people that frequently purchase your goods, and the best ways to market to them to keep your current clients and draw in potential customers.

Choosing Innovative Ideas for Primary Market Research

Finding inadequacies in current understanding is one of desk-based market research's major benefits. These deficiencies are noted and evaluated, and it is determined what primary research is required. 

Despite the differences between desk and field research, this interaction among them may represent one of the most beneficial methods to decide on a strategy, discover areas for future study, and help collect and analyze consumer information. 

Locating New Markets

Secondary research is an ideal method to recognize a great chance for development in the underserved, undeveloped, or even unexplored regions or demographics

You can find the regions that will propel your project to an entirely different level of achievement by conducting desk research to look for particular data and utilizing accurate search terms.

Overcoming Obstacles

Any difficulty can be overcome if you have the skills to do it. Prior to taking more drastic measures, desk-level issues like a drop-in sale, intense competition, disturbed supplies, and sales may all be resolved.

Desk research may assist you spot patterns and statistical evidence that will offer you a more comprehensive understanding of the problem at its core and point you in the direction of the most effective solution.

Desk-based research techniques can offer your project the competitive edge that it requires to perform beyond expectations. They have various benefits for companies of all sizes. The advantages of its decreased expenses and time requirements, as well as the convenience with which researchers have access to many different kinds of information, clearly show their popularity. 

It is not always simple because less experienced researchers frequently assert that there is not enough data available for innovative studies. However, with the smart use of search strategies, data may be gathered that will continue to keep you on the brink with your project.

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What is Desk Research? Definition & Useful Tools

Desk research typically serves as a starting point for design projects, providing designers with the knowledge to guide their approach and help them make informed design choices.

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What is Desk Research?

Desk research (secondary research or literature review) refers to gathering and analyzing existing data from various sources to inform design decisions for UX projects. It’s usually the first step in a design project as it’s cost-effective and informs where teams may need to dig deeper.

This data can come from published materials, academic papers, industry reports, online resources, and other third-party data sources. UX designers or researchers use this information to supplement data, learn about certain markets/user groups, explore industry trends, understand specific topics, or navigate design challenges.

The importance of desk research in the design process

Desk research gives designers a comprehensive understanding of the context, users, and existing solutions. It allows designers to gather valuable insights without conducting primary research which can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Desk research helps designers better understand the problem space, explore best practices and industry trends , and identify potential design opportunities without reinventing the wheel while learning from others’ mistakes.

Primary Research vs. Secondary Research

• Primary research: new and original data from first-hand sources collected by the team, such as questionnaires, interviews, field research, or experiments, specifically for a particular research project.
• Secondary research: utilizing existing data sets and information that others have collected, including books, articles, reports, and databases.

Primary and secondary research complement each other in comprehensively understanding a topic or problem. While primary research provides new first-party data specifically for a project’s goals , secondary data leverages existing knowledge and resources to gain insights.

What is the Purpose of Desk Research?

Understanding the problem or design challenge

Desk research helps designers comprehensively understand the problem or design challenge. By reviewing existing knowledge and information, designers can grasp the context, identify pain points, and define the scope of their design project.

For example, when tasked with designing a new mobile banking app, desk research can provide insights into user preferences, common challenges in the banking industry, and emerging trends in mobile banking.

Gathering background information

Desk research allows designers to gather background information related to their design project. It helps them explore the domain, industry, target audience, and relevant factors that may influence their design decisions. 

For example, when designing a fitness-tracking app, desk research may involve collecting information about fitness activities, wearable technologies, and health guidelines.

Exploring existing solutions and best practices

Desk research enables designers to explore existing solutions and best practices. By studying successful designs, case studies, and industry standards, designers can learn from previous approaches and incorporate proven techniques.

For example, when creating a website’s navigation menu , desk research can involve analyzing navigation patterns used by popular websites to ensure an intuitive user experience.

Identifying trends and patterns

Desk research helps designers identify trends and patterns within the industry or user behavior. Designers examine market reports, user surveys, and industry publications to identify trends, emerging technologies, and user preferences.

For example, when designing a smart home app, desk research can involve analyzing market trends in connected devices and user expectations for seamless integration.

Informing decision-making and design choices

Desk research provides designers valuable insights that inform their decision-making and design choices. It helps designers make informed design decisions based on existing knowledge, data, and research findings.

For example, when selecting a color palette for a brand’s website, desk research can involve studying color psychology, cultural associations, and industry trends to ensure the chosen colors align with the brand’s values and resonate with the target audience.

Secondary Research Methods and Techniques

Researchers use these methods individually or in combination, depending on the specific design project and research objectives. They select and adapt these based on the nature of the problem, available resources, and desired outcomes.

• Literature review : gathers and analyzes relevant data from academic and research publications, government agencies, educational institutions, books, articles, and online resources (i.e., Google Scholar, social media, etc.). It helps designers gain a deeper understanding of existing knowledge, theories, and perspectives on the subject matter.
• Market research : studying and analyzing market reports, industry trends, consumer behavior, and demographic data. It provides valuable insights into the target market, user preferences, emerging trends, and potential opportunities for design solutions.
• Competitor analysis : examines and evaluates the products, services, and strategies of competitors in the market. By studying competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and unique selling points, designers can identify gaps, potential areas for improvement, and opportunities to differentiate their designs.
• User research analysis : User research analysis involves reviewing and analyzing data collected from various user research methods, such as surveys, interviews, and usability testing. It helps designers gain insights into user needs, preferences, pain points, and behaviors, which inform the design decisions and enhance the user-centeredness of the final product.
• Data analysis : processing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data from various sources, such as surveys, analytics, and user feedback. It helps designers identify patterns, trends, and correlations in the data, which can guide decision-making and inform design choices.

How to Conduct Desk Research

Defining research objectives and questions

Start by defining the research objectives and formulating specific research questions. A clear goal will inform the type and method of secondary research.

For example, if you’re designing a mobile app for fitness tracking, your research objective might be to understand user preferences for workout-tracking features. Your research question could be: “What are the most commonly used workout tracking features in popular fitness apps?”

Identifying and selecting reliable sources

Identify relevant and reliable sources of information that align with your research objectives. These sources include academic journals, industry reports, reputable websites, and case studies.

For example, you might refer to academic journals and industry reports on fitness technology trends and user behavior to gather reliable insights for your research.

Collecting and analyzing relevant information

Collect information from the selected sources and carefully analyze it to extract key insights. 

For example, you could collect data on user preferences for workout-tracking features by reviewing user reviews of existing fitness apps, analyzing market research reports, and studying user surveys conducted by fitness-related organizations.

Organizing and synthesizing findings

Organize the research data and synthesize the findings to identify common themes, patterns, and trends.

For example, you might categorize the collected data based on different workout tracking features, identify the most frequently mentioned features, and analyze user feedback to understand the reasons behind their preferences.

Limitations and Considerations of Secondary Research

Considering these desk research limitations and considerations allows designers to approach it with a critical mindset, apply appropriate methodologies to address potential biases, and supplement it with other research methods when necessary.

• Potential bias in sources: Desk research heavily relies on existing information, which may come from biased or unreliable sources. It is essential to critically evaluate the credibility and objectivity of the sources used to minimize the risk of incorporating biased information into the research findings.
• Limited access to certain information: Desk research may have limitations in accessing certain types of information, such as proprietary data or sensitive industry insights. This limited access can restrict the depth of the research and may require designers to rely on alternative sources or approaches to fill the gaps.
• Lack of real-time data: Desk research uses existing data and information, which may not always reflect the most up-to-date or current trends. It is essential to consider the data’s publication date and recognize that certain aspects of the research may require complementary methods, such as user research or market surveys, to capture real-time insights.
• Necessary cross-referencing and triangulation: Given the potential limitations and biases in individual sources, it is crucial to cross-reference information from multiple sources and employ triangulation techniques. This due diligence helps validate the findings and ensures a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the subject matter.

Test Research Findings With UXPin’s Interactive Prototypes

Secondary research is the first step. Design teams must test and validate ideas with end-users using prototypes. With UXPin’s built-in design libraries , designers can build fully functioning prototypes using patterns and components from leading design systems, including Material Design, iOS, Bootstrap, and Foundation.

UXPin’s prototypes allow usability participants and stakeholders to interact with user interfaces and features like they would the final product, giving design teams high-quality insights to iterate and improve efficiency with better results.

These four key features set UXPin apart from traditional image-based design tools :

• States : create multiple states for a single UI element and design complex interactive components like dropdown menus , tab menus , navigational drawers , and more .
• Variables : create personalized, dynamic prototype experiences by capturing data from user inputs and using it throughout the prototype–like a personalized welcome message or email confirmation.
• Expressions : Javascript-like functions to create complex components and advanced functionality–no code required!
• Conditional Interactions : create if-then and if-else conditions based on user interactions to create dynamic prototypes with multiple outcomes to replicate the final product experience accurately.

Gain valuable insights with fully functioning prototypes to validate UX research hypotheses and make better design decisions. Sign up for a free trial to build your first interactive prototype with UXPin.

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How to do desk research for tech products

In this article, we will walk you through the process of conducting desk research step-by-step. You'll learn how to find reliable sources of information and analyze them to ensure you can confidently conduct your own desk research.

This is the second in a series of blog posts designed to help startup founders better understand and plan the products they build. If you wish to learn more about market research , read our previous post. 

Desk research is a method that can be utilized to gather information about literally anything, but we'll focus on employing secondary research techniques for designing the UX of your product.

Secondary research is an excellent method to take your first steps with market analysis.

However, if you feel you need professional guidance, and are looking for a desk research company, be sure to check out our UX research services. Our specialist can conduct secondary research, as well as other types of research, tailored to your business:

TABLE OF CONTENT

What is desk research?

Types of desk research

Goals of desk research

Who does desk research involve?

Advantages and disadvantages of conducting desk research, comparison of primary and secondary research, sources of information, where to collect data.

Research papers and statistics

HOW TO DO DESK RESEARCH?

💡 Desk research plan & example: MyVet

One more thing before we begin: if you want to learn more about the entire process of building digital products, not just secondary research methods, be sure to read our free ebook How to start a startup .

What is desk research? Desk research is a market research method . You can also call it secondary or documentary research. It involves collecting and analyzing information about a subject gathered from various sources such as the Internet, newspapers, magazines, governmental reports, and others.

In contrast to primary research, where you collect data yourself, desk research focuses on using existing data (secondary data that someone has already researched before) .

Desk research is a powerful tool that can help us understand significant market trends, identify key competitors, and learn about customer buying habits. Secondary research can also help identify potential opportunities and risks when entering a new product category. Finally, it's a great method of user research, when you need to get initial, basic information about your potential customers.

When conducting documentary research, you want to analyze:

• available statistics and reports—to get an overview of patterns and trends;
• forum threads and users' comments—to understand customer's paint points and opinions;
• social media content/influencer content—to, again, observe trends and popularity of specific topics.

Secondary research methods (types)

This research method can be categorized into two main types: internal desk research and external desk research.

Internal desk research. Before you look elsewhere, the best practice is to check the information already available within your organization . Internal desk research uses internal reports, data sets, and statistics gathered by your organization. All data that you have collected up to this point can be used to conclude what works and what needs to be changed to ensure your prospect's satisfaction.

External research , on the other hand, refers to the study of information obtained from external sources (not by your organization/company).

Purpose of desk research

The goal of desk research is to provide information that could support and guide decision-making. But to be more precise, you carry out desk research to:

recognize (at least on an introductory level) your users' needs ;

gain clarity of the business context of your project;

better understand the problem the project (app, software) should solve ;

get an idea of the terminology and language your users use .

Desk research isn't limited to specific roles, but rather involves individuals across various domains who need to gather information efficiently . Here are some examples for business:

• Business (startup) founders:  Conducting secondary research helps validate ideas,  understand market size,  and analyze competitors before investing in primary research.
• Market researchers:  Leveraging existing data to gain preliminary insights before conducting surveys or focus groups.
• Product managers:  Gathering information about user needs,  competitor offerings,  and industry trends to inform product development.
• Marketing teams:  Analyzing market data to identify target audiences,  understand customer preferences,  and develop effective marketing campaigns.

Advantages of desk research

Secondary research is a cost-effective method of collecting data. You can analyze information that would not usually be accessible due to the prohibitive cost of conducting quantitative surveys on a nationwide population or lack of access to an audience. ;

Desk research helps better understand your business context and competition ;

You're able to discover opportunities for product development and optimization;

By combining relevant data from different sources, you can figure out what information is already known. Thus, you can discover new phenomena that previous research teams did not find on their own and focus solely on them;

You can familiarize yourself with the unofficial and official terminology used for product topics . This can facilitate decision-making at the structural design and labeling stages;

If user-generated content is analyzed, you can get a better idea of the language and vocabulary they use , but also of their needs;

Suppose the user content is related to an existing product (these are, for example, opinions about the product on review sites). In that case, desk research can help you gain a rich source of inspiration for its improvement or development by identifying usability problems and discovering opportunities for product expansion.

Disadvantages of desk research

Desk research, also known as secondary research, is the process of gathering existing data rather than collecting it firsthand. While this can be a quick and easy way to obtain relevant information about your research topic, there are some potential disadvantages.

First, the data you find might be unreliable, irrelevant, or outdated . This is especially true if you're using freely available sources on the Internet.

Second, finding specific data that answers your questions might be challenging, as the statistics, reports, etc. were created to suit somebody else's needs .

Finally, desk research is based on sources that are someone else's interpretation of the data. This type of research often relies on existing theories and assumptions that may not always be applicable in a given situation . The outcomes might be biased as a result.

You can collect information through primary or secondary research. Let's compare these two methods.

To properly conduct research, it is essential to find reliable and up-to-date sources of information. Search engines can be a good starting point, but it is also crucial to check the credibility of the sources found .

Educational institutions, government organizations, and public libraries are good data sources for your research. National statistics can be found on the websites of governments or statistical agencies. Websites devoted to specific topics can also provide relevant data.

blog posts, books, journals, and articles;

statistics;

previous research reports, market research reports, industry reports;

social media, discussion forums, comments, and reviews;

socialblade.com , Google Trends , and other analytical tools.

Research papers, market studies, and statistics

For research papers and articles, go to:

Google Scholar: a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature

Google Scholar is a free website engine that indexes scholarly literature.

For market studies, go to:

Forrester: helps organizations grow through customer obsession

Forrester is a research and advisory company that offers services focused on customer obsession, including research, consulting, and events.

Gartner: d elivering actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams

Gartner is an analytical and research company specializing in the strategic use of technology and technology management. The tool you might be particularly interested in is Insights —a collection of articles, guides, podcasts, Q&A, and webinars. After filling in the contact information blank, you can download all the content for free

For statistics, go to:

Eurostat: statistical office of the European Union

Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union. Eurostat encourages  free  re-use of its data for non-commercial and commercial purposes. It allows users to re-use all statistical data, metadata, web pages, other dissemination tools, official publications, and other documents published on its website with minimal restrictions.

World Bank Open Data: World Bank   datasets

World Bank gathers international data based on data generated by national statistical systems and supports a number of programs to collect transnational data. It's a vast source of relevant data containing not only global development data but also international debt statistics, demographic data, and living standards measurement studies.

All of the data found on this site are free of charge with some minimal restrictions.

Our World in Data: r esearch and data to make progress against the world’s largest problems

Our World in Data is yet another free-of-charge data collection. The statistics here are presented in the form of articles with interactive diagrams. Thanks to that, the data is easy to comprehend and navigate through.

OECD Stats: data from across OECD’s many databases

OECD Stats includes data and metadata for OECD countries and selected non-member economies and is free of charge. 

Statista: s tatistics portal for market data, market research and market studies

Statista calls itself a leading provider of market and consumer data. Indeed, their data collection is quite impressive. It contains over 1 million statistics and covers over 80,000 topics from 170 industries and 150 countries. 

However, you can access only 7% of the English database with a free account.

Of course, these are not all statistical data sources out there. Go check your local databases. For example, for the UK that would be Office For National Statistics.

How to conduct secondary research

It's time to see desk research in action. Here's a desk research methodology - the 6 steps you can guide you through the process.

• Define your goals: To carry out desk research, you must first define your research problem. What do you want to achieve with desk research? What issues do you want to solve? What do you want to find out? What are your main concerns?
• Craft a research plan:   Outline your search terms,   target sources,   and timeline.   Structure ensures efficiency and avoids information overload.
• Seek reliable sources:   Prioritize credible and unbiased data that matches your problem/question. The above-mentioned sources for desk research can make a great starting point.
• Gather Your Information:   Dive into your chosen sources,   taking detailed notes and organizing findings as you go.   Utilize spreadsheets or mind maps for effective data management.
• Analyze and Interpret:   Don't just summarize your research findings!   Identify patterns,   draw conclusions,   and assess the implications for your startup.   Connect the dots and form actionable insights. People the to research often make the mistakes of only collecting the data that confirms their preconceived notions. Don't fall prey to confirmation bias -  look for information that can contradict the initial assumptions. 

Desk research in action. Secondary research example

To better understand what a secondary research process may look like, let's take a look at an example of desk research for a hypothetical app MyVet.

MyVet is intended to be an innovative application that allows direct contact between pet owners and veterinarians (sending messages, scheduling appointments, making payments, buying pet food, and consulting through a photo). 

The project is in the early stages of developing a product strategy, and the team is still considering the opportunities and advantages of its product. 

Primary concern: are vets and clients ready to communicate this way?

• To verify the attitude of veterinarians and clients, the creators reached for data from the report   [hypothetical report title] and the article   [hypothetical article title] . Through this, they learned that both veterinarians and clients are willing to use such solutions. They also found out that clients would like the app to include access to their pets' health logs.
• MyVet is a new project, but related solutions already exist. The research team decided to analyze customer feedback from similar apps on the App Store and Google Play . They were particularly interested in consultations through a photo. One of the most frequently raised issues was the problem of bugs occurring when taking pictures in the app. Users also lacked the ability to save photos and videos to the phone's memory.

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

A substantial advantage of the app is access to your pet's health log. So the research team collected ten such paper-based pet health logs. Thanks to such analysis, the team learned what information such logs consist of and thus was able to design default settings and auto prompts.

Final thoughts

Desk (market) research is a great way to get an overview of your industry and the attitudes of your target market. It can help you verify the information and understand your competition.

However, it's important to remember that desk research is only a starting point on your journey to creating a product people will love . But fear not! After thorough desk research, you are already well on your way to success!

Now is the time to extend your knowledge by conducting a competitor analysis to see how you stack up against the competition. The next step will be gathering all of your knowledge in a clear and concise way by using Lean Canvas.

Article author

Ewelina Lech

Seasoned researcher with a focus on fintech, digital health, AI, and product development. Always striving to provide insightful and accessible writing, with valuable industry insights and trends for professionals and enthusiasts alike.

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How to Do Desk Research in 5 Simple Steps

Before you launch a product, you should get answers to several questions. The first and, we believe, most important one is to define the overall market situation and take a closer look at the potential customer. Mastering how to do desk research is a suitable, cost-effective way to get information for making data-driven decisions.

In this article, we’re going to highlight some essential tools for conducting desk research and defining user groups.

What is desk research?

Desk research (also called secondary research) is a research method that involves using existing data. This technique will allow you to get the first idea of your market and users “from your desk.”

Secondary research includes already published materials in reports, articles, or similar documents. We also recommend using software tools that can help you become more familiar with your users (you can find some of them below).

This method is much more cost-efficient than primary research and requests less time for conducting it. Still, a lot of analysis work should be done, and the result is really helpful. The best way is to mix qualitative user research and desk research. It’ll help you fit into your timelines and budgets.

Primary vs. secondary research

Since we’ve just mentioned primary research, let’s see what it is and how it differs from secondary desk research.

Primary research refers to the process of gathering firsthand data directly from the source, be it customers or prospects. This approach takes more time and effort than desk research, but you get the latest and most detailed information.

The most common primary research methods include the following:

• interviews;
• questionnaires;
• competitor reviews;
• focus groups;
• market mapping.

Secondary research , or desk research, involves analyzing existing data and information collected by someone else or for another project or research purpose. It’s often the starting point for market research, providing foundational knowledge from pre-existing data. This method is quicker and easier than primary research, but the information you get might be older or less specific.

The desk research methods include gathering data from the following sources:

• government databases;
• academic journals;
• social media.

While both research methodologies are helpful, you may be wondering when to use each. 

Go for primary research when you:

• need up-to-date information not readily available;
• study specific questions or problems not addressed in existing research;
• require in-depth info directly from your target audience;
• aim to test new ideas.

Desk research often paves the way for primary research. Chose this approach when you:

• need a basic overview of a topic or industry;
• want to get a background knowledge and context;
• aim to study existing trends and statistics;
• want to compare different perspectives on the same topic;
• seek to save time and resources.

Pros and cons of desk research

Desk research is a valuable tool for any researcher. But, like any tool, it has its strengths and weaknesses. 

Pros of desk research

Using desk research methods is highly beneficial. Here are just several reasons for that:

• Budget-friendly. Compared to primary research, desk research is more cost-efficient. You’re using existing information at low to no cost instead of generating it yourself.
• Fast. Desk research lets you access data and reports instantly, offering quick insights without lengthy data collection.
• Scalable. Desk research allows you to cover vast amounts of data.
• Readily available data. Data for desk research is readily available online, and you can access it anytime.
• Insightful. With careful searching, you can find helpful reports, studies, and expert opinions that provide valuable perspectives on your topic.

Cons of desk research

Despite the advantages, desk research comes with its cons. Here’s what to prepare for:

• Outdated data. Data for desk research can quickly become outdated, so verifying its relevance is a must.
• Limited control. You’re relying on someone else’s data, meaning you can’t control its methodology or accuracy.
• Minimal exclusivity. Desk research findings are readily available to others, therefore they’re not exclusive to your unique project.
• Verification complexities. Verifying data sources and interpreting information can be time-consuming.

Types of internal and external data sources

Desk research is a way to gather insights literally without leaving your desk. But where do you find the necessary info? Let’s look at the secondary data sources available to you:

Internal data sources

Your company is already a goldmine of information. So before jumping into other types of desk research, consider digging into internal resources:

• Historical campaigns and sales. Review past campaigns, website traffic insights, sales conversions, and other relevant data.
• Product analytics. Dive into product analytics to learn more about different customer segments , user behavior, engagement patterns, performance metrics, and user flows.
• Internal research. Use existing internal research reports and studies (if any) and get insights from them.

External data sources

Besides studying your company information, there are plenty of external resources to explore. Look into the following examples of secondary data:

• Internet. Access any type of resources through the web.
• Commercial resources. Industry reports or market research studies by third-party firms can offer data specific to your topic.
• Trade associations. Use reports and resources from trade associations, for example, the Directory of Associations , the National Trade and Professional Associations Directory , or the Encyclopedia of Associations .
• Industry experts. Connect with industry thought leaders and analysts.
• Research associations. Access independent research papers and industry publications.
• Media. Monitor news, press releases, magazine articles, and TV and radio content to get information on your topic.
• Market research software. Leverage specialized software platforms that offer advanced analytics, reports, or access to industry data.
• Government data. Use statistics and reports from government agencies like the US Census Bureau , US Government Publishing Office , US Small Business Administration , and so on.
• Local government data. Get market data, demographic info, and employment trends through local gov websites.
• Public libraries. Access library databases through the Digital Public Library of America or the National Archives in the UK.
• Competitors. Study competitor websites, press releases, mailing lists, online reviews, and social media activity.
• Educational resources. Analyze academic research papers and journals relevant to your topic.

Examples of desk research

Let’s now explore some examples of design projects leveraging desk research:

Analyzing dreams with Sleepify

The creator of the Sleepify project sought a user-centric design for an app tracking dreams and well-being. They leveraged external desk research and competitor analysis to:

• study sleep’s impact on a person’s well-being through UCE Research and ePsychologi.pl platforms;
• discover the strengths and weaknesses of competitor apps.

The secondary research findings, along with quantitative research, were used for creating a high-fidelity prototype, ready for user testing and validation.

Keeping users fit with MYFIT

MYFIT project suggests creating a fitness app packed with workout routines, aimed to boost user engagement and retention. It is expected to be a clean, stylish, and modern fitness app designed to keep users active and motivated. The designer proposes to tackle this challenge by:

• researching user behavior and frustrations with existing apps using various methods;
• exploring why users abandon fitness apps;
• creating optimal user journeys.

Reaching personalized sales with AI

Designers aimed to explore the potential of using AI for personalized sales in the gaming industry. Their desk research targeted:

• The global market size of generative AI in business, its usage in gaming, and sales marketing.
• Industry gap. While personalization thrives in eCommerce, the gaming industry lags behind.

The insight the designers derived is that a personalized AI tool based on in-game actions, purchase history, demographics, and player data could revolutionize game sales.

Five steps to conduct desk research

As already mentioned, the reason to conduct research is to become more familiar with your users and potential customers. Your focus should be on collecting notable data and analyzing it. Here’s how to do this in five steps:

1. Determine your research topic and goal

Before even starting your research, ask yourself what you want to study and why. Outline the questions you aim to answer or the information you’re looking for. Is it to understand industry trends or handle customer journey mapping ? The more specific your question, the easier it will be to steer your research in the right direction.

2. Choose relevant secondary data sources

Go through internal and external resources relevant to your topic, making sure they are credible and objective. Make a list of resources suitable for your research topic and goals.

3. Explore existing data

Go down your resource list and find relevant data. Here’s what you can study:

Most likely, you should start with the existing text available in the public domain. What to look for? Everything! You can go through government or private companies’ reports, the original material on which these reports are based, conference proceedings, primary periodicals, official publications, and articles in newspapers and journals. 

This method of data collection is the most inexpensive and nontime-consuming way.

Document analysis is an important part of business analysis . This process includes the examination of existing documents and recordings. In some way, you are using the research that has already been completed.

The objective of this process is to track changes over the whole period. You can analyze logs, email logs, databases, web analytics, minutes of meetings, staff reports, and information logs. These are only a few examples of the sources for this type of research.

For instance, before redesigning the existing product, you have to understand the reason for the low level of purchases or numerous complaints in support. Documents and records help track the interaction between employees and customers or between your current website and customers. This is the way to make correct conclusions.

Knowing your competitors helps analyze the existing solutions and define the current problems they cover. Obviously, to share the entire experience and provide an ultimate guide for conducting competitive research, we have to write a whole new article. Here are some points to pay attention to:

• determine the products your competitors offer;
• pay attention to their sales tactics and results;
• analyze how they market their products;
• take note of their content strategies;
• look at competitors’ social media presence, strategies, and go-to platforms;
• make a SWOT analysis to learn their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

There are a lot of tools that may help. We’d like to share some of those that we use while conducting desk research:

• Crunchbase is a live company database, which updates constantly. This tool helps you identify upcoming marketing tendencies. For example, you can find how many companies in a specific industry are raising.
• Capterra is an intermediary between buyers and technology vendors within the software industry. Here, you can find the most comprehensive lists of products per industry, reviews, ratings, and infographics, and easily compare needed competitors.
• Serpstat is one of the top-rated SEO tools and definitely will help you outline competitor analysis just by entering your domain.
• Semrush analyzes the data for you and gives you instant recommendations on SEO, content marketing, and advertising that help you improve your online visibility in days.

4. Organize and compare your data

Gathering data is just the beginning. Now, you should organize and make sense of it. Consider using mind maps or spreadsheets to structure your data. Remove any duplications as well.

5. Analyze your data

Now that you have your data in a digestible format, analyze it for helpful insights. Check if the gathered data answers the questions you aimed to study. If not, go back to step two and find other sources of information.

Useful resources for defining your user groups

As soon as you finalize your desk research, you will most likely be able to group your users. So now it’s time to take a deeper look at them. Here are some free tools you can use to identify your user personas.

Google Analytics

If you already have launched your website, don’t forget to insert the Google Analytics tracking code. It will help you get more information about your clients. Now we’ll share which reports we suggest using:

This report shows the key age group and gender of your website visitors. To kick off the demographic report, follow the flow: Audience tab at the left menu > Demographics > Overview.

Learn more about the preferred interests of your users. As you have already opened an Age or Gender report, you can add a secondary dimension. Select ‘Affinity Category’ at the dropdown. You will see all the segments your visitors are interested in. It is helpful to identify your ideal online customers at scale.

One more good analytics tool to identify the users who are actively researching and comparing items across the Google Display Network (YouTube, paid search results via AdWords, display ads via AdSense, etc.)

This report will provide you with an overview of all the languages your users have set in their browsers and the locations where they may live. It will be useful in understanding cultural differences and will decrease effort for your marketing campaigns.

If you’re going to create a mobile app, think about which devices your guests are most likely to use to access your website. Go to Audience > Benchmarking > Devices. After that, dive deeper into Mobile Devices’ info. You will see exactly which brand of mobile devices they are using. Go to Audience > Mobile > Devices.

So, we’ve just outlined some useful data to understand your users better. Now, let’s move forward to other sources.

Facebook Insights

As almost everyone over the Internet is a social media user, it is good to use the data it represents. It will help you create more target posts and campaigns that cover your customer needs.

If you already have a customer list or just a list of users with phones or email addresses, you can use it to gain extra information about these people.

You need a list in the .csv file. In the Facebook Ads Manager, you can create a custom audience. Then Facebook Audience Insights will finish uploading the list, and you will receive a ‘Ready’ notification. At this point, you can analyze your audience.

Initially, you need to open an Audience Insights tool. You can choose an Audience you want to analyze. This tool can give you access to such data:

• age, gender, and relationship status;
• lifestyle preferences, demographics, and interests;
• education level and job title;
• Facebook pages that are likely relevant to your audience;
• top cities, countries, and languages;
• frequency of certain activities;
• device usage;
• household size and estimated household income;
• homeownership status and house market value;
• spending methods, purchase behavior, and estimated retail and online retail spending habits.

Even if you don’t have a customer list yet, you can use generic insights connected to your Business Page. You can also use software tools that provide you with potential customer emails. Take a look at these tools:

• Snov.io helps find more convertible leads, verify contacts, track your lead’s progress, and automate cold outreach.
• Hunter is a cloud-based email search solution that helps businesses find emails on company websites, verify domains, compose follow-ups, and more.

Try to pull out the most useful insights about your potential users, finalize all the gathered information, and be sure your team is aware of the user groups you are trying to reach.  

LinkedIn is one more powerful resource for collecting data. A good LinkedIn profile is a pretty ready proto persona. You can discover the user’s location, career path and goals, achievements, and daily work responsibilities. It is especially useful for B2B marketing. By the way, if you are in this segment, you can also use tools like Leadfeeder to understand which companies are visiting your website.

Now, we will break out four components that could be revealed from LinkedIn: business attributes, pain points, hangouts, and values.

They give you a deeper view of the demographics of your business page followers and visitors. What can you gather here? You can see location, job function, seniority, industry, company size. There is also data about similar companies and the comparison in analytics. It’s a great specific tool to reinforce Google Analytics.

Pay attention to the sections ‘Summary,’ ‘Skills & Endorsements,’ ‘Activity,’ and ‘Interests.’ 

In ‘Summary,’ we can get an overview of the person’s work trajectory, education, and main skills. From the ‘Skills & Endorsements’ section, we can receive data about a person’s strengths and people who endorsed their skills (who can also be useful in the research). The ‘Activity’ section is a great way to observe what the person is talking about, what they like, and comment. ‘Interests’ shows a list of the following companies and people, so it is possible to examine what engages the person.

Company Page includes information about the history, size, and career opportunities. Such pages also may have stories about employees and their quotes. The company’s job descriptions show the professional attributes required of a candidate.

After gathering all this data, you can create a direct message to increase the chances that relevant people will view it. How to do it? Open your Company Page > Click on ‘Create Post’ > Manage Post Audience: from Anyone to Targeted audience. Add some specific details about your audience.

Use LinkedIn Advanced Search to earn data about market size and the number of required companies or people. By working on the filters, you can find more insights about locations, education, seniority levels, etc.

Last thoughts

Taking market temperature and understanding your audience are the key ingredients in a way to creating a successful product. Pay attention to detail, document the whole process, and share it with your team and all the stakeholders. Help them to keep an empathic approach to your product and audience.

Have a great time conducting research. If you will need professional help with it, feel free to contact us .

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What is the desk research method?

Secondary desk research is a research method that involves collecting and analyzing information from existing sources like reports, articles, and websites. This approach is particularly valuable in the early stages of prototyping , as it helps to gather essential insights with a streamlined resource investment.

How to do UX desk research?

To do UX desk research, follow these steps:

1.Define your goals and research questions,

2.Choose secondary data sources like usability studies or industry reports,

3.Go through the data relevant to your research,

4.Structure and compare the gathered data,

5.Analyze the data to make necessary UX improvements.

What are examples of desk research?

What are the two types of desk research techniques?

start your project with us .

Leveraging Desk Research for Competitive Analysis and Market Intelligence

• February 26, 2024

Desk research is a method that can help you craft cunning competitive analyses and master market intelligence.

In short, it’s a way to obtain valuable information by browsing secondary sources, such as governmental reports and newsletters.

By sifting through secondary sources, you’re tapping into a treasure trove of information without the heavy lifting of primary data collection.

Identifying the right data sources , however, is where the real challenge lies.

How to sift through the noise to find the nuggets of gold?

Stick around, and you’ll discover how to do it and implement these findings, giving your business a competitive edge.

Key Takeaways

• Desk research is a cost-effective method for gaining insights into the competitive landscape and market trends.
• A mix of quantitative and qualitative data from diverse sources ensures comprehensive market understanding.
• Analyzing competitors’ strategies through desk research can reveal opportunities for gaining a competitive edge.
• Identifying and adapting to market trends based on desk research findings can significantly refine business strategies.

What Is Desk Research?

Desk research involves systematically collecting and analyzing existing information from secondary sources.

It allows you to delve into readily available data to understand the competitive landscape, market trends, consumer behaviors, and industry benchmarks.

This approach provides a cost-effective means to gather insights without the need for primary research methods, such as surveys or interviews, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

Your analysis of this compiled information helps in identifying market opportunities, understanding threats, and gauging the overall market sentiment.

It’s about piecing together a puzzle from information that already exists, rather than creating new pieces.

To do desk research effectively, look at reports, studies, industry publications, and news articles to extract valuable insights.

This method relies on the accuracy and relevance of the collected data , emphasizing the importance of critical evaluation skills.

The precision of your desk research directly influences strategic decisions in business planning and development. It’s a skill that combines analytical prowess with a detective’s curiosity.

Identifying Data Sources

To effectively conduct desk research, you’ll need to first pinpoint the right array of data sources that align with your analysis goals.

Ideally, you should aim for a blend of quantitative and qualitative data to build a holistic view .

Here’s a concise overview of potential data sources:

Each source type offers unique insights.

• Government databases are invaluable for macroeconomic indicators and regulatory environments.
• Industry reports from trade associations provide a lens into market dynamics and emerging trends.
• Company-specific documents like annual reports reveal operational strategies and financial health.

When you’re selecting these sources, assess their reliability and timeliness. You’re looking for the most current and accurate information to inform your analysis.

Analyzing Competitor Strategies

After identifying your data sources, it’s time to dive into analyzing your competitors’ strategies to uncover their strengths and weaknesses. This step involves dissecting their business approaches, marketing tactics like SEO for sustainable products , and customer engagement strategies.

Try to understand not just what they do, but how and why they do it .

By examining their actions, you can spot patterns of behavior that might indicate their strategic priorities, investment areas , and potential vulnerabilities.

Start by mapping out their product offerings , pricing models, and distribution channels.

Are they competing on price, innovation, or service quality? Look at their marketing and sales tactics to identify how they position themselves in the market.

Then, delve into customer feedback and reviews to get a sense of their reputation and the effectiveness of their customer service.

Understanding their strategies allows you to anticipate their next moves, identify gaps in your own strategy, and find opportunities for differentiation.

Spotting Market Trends

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, staying ahead means recognizing incoming market shifts before they fully materialize . It’s about preempting changes to maintain a competitive edge.

Spotting market trends early gives you a strategic vantage point, giving you time to make adjustments to your offerings and marketing strategies. Ultimately, this foresight will enable you to innovate proactively rather than reactively adapt to market demands .

Consider, for instance, the rise of sustainability concerns among consumers . Businesses that anticipated this trend were able to pivot their operations towards more eco-friendly practices and products, capturing a growing segment of the market that values environmental responsibility.

Furthermore, understanding market trends helps in risk mitigation . By identifying potential challenges and opportunities on the horizon, you can devise strategies to navigate these future waters with confidence.

Implementing Findings

Last but not least, you should constantly look for ways to effectively implement your findings. This step is vital for staying ahead in a competitive landscape and ensuring your company’s offerings remain relevant and appealing to your target market.

The implementation phase requires a methodical approach to integrate these insights into your operational, marketing, and product development strategies.

To make the most out of your research findings, consider the following actions:

• Prioritize actionable insights : Identify which findings have the most significant potential impact on your business and prioritize them for implementation. This ensures that resources are allocated efficiently, focusing on areas with the highest return on investment.
• Develop a phased plan : Break down the implementation process into manageable phases. This approach enables you to monitor progress, measure impact, and make necessary adjustments along the way.
• Foster cross-departmental collaboration : Encourage collaboration between departments such as marketing, product development, and sales to ensure a cohesive strategy that leverages the insights across the board.

Final Thoughts

Leveraging desk research is an excellent strategic tool for dissecting competitor strategies and identifying market trends. By meticulously sifting through varied data sources, you can gain a nuanced understanding of the competitive landscape.

This insight isn’t just academic; it’s actionable. Implementing these findings with precision can significantly elevate your market position.

Remember, the key lies in not just gathering intelligence but in its astute analysis and execution.

Stay ahead by continually refining your approach, ensuring your strategies remain both innovative and informed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can small businesses with limited resources effectively conduct desk research.

You can utilize free online resources, like government databases, industry reports, and social media analytics, to gather competitive intelligence. It’s about being resourceful, mining publicly available data to understand market trends and competitors’ strategies.

In What Ways Can Desk Research Be Integrated With Primary Research Methods?

To enhance market intelligence quality, you can integrate desk research with primary methods by using findings to shape surveys and interviews, ensuring your questions are grounded in existing knowledge.

Are There Any Specific Ethical Considerations or Legal Restrictions to Be Aware of?

You must consider ethical and legal boundaries when collecting desk research on market trends and competitors. It’s crucial to respect copyright laws, privacy regulations, and ensure all sourced information is publicly accessible and legally obtained.

About Author

Darius Jokubaitis is the CMO of Attention Insight. Darius has experience developing brands, advertising, promotion, PR, pricing, and customer service strategies, which he implements with a team or freelancers.

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Desk Research: Definition, Importance and Advantages

June 12, 2023 | By Hitesh Bhasin | Filed Under: Marketing

Research is an integral part of the marketing of every business . The success of a business depends on the acceptability of the product . Research is used to understand the expectation of the target audience. The outcome of thorough research helps in developing a successful marketing plan .Research can be categorized into two broad categories, primary research and desk research or secondary research .

Read this article to learn the definition of desk research, what is desk research, the importance of desk research, reasons to conduct desk research, advantages of desk research, and steps to do desk research.

Table of Contents

Desk research can be defined as a type of market research where the information about the topic in research is available in printed form or published on the internet, in newspapers, magazines, and government reports is collected and analyzed.

What is desk research?

Desk research is a type of research that can be performed over a desk. In this type of research, a researcher finds, collects, and reviews the publicly available data about the research topic. In primary research, the researcher interacts with people and collects data firsthand using different primary research methods.

On the other hand, desk research is conducted by gathering and analyzing information available on public platforms such as internet forms, newspaper articles, magazines, market intelligence , government reports, databases, statistics, and data sets.

The desk research is also popularly known as secondary research, as in this research, the data for the analysis is not collected by involving participants. But the previously existed data is gathered and studied.  The researcher conducts research sitting behind his or her desk by collecting the previously existing data.

Many organizations prefer desk research because it helps to establish an understanding of the research topic at a very low-cost. In addition to this, the information collected from the desk research is verified by the public. Hence, the outcome of the research is reliable.

Moreover, desk research can be categorized into two categories: internal desk research and external desk research. Internal desk research is referred to as the analysis of internal reports, data sets, and organization statistics. At the same time, external desk research is applied to the study of information collected from the external sources.

Market research is an essential part of every business. A business needs to understand the product’s demand that they want to launch in the market. Research is the only method to learn about the market condition and the acceptability of the product.

Companies adopt two research methods to analyze the market condition, such as primary research and secondary research. However, conducting primary research is quite expensive and requires a lot of effort and resources.

Therefore, organizations opt for secondary research methods to learn about the field of research. Conducting desk research is a cost-effective method to establish an understanding of the area.

Advantages of desk research

Desk research is one of the essential market research that many organizations opt to learn about their investment. The following are the advantages of conducting desk research.

1. Inexpensive

The first benefit of conducting desk research is that it costs almost nothing. You need to have a desktop and internet connection to perform this type of research.

If you are new in the business world and want to start your business from scratch, then it is understood that you are low on budget to conduct primary research.

Therefore, secondary research is the best option for you to understand the market segment you want to enter and the demand for the product in the market.

2. Helpful in making well-informed decisions

Marketing plays an essential role in the success of every business. A company spends a considerable amount of money to market their product. A manager can make better decisions when they understand the field better.

The desk research allows managers to understand the demands and needs of consumers . Thus, they can create effective marketing plans for their products and services.

3. Helpful in finding new opportunities

Through desk research, a manager can learn about the business opportunities available in the market.

They can analyze the competition in the market and can position their product in such a way so that they can increase their market share .

4. It takes less time to conduct

Secondary research can be undertaken in comparatively less time than the primary research. With the help of technology and using public sources, the information can be collected in very little time.

5. Helpful in focusing the research

Many times, managers face the problem of having one focused research topic. In such a scenario, conducting primary research will be a waste of time and a waste of resources.

The companies can either hire experts in conducting secondary research or use the services of third-party organizations that help you in conducting the secondary research.

Disadvantages of desk research

1. Unreliability of data

Relying on the data collected through desk research is a little risky. The data that you are basing your research on can be outdated as government organizations don’t update their data regularly. Their statistics and database are updated once or twice a year.

2. Difficult to find specific data

Another disadvantage of desk research is that you can’t find accurate data for your research topic. Secondary research is useful to establish an understanding of the research topic, but reaching conclusions only based on the desk research outcome is not advisable.

3. No control over the participants and the methods of research

In secondary research, the data you collect or analyze is based on the research conducted by others. Therefore, as a researcher, you cannot control the research participants and the methods used by them.

Here is a video by Marketing91 on Desk Research.

Resources of desk research

The following are the sources that can be used to collect data for desk research.

1. Business libraries and databases

All large libraries have business sections where one can access the latest material in different fields of business. Many libraries also provide access to online business sources. Therefore, if you are an entrepreneur and want to do preliminary research for your business, libraries are the best source for you to conduct your desk research.

2. Local directories

Local directories are the best place to conduct desk research if you want to start a business locally and have information about your competitors.

Local directories can provide you information about your local competitors and the product and services.

3. Trade associations

The members of an industry form trade associations.

If you want to enter an industry, it will help you have connections in their trade association. Business associations provide statistics, reports, and data to their members.

4. Market research report

Market research reports contain information about a particular market segment. These reports contain information such as threats and opportunities in a specific market. Several organizations sell market research reports.

You can buy research reports to conduct desk research.

5. Newspapers and magazines

Newspapers and magazines are one of the cheapest and readily available sources. In all newspapers, there is a business section where they print business news and market.

Similarly, business magazines publish news about different industries. You can buy their latest copies and can access older copies from your local library.

Steps to conduct desk research

Carrying desk research requires skills and knowledge to scrutinize the right sources to collect data. Whether you want to write a personal story or research a business opportunity, desk research will help you do it effectively.

In this section,  you will learn about the steps you can follow to conduct effective desk research.

Step 1: Define the objective of your research

Conducting desk research will become a lot easier if you have a predefined objective for your research. If you are not sure about your research’s objective, you should list down all the questions you want to research.

Your research should be focused on finding the answers to all of these questions. Follow the logic of going from general research to reaching a precise research topic. Lastly, have a rough idea of how much information you want to collect so you will know when to move to the next step.

Step 2: Make a research plan

Now, this step might contradict your pre-notion about the desk research. Most people believe that desk research takes place without following a plan. But, trust me, having a research plan will make your research work a lot easy.

Choose a research method that you will use and the tool that you will use to collect and analyze your research data.

Step 3: Select a deadline

Having a deadline to conclude your research will make your research work fast and will save you from wasting your time procrastinating, and you will end up conducting your research in less time.

Step 4: Conduct research

Conducting desk research means collecting the data from reliable sources and analyzing them to reach conclusions. Ensure the reliability of the data source and analyze the information collected using tables and flow charts.

Step 5: Reach conclusions

Once you have collected enough information and have organized and analyzed it properly, then reaching conclusions will not be difficult for you.

Your whole effort to conduct research will be successful only if you understand the information entirely and draw conclusions from it without any confusion.

Desk research or secondary research is conducted by collecting and analyzing the data collected by other researchers. Using desk research, you can establish an understanding of your research field by spending fewer resources like time and money.

Liked this post? Check out the complete series on Market research

Related posts:

• Research Ethics – Importance and Principles of Ethics in Research
• What is Research Design? Type of Research Designs
• How to Write Research Proposal? Research Proposal Format
• 7 Key Differences between Research Method and Research Methodology
• Qualitative Research: Meaning, and Features of Qualitative Research
• Descriptive Research – Characteristics, Methods, Examples, Advantages
• Operations Research – Types, Advantages, Disadvantages
• Primary Research – Meaning, Process and Advantages
• What is Survey Research? Objectives, Sampling Process, Types and Advantages
• What is the Importance of Qualitative Research to an Organization?

About Hitesh Bhasin

Hitesh Bhasin is the CEO of Marketing91 and has over a decade of experience in the marketing field. He is an accomplished author of thousands of insightful articles, including in-depth analyses of brands and companies. Holding an MBA in Marketing, Hitesh manages several offline ventures, where he applies all the concepts of Marketing that he writes about.

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Desk Research: What Is It and How to Do It Effectively

D esk research is a type of secondary research in which data is collected from sources, such as books, articles, and reports. It is a popular research method for researchers who want to gather in-depth information about their topic. Desk research can be conducted quickly and easily, and it is a cost-effective way to get a lot of information. In fact, this is something most entrepreneurs tend to do, especially before launching their businesses.

According to the type and size of the business, they research the requirements. For instance, if it is an online business they are launching, they may need to set up an office, a warehouse as well as a data center (likely with the help of Walt Coulston ). Along with all this, they may also need to figure out an estimated budget to carry out everything smoothly. And only with proper desk research, answers to all these questions can be sought easily.

Once the business is up and running, the entrepreneur may again need to research the different marketing strategies that he can make use of in order to expand the market reach. The only way he can determine the type of marketing he can employ for his company is after learning more about the contextual advertising platform and similar others in detail. And certainly, to garner all this information and more, rigorous desk research is required.

That being the case, here are some tips for doing desk research effectively, for anyone who wants to delve into it.

What is desk research and why is it a popular research method

Desk research is a type of secondary research that involves the use of sources that are either internal or external to an organization. Desk research usually entails the use of data that is found in books, journals, articles, and online and is often used to gather the preliminary information for a research project.

Desk research can be used to gather information about a company, its products and services, and its competitors. Writers, journalists, and content creators can most often benefit from such a type of research, although the advantages are not limited to only them. Even professionals working for complex sectors like blockchain, such as Web3 copywriters or marketers, can find useful information for their work through desk research. To conduct desk research effectively, you should gather as much information as possible from reliable sources. You should also take the time to analyze the information that you’ve gathered and to identify the key findings.

Desk research can be categorized into two key types:

• Internal desk research : Internal research involves the analysis of internal reports, data sets, and organization statistics.
• External desk research : External research involves studying information from outside sources.

Primary research is original research that you conduct yourself, whereas secondary research is information that you gather from other sources .

What are the advantages of desk research?

Desk research is a great way to get a broad understanding of a topic, as well as to develop a better understanding of the key issues and debates surrounding it. It can also help you to identify potential sources of primary data.

One of the main benefits of desk research is that it’s usually free, which makes it a cost-effective way to carry out initial research. It’s also relatively quick and easy to do, which means you can get a lot of information in a short amount of time.

For instance, if you run a small company and want to promote its name without spending much, researching the internet can give you tons of great ideas. To say, it can inform you how you can use personalized stainless steel tumblers , coffee mugs, or even t-shirts to spread the word about your firm. And for all this information, desk research is highly useful.

In fact, desk research is also a great way to get a sense of the tone and approach of different sources, as well as to develop an understanding of the key arguments and debates surrounding a topic.

What are the disadvantages of desk research?

When it comes to doing desk research, there are a few key disadvantages to be aware of. First and foremost, the data you get may be unreliable. This is because you’re not able to control or verify the methods or participants in your research.

In addition, since desk research is typically done online, you may not have access to specific data that you need to make an informed decision. Finally, desk research can be quite time-consuming, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before deciding if this approach is right for you.

Which sources can I use when conducting desk research?

Sources of secondary data for desk research can include surveys, census data, administrative data, company reports, and academic research. Each of these sources can provide different types of information that can be useful for desk research.

Surveys can provide information about the opinions or attitudes of a population on a given topic. Census data can give detailed information about a population, including demographics and socioeconomic information.

Administrative data can include information about government programs or policies. Moreover, company reports can give insights into a company’s operations or financials. And academic research can provide an in-depth analysis of a given topic.

Each of these sources of secondary data has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s important to understand what each source contains before using it in your research.

How can you do desk research effectively to get the most out of your data?

There are several ways to do desk research more effectively. One way is to develop a research plan. This will help you to focus your search and avoid spending too much time on irrelevant information.

You can also use keyword searches to find relevant information more quickly. By using keywords in your search, you can focus your research on the most relevant sources and save time. Keyword research can also help you to identify trends and track competition in your industry.

It’s also important to critically evaluate the sources you are using and to use a variety of sources to get a more balanced view. When doing secondary research, try to critically evaluate the sources you are using. This will help you to get a more balanced view and to avoid using biased or inaccurate information. It is also important to use a variety of sources to get a wider range of perspectives.

Finally, it’s important to be creative and think outside the box when conducting desk research. For example, you can look for information in unexpected places, such as recent trade journals, corporate websites, or government databases. You can also use different methods to find information, such as social media platforms or search engines.

Why is desk research so important?

Desk research is an essential starting point in any project, and it should never be skipped. By taking the time to analyze secondary data, you can gain a better understanding of your target market, your competition, and the overall landscape of your industry. This information will help you develop more effective strategies and make smarter business decisions .

So what do you do after completing your desk research? The next step is to get out into the field and conduct primary research. Field research involves gathering data firsthand from potential customers, which can give you an even more accurate picture of the market than desk research can provide. With this valuable information in hand, you can now begin formulating hypotheses and testing them with real-world customers.

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Desk Research: The Foundation of Informed Decision-Making in Market Research

Home » Desk Research: The Foundation of Informed Decision-Making in Market Research

Market research is essential for any business looking to grow, expand, or sustain its present trajectory. Understanding your market, from your competition to your clientele, can be a great way to help improve your business. Whether improving services, keeping up with technological advancements, adding new goods or services to your list, or spotting trends, market research matters greatly. However, there is more than one form of market research.

Among the most important methods for market research is desk research, sometimes known as secondary research. It is a critical part of any market and competitor analysis. Secondary research is vital for better understanding your current situation and helping your business spot potential ways to improve further.

What Is Desk Research?

One of the main forms of desk research involves looking at valid sources of information. These could include market reports that have already been generated. Businesses can gain insights into data collated elsewhere by reviewing these market reports.

Another form of desk research might include reading other academic studies. These can give insight into the broader percentage of clients using a certain feature or service or a rise in interest/demand for a specific kind of good or service. These studies can serve as the backbone of decision-making for the future, giving your business a leg-up over the competition.

Why does that matter? Because it can play a leading role in helping your business make better decisions. By being informed by verified sources, your business can learn much about your market and the wider industry you operate within.

Getting To Know Your Market

Another benefit of desk research is that it often involves using already-present data. You do not have to wait for this data to be collated and verified; this has already been done. A market research specialist will take the already-present information and look through it to find useful information. These relevant facts and figures can then be collated today into a report that is contextual to you.

This allows for more organized conclusions to be drawn. Since most desk research data is pretty large-scale rather than highly specific, it can give a broad-level understanding of the current market. This is especially useful when a company wants to move into a new area or intends to bring a new related product or service. By using desk research, present data is collated and analyzed for insight.

This can help better understand the market, spotting trends within already-complete research. It can also be useful for setting the benchmark of what your competitors are doing. By using up-to-date information and historical data, desk research can be a great help to ensure that your business better understands the challenges that it is facing at present.

Why Is Desk Research Useful?

This provides much background information and details that might have slipped the next. When aligned with more specific and contextual primary research, this can give your business lots of information that might have passed you by. However, a high-quality and reputable market research firm must conduct any desk research you need.

Why? Because the research has to come from reputable sources that can be trusted. Many secondary research forms will lean on data from groups that cannot be verified or trusted. A reputable research firm, on top of secondary research, can use verifiable sources.

This information is brilliant for anyone looking to get a broader market view . It might be the market you already operate in or a market you think your business could enter and benefit from. However, desk research can be great for getting insights into any niche or industry you wish to target. Since information is already present, it is cheaper and quicker to analyze.

Secondary research can be followed up with more bespoke and specific primary research. This results in greater accuracy in your research and provides your primary research with a more particular scope for evaluating and understanding.

Primary research is time-consuming and expensive. However, a round of secondary research beforehand can be exceptional for building context before investing in more expensive marketing forms.

Looking For A Specialist In Desk Research?

Then contact the team today at QAFQAZ . As Azerbaijan’s leading market research company, we are an EMRA member, which means we are a trusted source of market research for various Euro-Asian businesses. As a member of ESOMAR, we are one of the most reputable market research firms in Europe and Asia.

You can trust that we can carry out comprehensive and detailed desk research in a timely and affordable manner. This will give you a broader insight into your industry so that you can start making more informed choices about what lies ahead for your business.

With our help, you can set the tone for your analysis and research. Contact us today to discuss your needs and whether you wish to invest in desk research or primary research solutions.

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Desk research: what is it and what is it for

• by Leonardo Saulle
• January 13, 2021 October 3, 2022

Desk research : what is it and what is it for? Desk research (or desk research) is the search, selection, and eventual reprocessing of information already collected by others.

What is desk research for ? To understand a phenomenon or investigate a topic through the interpretation of existing data. This research method is possible thanks to the large amount of data stored on the net and in books.

In practice, it is a matter of starting by asking oneself a research question , which may be scientific or market research (but also of general culture); then one searches for databases containing information on the topic one wishes to investigate. After a substantial initial phase of data search and selection of the most reliable sources , the next step is to assemble the salient information. Sometimes, at the end of this process, it is necessary to carry out new analyses of the collected data , in order to answer the research question as precisely as possible. The last and very important step is the drafting of the research report which has to meet very high quality standards. The aim of the final report is to answer the initial research question as concisely and neatly as possible.

As you can imagine, the applications of desk research are as wide as the fields of scientific, economic and social research. However, desk research finds fertile ground in the field of market research, so much so that 21% of market research in 2019 was conducted with this methodology. Desk research, in the field of marketing, meets two fundamental needs:

• describe market trends with extremely high levels of accuracy;
• predicting and intercepting the needs, thoughts and behaviour of individuals or social groups.

Skills needed to conduct desk research

The researcher carrying out desk research always follows a process aimed at ensuring the validity of the results. In order to do so, he/she must have an in-depth knowledge of research tools , selection and data analysis through specific training.

The typical skills of the researcher are taught in universities through specific and indispensable courses, so it is always a good idea to make sure you entrust your desk research to specialised and experienced researchers.

Why is desk research at PXR Italy special?

As mentioned above, traditional desk research is limited to understanding a phenomenon or deepening a topic through the interpretation of existing data . PXR Italy, following various research experiences, has devised a way of conducting desk research that integrates the collection of existing information with the analysis of pure data from the web according to the client's needs .

This method allows to give a qualitative or quantitative mould to the research, with the aim to output a report rich in insights and data useful for the following purposes:

• understand consumers' emotions and feelings towards a brand or product;
• outline market trends and consumer needs;
• identify opportunities to increase sales and grow one's business;
• keeping an eye on one's competitors;
• reduce the risk factor in making investment and management decisions.
• Ho preso atto del contenuto dell’informativa sul trattamento dei dati personali
• Ho preso atto del contenuto dell’informativa sul trattamento dei dati personali e, informato che il mio consenso è facoltativo, autorizzo espressamente il trattamento per le finalità di informazioni commerciali di cui al punto 3 lettera F)
• form_desk-research-what-is-it-and-what-is-it-for

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Top Secondary Market Research Companies | Desk Research Companies

Apr 16, 2024

7 min. read

Secondary research companies give you an instant path to insights, offering a shortcut to understanding your customer journey . Rather than set up and conduct resource-intensive studies on your own, these companies pull data from multiple sources to help inform your next best actions.

Also known as desk research companies , secondary research companies help you preserve your time and resources when launching new marketing initiatives. They explore online databases, social media, libraries, industry experts, market research studies, and many other places on your behalf, all with your goals in mind.

Desk research is a fraction of the cost of primary research and can save you time and effort compared with traditional methods. Let’s explore the top secondary market research companies to help you capitalize on readily available data.

What are the Top Secondary Research Companies?

We chose these top secondary research companies based on their focus on desk research , approaches, and reputation. Here are the best secondary research companies to start your journey:

B2B International

Geo strategy partners, markelytics solutions, kantar marketplace, thrive analytics, ascendant consulting firm, sis international research.

Meltwater’s AI-enabled Consumer Intelligence solution is one of the most powerful of its kind, offering insights into brands, consumers, and the media landscape. It puts the power of desk research into your hands, allowing you to command new insights as needed.

What makes Meltwater’s technology stand out is its ability to answer questions you have yet to ask. Using AI , market research expertise, and data science, our platform helps you track topics and trending content, understand audiences, identify new segments and markets, and meet your customers where they are — and you don’t have to know where to start in order to gain these insights. Meltwater recognizes sentiments and how people are discussing various topics, opening the door to new insights and ideas you haven’t yet thought to explore.

With billions of data points updated in real time, users can monitor trends or conduct new desk research whenever they need it. Multiple users can research, collaborate, and share reports of their findings—all from one platform.

Want to learn more about how Meltwater can bolster your secondary market research efforts? Simply fill out the form at the bottom of this post and we'll be in touch.

Specializing in B2B market research , B2B International offers desk research as part of its market research services . They conduct research regarding brand and communications, customer segments , markets, product positioning, and thought leadership to help brands cut through the noise and get in front of their target audiences.

Their secondary research service hinges on quality internet research. They use a combination of libraries, databases, online directories, and similar sources. They’re constantly expanding their resource pool and often combine secondary research with primary research like interviews and surveys to build a comprehensive study.

myMRPlace is unique in that it serves as a marketplace for secondary market research companies. It matches you based on the type of desk research you need, allowing you to connect with only the companies that can help you.

These companies use a variety of desk research techniques and aren’t limited to basic Google and Bing searches. Industry reports, books, white papers, reviews, articles, and enterprise data sources may contribute to the process.

This marketplace approach removes some of the risks associated with buying secondary research . You don’t know what data is available until you look for it, so working with a secondary research company comes with some risk. If there’s little or no data available on the topic you need, you could waste precious resources and have your questions go unanswered.

myMRPlace focuses on helping you find the right data supplier for the job. You can share your project requirements, which go to more than 800 companies in 90 countries. Companies will provide you with a quote before you begin, allowing you more control over your project and budget.

Geo Strategy Partners is a full-service market research company specializing in industrial and technology companies. Desk research is an integral part of market research because it serves as a starting point for important questions, competitive analyses , and insights to guide a winning strategy.

The firm relies on a combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques and tools. Projects typically include analyzing market trends, identifying competitors, characterizing the type and size of new opportunities, and predicting market trends , among other things. With these findings, customers can answer key questions about new products to develop, new territories to enter, and how to create go-to-market strategies.

Markelytics harnesses the power of technology to deliver insights in rapidly evolving industries. Specializing in research for companies in automotive, e-commerce, education, financial services, fashion, healthcare, and others, the firm collects digital research from all corners of the world to fuel business strategies.

Speed is the name of the game, with technology helping to remove redundant processes and deliver quick insights. The company leans heavily on resources that are available digitally, helping to bring context and action to their findings so businesses can make informed decisions.

Tip: Learn how to increase your organization's speed to insight in our Insight-Driven Marketing Guide .

Based in the UK, Kantar Marketplace puts the power of automation in your desk research processes. This automated platform combines human expertise with technology to help you learn more about markets and the people driving them. The platform not only offers secondary data but also transforms the data into easy-to-understand visuals for faster decision-making. 

Kantar also gives you the option to pay as you go (so you only pay for what you need) or choose a paid subscription for ongoing insights.

From market and customer research to advisory services, Thrive Analytics offers 360 degrees of marketing insights. With a combination of traditional and innovative methodologies, the firm specializes in digital marketing aspects to create robust strategies.

Like many secondary research companies, Thrive Analytics uses a combination of primary and secondary data to create a complete picture. Data analysis is among their core specialties, helping you to make sense of the research and numbers so you’ll know what to do next.

Ascendant Consulting Firm helps you harness readily available insights into consumers, competitors, and markets. The team deploys a variety of market research strategies, including secondary research , to help companies make key decisions for long-term business health.

With nearly 100 combined years of experience in qualitative and quantitative research, the firm uses popular approaches like regression analyses and projective techniques to think like a customer (or competitor).

Read more about how Pernod Ricard and Haleon use Meltwater to transform their market research processes.

SIS International Research is a full-service market research and intelligence firm offering primary and secondary research services. They work with B2B and B2C companies across multiple markets, including healthcare, food and beverage, FinTech, and industrial clients.

Secondary or desktop research is one of the firm’s many offerings, often complemented by primary research, competitive intelligence , product development, and brand positioning. They offer global coverage to give companies both broad and granular insights into people, products, and places. With experience spanning nearly 40 years, the high volume of primary research they produce shows promise for companies seeking reliable secondary sources.

Choosing the Right Desk Research Company

Empowering your research with secondary data means choosing the right companies and sources from the start. It’s important to remember that secondary research is limited, so we suggest choosing companies that:

• Have access to data related to your topic or needs
• Can pull data from a variety of sources
• Have expertise in your field or industry
• Demonstrates a track record of quality data and reports
• Maintains clear, open communication to ensure you receive the best results

The more variety in sources you have, the better chance you have of finding relevant data to address your questions. That’s what makes Meltwater’s Consumer Intelligence suite so powerful—it captures billions of data points in real time across social media, news websites, podcasts, and offline channels to help you gain a comprehensive understanding so you can move forward with confidence.

Learn how Meltwater can help your secondary market research when you request a demo by filling out the form below.

Continue Reading

Secondary Research Guide: Definition, Methods, Examples

What Is Desk Research? Meaning, Methodology, Examples

How To Do Market Research: Definition, Types, Methods

The 13 Best Market Research Tools

Personalization at Scale: Removing Guesswork from Consumer Research

The Marketers Guide to Unified Reporting

What is the difference between desk research and field research?

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• 8 minute read

What is the difference between derailleur and shifter?

Share article, table of contents hide, desk research, field research, pros and cons of each method, when to use each method, how to combine both methods for the best results, what is an example of desk research, what are some examples of field research, what are sources of desk research, what are the steps in field research, how do you structure a desk research, what type of research is best for young kids, what type of research is best for college students, what are the 4 types of research methods.

Desk research is generally quicker, cheaper, and easier to manage than field research, but it can also be less reliable due to its reliance on secondary sources. On the other hand, field research often provides more accurate results but requires more time and resources in order to conduct effectively.

(Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash )

Desk research is conducted at a desk, usually in an office or library, and usually entails the use of secondary sources. This type of research is typically used to gather information that is already available, such as data from government reports, journal articles, books, and other published materials.

(Image by  federiconmunoz  from  Pixabay   )

Field research is a type of research that is conducted in order to collect data directly from individuals, rather than relying on data that has already been collected. This allows for a more personal and in-depth understanding of the topic being studied. Field research is often used in social sciences such as anthropology and sociology, but can be used in any discipline where firsthand information is desired.

There are many different types of field research, but all share the common goal of collecting primary data. Some common methods of field research include interviews, focus groups, and participant observation . Data collected through field research is usually qualitative in nature, as it provides detailed insights into people’s thoughts and behaviors. However, quantitative data can also be collected through certain methods such as surveys.

Conducting field research can be challenging, as it requires careful planning and execution. Researchers must often gain access to people and places that are not easy to reach, and they must be prepared to deal with unexpected situations. Despite these challenges, field research provides an invaluable opportunity to collect rich and nuanced data that cannot be obtained through other methods.

There are a few key differences between desk research and field research. Desk research is conducted using data that already exists, while field research involves going out and collecting primary data. Desk research is usually cheaper and quicker to conduct than field research, but it can be less reliable because the data may not be relevant to the current situation. Field research is more expensive and time-consuming, but it gives you accurate, up-to-date information.

There are benefits and drawbacks to both desk research and field research. The main difference is that desk research is conducted using secondary data, while field research is conducted using primary data.

Secondary data is data that has already been collected and published by someone else, such as government statistics , industry reports, or news articles. This type of research is typically quicker and cheaper than field research, since the data has already been gathered. However, it can be less reliable than field research, since you are relying on someone else’s interpretation of the data.

Primary data is data that you collect yourself through interviews, surveys, focus groups, or observations. This type of research is generally more reliable than desk research, since you are collecting the data directly yourself. However, it can be more expensive and time-consuming to collect primary data yourself.

If you’re looking to get the most accurate and complete research results possible , it’s best to use a combination of both desk research and field research methods. Desk research can give you an overview of a topic, while field research can provide more detailed and specific information.

Here’s how to combine both methods for the best results:

• Start with desk research to get an overview of your topic. This can include things like reading articles, watching videos, and searching online.
• Once you have a good understanding of the general topic, you can then move on to field research to get more specific information. This can involve things like conducting interviews or surveys, observing people in naturalistic settings, or doing experiments.
• Finally, compare and contrast the information you’ve gathered from both desk research and field research to get a well-rounded understanding of your topic.

One of the most common is through online research. This can involve anything from reading articles and blog posts to watching videos and conducting interviews via email or social media.

Another way to conduct desk research is through more traditional means, such as visiting a library or searching through archives . This can be helpful if you’re looking for specific information that might not be readily available online.

What are some methods of field research?

Participant observation is a method of field research in which the researcher immerses themselves in the everyday lives of the people they are studying. This involves spending time with people in their natural environment, observing them as they go about their daily activities. Participant observation can be either structured or unstructured; in structured participant observation, the researcher has a set plan for what they want to observe, while in unstructured participant observation, the researcher simply observes and records what they see without preconceived notions about what they will find.

Ethnography is another common method of field research. Ethnography is defined as “the systematic study of people and cultures” (Kottak, 2005). Ethnographers typically spend extended periods of time living with the people they are studying, in order to fully understand their way of life. This type of research is often used to study cultures that are different from our own, or that we have limited access to.

Case study is a third method of field research that involves an intensive investigation of a single individual or group. Case studies are often used to investigate rare or atypical phenomena. The goal of case study research is to describe in depth

Field research is a type of research that is conducted in natural settings. This means that the researcher goes to the site where the phenomenon under study occurs. Field research can be conducted in a variety of settings, including businesses, schools, and homes.

Some examples of field research include:

• Observing people in their natural environment (e.g., watching customers shop in a store)
• Conducting interviews with people in their natural environment (e.g., asking people about their shopping habits while they are waiting in line at a store)
• Participating in activities with people in their natural environment (e.g., joining a book club or attending a religious service)
• Keeping a field diary or journal (e.g., recording observations about people’s behavior during the day)

There are a number of sources of desk research, which can be broadly divided into two categories: Primary sources and Secondary sources .

Primary sources are data that are collected firsthand by the researcher, such as surveys, interviews, and observations. This type of data is considered to be more reliable than secondary sources, which are data that have been collected by someone else and may be less accurate or complete.

Secondary sources include things like newspapers, magazines, websites, books, and reports. This type of data can be useful for getting an overview of a topic or for finding specific information, but it is important to remember that it may not be as reliable as primary sources.

Field research is a type of data gathering that involves going out into the field to collect first-hand information. This can be done through interviews, focus groups, observations, or surveys. It is usually used to gather information on a specific target audience or market.

There are four main steps in field research:

• Define the research objectives – what are you trying to learn?
• Develop a research plan – how will you collect the data?
• Collect the data – this is where you go out into the field and gather the information you need .
• Analyze the data – once you have all of your data, it’s time to sit down and make sense of it all.

When conducting desk research, also known as secondary research, you are primarily relying on already existing data. This could be in the form of market reports, government statistics, articles, etc. The goal is to collect as much relevant information as possible to help you answer your research question .

To structure your desk research effectively, start by clearly defining your research question. Once you have a good understanding of what you want to know, you can begin searching for relevant data sources. Try to use a variety of sources to get a well-rounded view of your topic. When evaluating each source , consider its reliability , relevance, and timeliness.

Once you have collected all of your data, it’s time to start organizing it. A good way to do this is to create a table with three columns: key findings, evidence from sources, and implications/relevance to your research question. This will help you keep track of the most important information and see how it all fits together. Desk research can be a lot of work , but by taking the time to do it carefully, you’ll end up with high-quality information that can be used to make sound decisions.

One type of research is desk research, which is conducted using existing data sources such as books, articles, and reports. Desk research is great for getting an overview of a topic, and can be done relatively quickly.

Another type of research is field research, which involves collecting data through direct observation and interaction with people. Field research can be more time-consuming than desk research, but it can provide insights that desk research might miss.

Which type of research is best for young kids will depend on the particular project and what information is needed. However, both desk and field research have value and can provide useful insights.

That depends on the topic and the student’s goals. If a student wants to learn about a topic that can be researched using only library resources, then desk research is the way to go. However, if a student wants to learn about a topic that requires data collection in the field, then field research is necessary.

Both desk research and field research have their advantages and disadvantages. Desk research is less time-consuming and can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. Field research, on the other hand, allows students to get first-hand experience with their topic of choice.

Ultimately, it’s up to the student to decide which type of research is best for them. If you’re unsure of which type of research to use for your project, talk to your professor or a librarian for guidance.

There are four main types of research methods: Desk research , Field research , Surveys , and Experiments .

Desk research is the process of gathering data from existing sources, such as books, articles, reports, and other primary and secondary sources. This type of research is often used to gain an understanding of a topic or issue before conducting further research.

Field research involves collecting data directly from individuals through interviews, focus groups, or observations. This type of research allows for a more in-depth understanding of a topic or issue than desk research alone.

Surveys are a type of research that involve collecting data from a large group of people through questionnaires or interviews. This method is often used to gather general information about people’s opinions or behaviors on a particular issue.

Experiments are a type of research that test how well something works under specific conditions. This method is often used in the sciences to test hypotheses and gather data about cause-and-effect relationships.

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The Trade Desk (TTD) Outperforms Broader Market: What You Need to Know

The Trade Desk ( TTD Quick Quote TTD - Free Report ) closed the most recent trading day at $82.05, moving +1.31% from the previous trading session. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.03% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.41%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.12%.

Coming into today, shares of the digital-advertising platform operator had gained 3.37% in the past month. In that same time, the Computer and Technology sector lost 0.55%, while the S&P 500 lost 0.9%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of The Trade Desk in its forthcoming earnings report. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $0.22, reflecting a 4.35% decrease from the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $479.63 million, up 25.3% from the year-ago period.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $1.49 per share and a revenue of $2.39 billion, signifying shifts of +18.25% and +22.94%, respectively, from the last year.

It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for The Trade Desk. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the company's business and profitability.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained steady. Currently, The Trade Desk is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Digging into valuation, The Trade Desk currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 54.54. This denotes a premium relative to the industry's average Forward P/E of 23.06.

It's also important to note that TTD currently trades at a PEG ratio of 2.37. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Internet - Services industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.77 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Internet - Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 62, placing it within the top 25% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to use Zacks.com to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions.

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Exploring Cultural Perceptions in Global Marketing

Published: 4/16/2024 10:21:30 AM

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In the realm of marketing and advertising, understanding cultural nuances and perceptions is paramount for success. Different cultures perceive and interpret marketing messages uniquely, influenced by historical, social, and linguistic factors.

One recent incident highlighting the sensitivity of cultural symbols in marketing is Adidas ’ decision to halt the sale of German soccer jerseys featuring "44." The stylized font used by Adidas inadvertently resembled the emblem of the Nazi paramilitary group, the Schutzstaffel (SS). In Germany , where Nazi symbols are banned and carry significant historical weight, this resemblance sparked immediate backlash. 

As the German Football Association clarified , the similarity was unintentional, emphasizing the need to scrutinize designs to avoid inadvertent associations with sensitive symbols thoroughly. This demonstrates how cultural context shapes perceptions of marketing materials, requiring brands to navigate historical sensitivities carefully.

The practice of rebadging cars for different international markets illustrates the need for cultural adaptation in branding. For instance, the Chevrolet Nova’s name posed challenges in Spanish-speaking markets due to its translation, 'no va,' which means 'it doesn’t go.' Though debunked over the years, this myth highlights the importance of linguistic considerations in global branding. 

In a similar vein, the speculated case of Colgate toothpaste in Argentina offers a fascinating insight into the impact of linguistic nuances on consumer behavior. While Colgate is a renowned global brand, the translation of 'Colgate' in Argentine Spanish can be interpreted to mean 'hang yourself' or 'hang you.' While speculative , these instances underscore the importance of linguistic considerations in global branding strategies. By choosing culturally appropriate names, brands can avoid unintended negative connotations and resonate more effectively with diverse audiences. 

Multicultural marketing, as exemplified by companies like Adidas, Apple , and Coca-Cola , involves embracing diversity and tailoring campaigns to resonate with varied cultural backgrounds. Apple’s " Inclusion & Diversit y" campaign underscores its commitment to embracing people of all backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging among consumers worldwide. Similarly, Coca-Cola's " America the Beautiful " commercial showcases multiculturalism by featuring people of different ethnicities singing together, resonating with audiences across America.

Moreover, effective multicultural marketing extends beyond representation to product localization and understanding cultural nuances. McDonald’s adapts its menu offerings to cater to local tastes , acknowledging worldwide diverse culinary preferences. Fenty Beauty , founded by Rihanna, emphasizes inclusivity by offering diverse shade ranges to cater to people of all skin tones. These brands foster stronger connections with global audiences by acknowledging and embracing cultural diversity.

Cultural perceptions profoundly influence how marketing and advertising are received and interpreted worldwide. Brands must navigate cultural sensitivities, historical contexts, and linguistic considerations to resonate effectively with diverse audiences. By embracing diversity and adapting to cultural nuances, brands can build meaningful connections and succeed in today’s multicultural marketplace.

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The bull market in stocks won't be derailed by Fed jitters or Middle East tensions, 4 Wall Street pros say

• The bull market in stocks is alive even as investors fret over numerous headwinds. 
• Stocks dropped last week over Fed rate cut concerns and rising tensions in the Middle East.
• But there are signs stock's long-term bull market is intact, Wall Street experts say.

Investors have grown jittery over the trajectory of stocks in recent weeks, but the bull market hasn't been derailed, Wall Street veterans say. 

US stocks have skidded lower over the past week as investors digested escalating Middle Eastern conflict and monetary policy concerns. Major indexes dropped last week after inflation came in hotter-than-expected in March , causing investors to dial back their expectations for rate cuts in 2024. Stocks took another hit after Iran attacked Israel over the weekend, with investors flocking to safe havens like US Treasurys. 

But the latest concerns may be minor blips in the face of a booming US economy and the potential uplift from artificial intelligence, meaning the bull market in stocks is still far from over, some veteran investors say.

Here's why four Wall Street pros say investors shouldn't sweat over the latest pullback in stocks:

Tom Lee, Fundstrat Head of Research

Investors should buy the dip in stocks , as the March inflation report wasn't as bad as it seems,  according to Fundstrat's Tom Lee.

In a recent video update, Lee noted that more components of the consumer price index saw year-over-year price increases of less than 3%. That's a promising sign that inflation is on track to fall to the Federal Reserve's 2% price target, even if prices overall for the economy came in hotter-than-expected last month.

Headline inflation was mainly driven by a surge in auto insurance, he added. That suggests a June rate cut is still possible, he said, though markets have mostly taken that possibility off the table, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

"Believe it or not, this was actually a very good CPI report," Lee said. "It just tells you that this is a timing issue, it's not structural. In other words, nothing else is causing hotter CPI."

James Demmert, Main Street Research CIO

Stocks are still in the midst of a longer-term bull market, and the recent correction represents the latest buy-the-dip moment for investors, Demmert said.

"A stock market correction is unfolding right now triggered by Middle East tensions, rising bond yields, and worries about delayed Fed rate cuts. Stocks have been due for a pullback for quite some time as it has been 6-months since we've seen a pullback of 8-10%," Demmert said in a note on Tuesday.

The size of the pullback will depend on whether Middle East tensions continue to escalate, but even rising tensions can't derail the bull market, he suggested.

"We are buyers of this stock market correction because while the headlines are scary right now, we believe we have entered a new bull market led by the power of artificial intelligence," Demmert said. "This new bull market can last for another 7-9 years, as AI is expected to drive significant productivity gains for companies across the board, which will strengthen corporate earnings." 

Dan Ives, Wedbush Securities analyst

Tech stocks will keep soaring despite recent headwinds, as corporate earnings are poised to come in strong over the first quarter, Ives said.

According to surveys conducted by Wedbush, consumer spending and digital advertising growth trends look "strong" among internet companies over the first quarter. That could be bullish for tech titans, including companies like Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta, Ives said.

Wedbush is also expecting a huge wave of AI spending to boost stocks. The firm anticipates $1 trillion of AI investment over the next decade, with the second, third, and fourth wave of spending poised to hit the sector in the coming years.

"We believe the recent risk-off environment and tech sell-off represent a clear buying opportunity into this upcoming tech earnings season," Ives and other analysts said in a note on Sunday. "While a hot CPI, weak bank earnings, and geopolitical worries has put pressure on stocks, now the Broadway stage and bright lights are focused on a key tech earnings season ahead which we believe will be strong across the board."

John Flood, Goldman Sachs' head of Americas equities sales trading

Stocks still look poised to move higher by the end of the year, Flood said this week . He pointed to a handful of positive catalysts that lay ahead of the market, including a historical post-tax season surge, rising corporate stock buybacks, and strong confidence indicated by inflows to money market funds. 

"There 's still plenty of dry powder out there," Flood said, pointing to the $1.6 trillion inflow to money market funds since 2023.

Stock sentiment also isn't at extreme bullish levels yet, a promising sign that a major pullback isn't imminent, he said. 

Stocks could surge another 15% this year , Goldman strategists said in a previous note. That's due to "exceptionalism" in mega-cap tech stocks, which they predicted could push the S&P 500 to 6,000 by the end of the year.

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