Secondary research is an invaluable tool when it comes to market research. Not only can it be used to help build understanding and knowledge at the start of a research project, the rich data available can be a powerful tool for clients when collected, structured and analyzed effectively.
Secondary data will have different benefits and uses at the different stages of a research project. To get the most out of secondary research, and to use it to support the development of robust research findings, there are several considerations that should be made.
Use it upfront to understand your research problem
Secondary research is especially powerful at the upfront stages of a research project, where we are getting to know our client, their business and their research problem. Immersing ourselves in the topic using secondary research means that we will have better knowledge of the topic, its related challenges, trends and news, so that we can fully understand our research findings in context. This allows us to create more actionable findings.
Furthermore, we can use our desk research findings to aid in the development of questionnaires and discussion guides for any primary research that we are carrying out – having our finger on the pulse with market trends, for instance, means that our questionnaire will feel more relevant for respondents, and measure the right topics. Understanding what we can get out of secondary data at this stage (for example, if we are going to build a market size), allows us to highlight gaps that primary data should fill, using our questionnaire. Ultimately, the better the questionnaire, the better the primary data outcomes!
Example sources to use at this stage: Articles and news from sites such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, any relevant industry publications.
Key benefits of using secondary research at this stage: Improved ability to create relevant questionnaires, better knowledge of the research topic and client which will feed into the rest of the project.
Use it as a data source for your research project
It is often a challenge to know where to start when faced with a blank sheet of paper and secondary research on the agenda. But knowing where to look and where to start can make this process simpler. Keep these top tips in mind when carrying out your secondary research:
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Keep your research brief and aims in mind.
It is very easy to get lost in a wormhole when carrying out secondary research as there are so many avenues to explore. But taking a systematic approach and exploring your research aims in turn can help to simplify your search and make it easier to ‘tick off’ secondary research topics, which can often feel like a never-ending task. Use focused terms which allow you to find data on your topic of interest and ensure that these are aligned with the rest of your team who may also be carrying out desk research. We are often led by our client on specific terms used in the market, but we may uncover new terms to use when carrying out secondary research.
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There is no need to ‘reinvent the wheel’!
When it comes to secondary research, it is easy to fall into the thinking trap of ‘I’m sure this has been seen / done before’ given that the data or content is, of course, secondary. But often the value in secondary research comes from its interpretation. You may see a trend in the data that hasn’t been noticed before, or, combined with one of your other sources, the data may tell an interesting story. Keeping it simple and consulting sources such as official statistics, industry body reports (e.g., the ABI data for the construction industry) and company annual reports can provide rich data and understanding. Once you consult these sources, you might find a new trend to explore using other sources, but they are a great place to get started.
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Use your network!
It is incredibly valuable to have an ear on the ground when it comes to desk research. If your research project is covering multiple countries or regions, it will be useful to use your network who will be able to use local websites which you may not be able to access, to support you in finding the data you need. This is especially useful when researching countries such as China, where access to local sites can be restricted.
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Keep your secondary research findings structured.
Everyone will take a different approach when it comes to secondary research, but it is essential to align with your team how the research is to be collected and recorded. The data captured should be easy to use and accessible for your whole team, should someone else need to pick it up and use the data. A useful way of doing this may be to lay it out by theme, topic or type of data. As an example, if we were carrying out secondary research on how the French construction industry is changing, we might want to capture:
- A page on demographics and firmographics
- A page on market trends, with each trend labelled as Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental, so that analysis is easy
- A page on each key topic, for instance, we might want to deep dive on sustainability
- A page which covers key details from competitors’ annual reports
This approach sounds simple, but it oftentimes we can end up capturing so much secondary data, that it becomes overly complex and difficult to use.
Within this point, it is also critical to keep a track of every single source that is used. It might be useful to make a note next to each source of the type of data or content that you have taken from the source, to return to it easily if needed.
Example sources to use at this stage: Offices for national statistics, competitor annual reports, industry body reports.
Key benefits of using secondary research at this stage: The ability to gather a wealth of data on a broad range of topics that can be used in analysis to tell stories. We will find data that we cannot capture using primary research methods!
Use it as a cross-check on your other data sources & to add value to analysis
Another key benefit of using secondary research, is that it can act as a check-and-balance on the other sources that are being used in the research project, which are namely often research data and stakeholder data.
Triangulating the three data sources means that we can be sure that all data is valid and that we are presenting the most accurate findings to our client. Using multiple sources means that we can plug any gaps that we find to deliver a view on all of our research aims and targets.
An additional data source that can add value and ‘texture’ to secondary research findings is ethnography. We may want to carry out some digital ethnography (e.g., from social media) to highlight some of our key findings or have teams who are on the ground explore the local area to take images of the product or service that we are investigating. This helps us to further triangulate the data that we have found and provide the most robust piece of research to our client.
Key benefits of using secondary research at this stage: Having as much confidence as possible in the research findings overall, the ability to plug any gaps to deliver the most robust piece of research. Covering all bases means that the research is as actionable as possible for our client.
The bottom line
There is a plethora of secondary research sources available to use in a research project that demands it. Even without the need for secondary data, using secondary research as a basis for understanding and highlighting key market challenges and trends can make all the difference to the start of a research project – which will follow through to the development of findings and implications for our client. It is a step that isn’t to be missed!
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