Although 2012 has already kicked off, it’s not too late to keep an eye open for what the year is expected to bring to the marketing research industry.  Here’s a quick look at five top trends to watch for as 2012 unfolds.

1. Mobile sampling.  The increasing number of people with mobile devices will fuel continued growth of mobile sampling.  Being able to connect with people any time, any place will yield richer insights about why people make purchases, how they reach decisions or act in certain ways.

2. Gamification.  It’s popping up everywhere, marketing research included.  Using specific scenarios – games – instead of the traditional question/answer format to engage with people may result in more honest, accurate information.

3. Eye tracking and facial expression analysis.  Web cams, smart phone cameras, visual conferencing tools like Google+ and Skype will continue to expand the universe for capturing how people respond and react to all kinds of stimuli.

4. Shrinking landline phone use.  The number of households without landlines will maintain its downward trend.  Researchers will be even more challenged by declining incidence rates (the number of calls required to reach established quotas) and samples that increasingly do not accurately represent target populations.

5. Social media analytics.  Analyzing conversations, discussions and exchanges through social media channels has been around now for a few years.  In 2012, marketing researchers will gain an even deeper understanding of attitudes, opinions and beliefs as social media use continues to grow.

- Sue Gillespie