Internet Research in Austria - GfK eSolutions

 

Peter Diem, August 2000

 

 

I.  The World Wide Web as an Object of Research

From a practical point of view, one of the basic tasks of online research is to establish the size and socio-demographic composition of the Internet universe. Due to the fact that Internet is the first really international medium, there are a number of estimates on a global level (cf., e.g., http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/index.html ).

Online research in Austria concentrates on describing the nature of the national Internet market (“All business is local”). Nevertheless, some comparisons are being made with other European countries, both in the West and in the East. Austrian companies look to the new markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) where they find interesting opportunities for investment. Economic relations with these countries benefit from traditional cultural links with Austria.

Graph 1: Use of the Internet in Europe (Data as of August 15, 2000)

Note: This map is based on contributions by many colleagues. Collection of correct and up-to-date Internet penetration figures is difficult and time-consuming. The author is grateful for all amendments based on reliable surveys: Mail to: onlineforschung at eunet dot at

Austria has a population of  6.6 million adults 14+,  living in almost exactly 3 million private households. With a per capita GNP of US$ 28.000, Austria belongs to the leading dozen of industrialized nations. Her high economic development is documented by such parameters as motorization (500 cars per 1.000 inhabitants), TV reception by cable or satellite (75% of households), and possession of mobile phones (65% of all adults). Technological progress leads to a great interest in the development of the Internet. There is need for precise and up-to-date statistics describing the size and structure of Internet users. Leading market research institutes such as FESSEL-GfK and Integral, have been offering services to that effect for three years. According to the latest figures, no less than 39% of Austrians 14 + use the Internet at least several times per month.

A.        The Austrian Internet Monitor (AIM)

“AIM Continuous”

Since 1997 FESSEL-GfK  and  INTEGRAL have carried out the „Austrian Internet Monitor" survey. Based on 18.000 CATI (= telephone) interviews per year, access to, and use of,  the Internet in Austria are being measured with precise demoscopic methods. The socio-demographics of Web-active persons 14+ are being documented. Key hard- and software data (e.g. screen sizes, operating systems, browsers used, etc.) are made available to customers every quarter year on the basis of 4.500  interviews.

Graph 2: Development of Access and Use of the Internet in Austria

Data on the actual reach of specific Web sites are restricted to about 50 high-traffic sites. Audience sizes are established by the recall method („visited at least once during the last four weeks"). This currency is comparable to the "unique visitor" measured in US meter panels (see below).

“AIM Special"

 

Whereas the continuous project of the “Austrian Internet Monitor” delivers basic data on the development of the online market in Austria, “AIM Special” is a detailed study about  equipment owned, and software employed, by Web-active persons. The survey provides detailed information on the surfing behaviour of Austrian Web users, including online shopping  and other forms of e-commerce. “AIM Special” is produced once every year. For the period 1999/2000 the field work was already carried out in the form of Web-based interviews (n = 1.000 CAWI in three waves – for details of the method cf. C below).

Graph 3: Number of Orders via Internet over the last 12 Months

Note:

While the proportion of persons shopping via Internet has remained relatively stable at about one quarter of all Internet users, the average number of actual purchases via Web has soared from 2.6 in 1999 to 6.2 in 2000.

 “AIM Business”

For business-to-business applications it is important to know to what extent  Austrian companies already use information technology (IT) and, especially, the new possibilities of Internet and Intranet. On the basis of n = 500 interviews with managers from all types of  enterprises, “AIM Business” informs on the use of company Web sites and other forms of e-commerce. The results are weighted with business census data, thus giving a representative picture of the development of IT in the Austrian enterprises of all sizes.

Graph 4: Proportion of Companies with Internet Access Having their own Homepage

Note: Of that half of Austrian companies with Web access which do not have their own homepage yet, two thirds plan to get one in the near future.

For further information about subscription and cost of the “Austrian Internet Monitor” please go to http://www.gfk.at

Other Methods to Measure Internet Use

Clickstream Measurement

At first sight, the Internet seems to be the first medium in history which is in a position to “measure itself”: every surfing action creates a “logfile” which is something like a time-and-path-stamp deposited in the memories of PCs and Web servers. Meticulous recording of all browser accesses to a particular Web site results in voluminous “traffic” statistics. These produce such data as the number of  “page impressions”, the number and duration of  “visits”, time of access curves, paths followed by users etc. The figures thus gained are quite impressive, but closely looked at,  they present a number of problems. Access figures can be boosted by using lots of frames, installing chat rooms or even employing “robots” to multiply click rates. Special techniques must therefore be used to determine the exact number of “content pages” opened. The biggest disadvantage of clickstream measurement, however, is the fact that  logfiles do not contain any socio-demographic information. Thus site owners and advertisers are left without data on age, gender, profession, income etc. of their visitors.

Nevertheless, logfile statistics remain an integral feature of Internet marketing. In many countries, such as in Germany and Austria, semi-official auditing organisations have been established which give authority to the logfile analyses of major players. Leading Web sites or combinations thereof (“properties”) such as online services of TV stations, publishing houses, and printed media can more often than not boast millions of page impressions per month. Here are two examples:

For the online service of the Austrian TV station ORF there are registered about 37 million page impressions and 8 million visits per month (Austrian population: 8 mio)

RTL online reports 66 million page impressions and 29 million visits  (German population: 82 mio). For further details please refer to:

http://www.oewa.at and http://www.pz-online.de

Internet Meter Panels

Because of the low cost of local telephone in the USA, the Internet has very soon

reached a high market penetration (presently about 45 % of private households, in many cities well over 50% - cf. http://www.arbitron.com/studies/studies_netpen.htm)

The large American advertising market requires (and pays for) logfile-based online meter measurement by panel.

Media Metrix, Inc., is a leading source for comprehensive and timely audience

ratings and e-commerce measurement services. The company utilises its patented metering methodology to measure the actual Internet and digital media usage behaviour of tens of thousands of people. Its chief competitor is Nielsen//Netratings. Hitlists and general usage data are published at regular intervals on these two Web sites:

http://www.mediametrix.com  and http://www.nielsen-netratings.com.

On account of the growing importance of the Internet on this side of the Atlantic,

"MMXI Europe B.V." was founded as a joint-venture between the two leading European media research companies Ipsos and GfK AG, and Media Metrix, Inc. European meter research has already started on the basis of 3.000 + individuals in private households in Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. In Italy and Spain panels are also building. Other markets, such as Denmark and Switzerland  are soon to follow.  Measurement of Internet use out of home is also planned, but panels are difficult to establish because of firewalls and company regulations.

For further details please refer to http://www.mmxi-europe.com

The Internet meter panel technology is comparable to present-day TV measurement. A special software, installed in the panelists’ Internet PCs, reports on all surfing action by collecting logfiles and transmitting them (in real time) to the centre. Thereby precise data are made available concerning the reach of sites, pages, and banners as well as the exact time spent by users per page, visit, day, and week. “Click-through rates” denote the proportion of persons having actively clicked a banner ad for further information. With the help of well-kept meter panels, Internet use can be described not only with full demographics, but also with regard to life styles, surf styles and other consumer characteristics such as shopping preferences or banking habits.

Note:

Clickstream Measurement  allows only for superficial insight into surfing habits, while Online Meter Research is comprehensive and reliable but in most cases restricted to large markets. Even with the aid of very large panels, low-traffic Web sites like those of smaller enterprises cannot be measured effectively because of small number of respondents.

B.                Web Site Evaluation

The object of Web site evaluation studies is twofold: first, to establish the precise socio-demographic composition of the audience of a particular Web offer (“WebProfiler”), second, to find out about its actual performance (“WebInsite”). Both goals can be pursued in one study or separately – according to emphasis set by the client.

FESSEL-GfK has developed a number of practical methods for qualitative and quantitave evaluation of Internet sites and for the exact demographic analysis of the visitors of a Web site:

1)        The Qualitative Webtest 

2)        The Pop up-Test
3)        The Quantitative Webtest

4)        Focus Groups (off- and online)

1) The Qualitative Webtest

FESSEL-GfK carries out qualitative analyses of the use of Internet sites by means of one-to-one in-depth interviewing and observation of respondents who operate an Internet PC.

Depending on customer specifications, 15–30 respondents taken from the target group

are confronted with the client's (and, if requested, his competitors') Web site in a special studio in the institute. While the respondent begins to open the respective Web site, he/she is asked to describe his/her experience by talking during the surfing session (“method of thinking aloud”). The voice of the respondent is picked up by a sensitive microphone while the screen image is recorded on videotape by means of a scan converter box. (It is also possible to use a TV card or a software programme like “Screencorder”).Thus a precise transcript of the respondent’s screen experience is created for evaluation by the psychologist supervising the survey.

Besides discussing the pros and cons of the Web site under inspection, respondents are asked to rate its most important dimensions along a scale from 0 to 10 (“paper & pencil work”). Results are used for benchmarking against other data available in the institute.

The Qualitative Webtest is the ideal first step for subsequent quantitative Web site evaluation. As it can be done relatively quickly and at moderate cost, this type of examination offers the basic information about the degree of acceptance of a Web site vis-à-vis competitive sites.

By displaying screenshots it can also be used for the pretesting of site relaunches.

2) The Pop-up-Test

FESSEL-GfK has developed a professional instrument for precise socio-demographic analysis of the visitors of a Web site and for evaluating its acceptance on a representative basis.

User demography, user behaviour and user opinions about a specific site are measured   by making a randomized selection from the actual visitors. Special pop-up software presents every n-th visitor to a site with a questionnaire in a resizable pop-up window. The pop-up-questionnaire can be offered either on the start page or on any other page. Sometimes, the dissemination of the pop-up questionnaire across a site is accomplished with the help of an “adserver programme” as used by Internet ad agents. In this case the questionnaire occupies the locations otherwise used for banner advertising. 

The pop-up survey collects the user's demographics and includes a series of standardized

questions by which the most important features of an Internet site are analyzed,  thus

describing its overall acceptance. Visitor demands, site performance and repeat-visit-rate are compared with industry benchmarks available at GfK. The standard questionnaire includes a few  open questions (such as “likes” and “dislikes”). The survey will also find out how the visitor learned about the existence of the site. Finally, the customer may have a number of customized questions included. The duration of the field work and the number of interviews reached by a Pop up-Test depend largely on the traffic of the site tested.

Normally, one or two weeks of field work result in several hundred answers.

Why use Pop Up-Surveys ?

Normally,  the site owner receives  information about the performance of his 

Internet presentation by means of  logfile analyses. These statistics inform him
about page impressions, visits,  and - in the case of banner advertising -

also about ad impressions and click-through rates (the percentages of the visitors of

a site who actually clicked a banner in order to get more specific product information).

Some Internet consultants also offer their clients “open” research which is carried out by

means of a "survey banner" on their Internet site. Similar to a normal ad banner, such

a banner invites the visitor to open a questionnaire by means of a mouse click.

This method has three major disadvantages:

a) The so-called feed-back banners produce a very low response rate (<0,2%).

b) The sample based on self-recruitment may show strong distortions. Also called  “convenience sampling”, the open survey method is usually biased in two directions: on the one hand one gets response from highly satisfied clients, and on the other hand from highly dissatisfied ones. The open survey method can be compared with a survey which a restaurant makes by means of questionnaires presented to the clients when leaving the premises. They will usually be filled in by guests who would recommend the restaurant because of its excellency or by guests who were not at all satisfied with the service.

c) Finally, self-recruited samples often  include persons with unusually high Internet

usage (Internet-freaks, espacially schoolkids and students) or users with a habit

of looking for special offers or incentives.

3) The Quantitative Webtest.

As it is the case in conventional market research, also in Internet research some

clients may need more information, more detailed data, or data representative for a

certain demographic sub-group (e.g. a regional market). In such cases the

confirmation of the results of a Qualitative Webtest by a quantitative survey will be

necessary. From FESSEL-GfK's „Internet-Pool", which has in the meantime grown to

several thousand addresses, a random sample representing the whole Web-active

population (now more than 39 % of adult Austrians) or a certain target

group (e.g.,  prospective buyers of a mobile phone) is drawn. This is possible

because the pool database is constantly being updated so as to include, among other

facts, basic consumer habits. Another possibility is to use the client's database for

sampling.  As an example, a tourist organization, having had their homepage tested

by a Qualitative Webtest or a Pop up-Test, might want to address specific questions to

such Web users, who have already asked for information by e-mail.

The Quantitative Webtest starts with a mailing, by which every respondent in the

sample referred to above is assigned  a user name and an individual password, with the

help of which they can log in at a certain Internet address (URL). At this research portal they are presented with a questionnaire – similar to the one in the Pop Up-Test – pertaining  to the Web site of the client. They will be asked to open the client's Web site and keep it open for a while. Like in the other qualitative research described above, the respondents rate the site and answer open questions. In this way, also Web offers which have not yet been made public can be included  in the test.

4. Web Focus Groups

a) Offline Focus Groups

In certain cases it is advisable not to use explorations of individuals but to use group

discussions, especially in such cases, where the client does not only need "static"

data about basic motivations, opinions and habits, but when he wans to get

"dynamic" results (products of social interaction, creative suggestions, ideation,

etc.) with the help of a group discussion.

Group discussions not only provide creative judgement, they are also relatively fast

and inexpensive. At FESSEL-GfK's premises there are special facilities for group

discussions about Internet offers. For this purpose, Web pages can be presented

either online or in the form of Power Point charts or overhead slides. Projected by a beamer during the discussion, the material is clearly visible to all participants.

Another possibility is to set up a number of Internet PCs at which respondents are invited to work for a period of about half an hour with the Web sites to be tested. After this exercise the group discussion begins.

In Web Focus Groups participants are also asked to complete some paper & pencil work, i.e. rating the dimensions of the Web sites to be discussed along the 0 to 10 scale.

b) Online Focus Groups

While popular in the USA,  group discussions held live on the Web are at present being tested in Austria. For this type of qualitative Internet research, the participants must be chosen from Web users who are acquainted with Internet chat and have the necessary typewriting capabability. At the moment only the expensive American software http://www.vrroom.com is at hand. As soon as focus group software will be ready to Austrian specifications, FESSEL-GfK will provide this service as well.

II. The Internet as an Instrument  of Research

1) CAWI Surveys (Computer Assisted Web Interviews)

Like most institutes today, FESSEL-GfK carries out telephone research in the form of multi-client studies. In the institute's telephone center more than 150 CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews) are made every day on 50 workstations. In these representative CATI surveys the respondents are asked about their use of the Internet. The question used in this connection reads like this:

How often do you personally use the Internet – regardless of place or purpose?

-         daily or almost daily

-         several times per week

-         a few times per month

-         less frequently

-         never

Subsequently, the respondents are asked about their interest in taking part in Internet surveys or online focus groups. With the rapid penetration of the Internet into homes and offices, FESSEL-GfK in this way has collected a large number of addresses  – in sum representative of the Austrian Web-active population. Full representativity is one of the quality features of the GfK Internet Pool: from it a representative sample of the Austrian Internet population – or parts thereof - can be drawn at any time. Supplementary recruiting takes place in Internet cafés and via the Web site http://www.webtest.at. All addresses are stored in a special database which comprises not only socio-demographic data but also consumer habits and other lifestyle descriptors. For security reasons all addresses are stored offline on a local server, because data privacy is of high importance especially in the field of Internet research.

How are CAWI-Studies carried out ?

The target group selected – usually a representative sample of 300 to 1.000 (Austrian) Internet users - receive e-mails by which the respondents are invited to join 

the CAWI study. With this e-mail they are directed to the GfK Research Portal.

Equipped  with a user ID (respondent name) and a password they can log  in and go to the questionnaire waiting for them. The Web-based questionnaire, normally filled in within less than 10 minutes, may contain pictures, sound, video or may open other Web sites for judgement (“Quantitative Webtest”, cf. above). Thus, different ad layouts or forms of packages,  a new radio jingle or the logo of a new TV programme can be tested online.

These multi-media features are typical of online interviews and can not be employed in conventional face-to-face, mail, or telephone interviews. It may be mentioned here, that filling in questionnaires on the Web is free of all interviewer influence. Answers therefore will normally be very personal and open. Unlike with face-to-face or phone, the online interview takes place in a relaxed situation as the interviewee can freely choose the time he/she will work on the questionnaire. The software is designed such as to allow the respondent to interrupt the interview and take it up again at a more convenient time later.

As an incentive, respondents are given a number of points for each questionnaire. After
participating in a number of studies, these points a converted into a shopping coupon.

The data from the questionnaires are collected in a special database and finally submitted for evaluation with the help of statistics packages such as SPSS or Quantum. In the meantime, online reporting  in several statistical and graphical forms is available. The interviews can be conducted not only in German and English but also in other languages.

CAWI studies can also be conducted on the basis of address lists provided by the client (e.g. for customer satisfaction studies) or among a company's Intranet users (e.g. for organizational studies, personnel surveys).

CAWI studies are carried out by FESSEL-GfK in various forms and with various sample sizes ranging from 300 to 1.000 Web-active persons. 

The CAWI Bus is a regular multi-client online study with prices starting from  Ï 365.- per question.

CAWI Ad-hoc is a study for one customer. Its price is according to the size of the project.

The Online Youth Omnibus (OYO) is a multi-client research project among young Austrians (12 to 24 years), available for the first time in autumn 2000.

“AIM Special” is also conducted as a CAWI survey (cf. above part A).

III. Conclusion

“GfK eSolutions” lead the way.

The Austrian Internet Monitor  which comes in three different forms, gives a comprehensive description of  the development of the Austrian Internet market – both in the fields of B2C and B2B.

Web site evaluation: Many companies have invested large sums in their presence on the Internet. The growing e-commerce market as well as the investment in banner advertising and sponsorship require exact market and customer satisfaction research, as the logfile data reported by traffic software are not always precise and never really satisfactory. 

Compared to server-centric clickstream measurement, user-centric Pop Up Surveys and Quantitative Webtests  provide reliable demographics (“WebProfiler”) and all necessary insight into visitor opinions and site performance (“WebInsite”). Only professionally executed analyses, which are representative of the audience of a Web site and measure against  independent benchmarks, produce data from which marketing and controlling experts can draw the necessary conclusions.

To discuss details or to prepare quantitative testing, Web Focus Groups and one-to-one surveys such as the Qualitative Webtest are recommended.

CAWI Surveys of different kinds offer various opportunities  for quantitative research into habits and opinions of Web-active persons. They have established themselves as supplementary to conventional face-to-face or telephone surveys on the grounds of their special features: multi-media, quick, and cost-effective they produce data about the most advanced consumer groups in the market. They are also very suitable for surveys of client-provided target groups such as consumer satisfaction, employee and membership studies.