uSamp says it will combine with DMS to offer "best-in-class" online sample and panel management solutions, with the combined global panel reaching 2.7 million. The company notes that this includes an extensive Hispanic panel of over 100,000.

"This is a merging of two companies with similar visions for serving market research, and we’re thrilled to bring DMS Insights on board," says Matt Dusig, co-founder and CEO of uSamp. "DMS has pioneered router and river technologies, and is well-known for its heritage of extensive full-service research provided over the past 15 years. Combined with our own deep well of innovative technologies that ensure quality research and panel management, customers of both uSamp and DMS will be getting the most robust sample solution available."

"This is a great opportunity for our company and for our clients," says DMS President Chuck Miller. "We’ve partnered with uSamp since its formation, because we share similar philosophies of how to provide high-quality online panel, technology and services to clients. We’re combining the strengths of two companies at the top of their game, and this merging of complementary products and services will enhance the quality of service we’ve always provided to our clients."

Financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. uSamp did, however, close a $10 million round of funding earlier this week.

I am a little confused by the following sentences that appear to have come from the same source about the same subject matter. The first:

Internet advertising could fall by 5% in the first quarter of 2009, the first contraction in online ad spending since the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, market research group IDC said Wednesday

Ok, so despite the information from a direct study of CMO’s who see their internet advertising going up this year by 10% the IDC sees it differently. That’s fine. Research is out there to support any point of view. The frustrating part is this following thought coming from the same source about the same report:

IDC analyst Karsten Weide said growth in fourth-quarter search ads was only barely able to offset losses in display and classified spending. He forecast that while first-quarter search ad revenue will not collapse, growth will continue slowing — and display and classified ads will most likely show worse declines than in the fourth quarter of 2008.

OK so which is it? Are they shrinking by 5% or are they growing at a slower rate in Q1 2009? This is why I like to take a quick look at these ‘reports’, acknowledge that they exist and then move on my merry way realizing that no one really knows anything and all we can do is move forward with those who are also choosing to move forward.

Projections of ad spending and everything else are now going the way of stock market projections. The formula seems simple. Take the previous quarter’s results, say that the current quarter may or may not show growth or decline or could magically do both, apply a number to it then let it loose.

How do you feel about the supposed experts trying to predict what is happening to the online advertising industry? Do you trust them? Should this have any impact on what you do in your business today? I am looking forward to your opinion.

Comments

The Bouncing Ball Of Site Analytics

Ammo Marketing’s Gary Stein made it onto the Compete blog with a brief discussion of a client, a competitor, and site analytics. Gary compared his client’s traffic to a close competitor and noticed a trend:

Never mind the actual numbers: a clear trend emerged. While our client

]]> http://www.webpronews.com/the-bouncing-ball-of-site-analytics-2007-11/feed 0 http://www.webpronews.com/use-of-online-data-providers-to-increase-2007-09 http://www.webpronews.com/use-of-online-data-providers-to-increase-2007-09#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:40:55 +0000 Mike Sachoff http://www.webpronews.com/?p=40493 Market researchers around the globe are expecting use of online data providers and online access panels to increase in the next 12 months, according to "The Online Research Barometer," a survey by Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys.

]]> Market researchers around the globe are expecting use of online data providers and online access panels to increase in the next 12 months, according to "The Online Research Barometer," a survey by Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys.

Use Of Online Data Providers To Increase

The survey found that 82 percent of market researchers in North America and 87 percent in Europe are predicting their use of online respondent providers will increase in the next 12 months.  This compares with 76% and 85%, respectively, when Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys completed its last Online Research Barometer in November 2005.

"The good news is that market researchers plan to continue to increase their use of online studies to fulfill their research requirements," stated Albert Angrisani, President and Chief Executive Officer.

"In addition, it is gratifying to see the healthy overall percentage market researchers are devoting to B2B work as Greenfield Online-Ciao Surveys has made it a priority to expand our global B2B product offering to meet the demand we see in the marketplace today. With B2B research commanding 34% and 25% of market research efforts in North America and Europe, respectively, this confirms that our strategy to focus on growing our B2B practice is right on target."

The top two reasons for conducting market research online were time, cited by 81 percent of the North American market researchers and 78 percent of Europeans, followed by competitive pricing (76% and 76%, respectively). North Americans were interested in access to complex target sample groups (62%). Europeans were interested in the ability to access respondents internationally. For both North America and Europe, being able to recruit large sample groups, and the ability to use multi-media elements in questionnaires were also cited as important considerations for the use of online research.

"The Barometer data reveals that in the future, European market researchers expect to use less of other methodologies such as telephone (30%) and face-to-face interviews (27%) in favor of online as a preferred research methodology," stated Nicolas Metzke, Managing Director Ciao Surveys.

"This bodes well for further conversion from offline to online research in the future."

 

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