Method and System for Evaluating, Reporting, and Improving On-Line Promotion Effectiveness

Abstract

A system and method for populating and analyzing a member consumer profile database for implementing an incentive driven targeted product marketing program is disclosed. To implement the targeted product marketing program, personal profile information is collected from several member consumers and stored in a profile database. A group of the member consumers are identified and selected, and the promotion operator provides a promotion to this group on behalf of a sponsor. During and/or after the promotion, information is solicited from the member consumer about the promotion in exchange for rewards. In addition, interactive behavior information of the member consumer is tracked. The solicited information and the interactive behavior information can then be used to enrich the profile database for future promotions.

1 . A method for improving online market research, the method comprising:
 creating, from a plurality of online users, a first user segment comprising first qualifying users according to a selected analysis model that compares online user requirements to user profile information stored in a user database;   transmitting a first survey to one or more first qualifying users;   measuring at least one of content of a survey response of one or more first qualifying users and a behavior of one or more first qualifying users;   in response to the measuring, refining the user profile information to update the user profile database, the refining comprising:
 performing a user profile enrichment process by asking one or more first qualifying users at least one of survey-specific questions, user profile-specific questions, and questions relating to the user's interest in a product or service; 
 performing a user behavioral analysis process; and 
 performing a user result verification process by confirming if one or more first qualifying users has made past purchases of products or services relating to the first survey; 
   retrieving, from the updated user profile database, the refined user profile information;   creating, from the plurality of online users, a second user segment comprising second qualifying users according to the selected analysis model that compares the online user requirements to the refined user profile information stored in the updated user database.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein performing a user personal profile enrichment process further comprises: providing information relating to historical behavior of the one or more users to prompt the one or more users to provide more accurate responses to the first survey. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein performing the user behavioral analysis process comprises: recording at least one electronic communication viewed by the one or more users, or at least one website accessed by the one or more users in conjunction with viewing the at least one electronic communication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein refining the user profile information to update the user profile database further comprises: performing a periodic profile updating process by periodically offering one or more first qualified users incentives to provide additional information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: retrieving refined user profile information from the updated user database to derive a first survey report, the first survey report reflecting the degree to which the first survey impacted one or more users in the first user segment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising: transmitting the first survey report to the survey issuer. 
     
     
         7 . A system for improving online market research, the system comprising:
 a receiver for receiving, from a first survey issuer, a first survey, the first survey associated with requirements of online users;   logic coupled to the receiver for creating, from a plurality of online users, a first user segment comprising first qualifying users according to a selected analysis model that compares online user requirements to user profile information stored in a user database;   logic for transmitting a first survey to one or more first qualifying users;   logic for measuring at least one of content of a survey response of one or more first qualifying users and a behavior of one or more first qualifying users;   logic for, in response to the measuring, refining the user profile information to update the user profile database, the refining comprising:
 performing a user profile enrichment process by asking one or more first qualifying users at least one of survey-specific questions, user profile-specific questions, and questions relating to the user's interest in a product or service; 
 performing a user behavioral analysis process; and 
 performing a user result verification process by confirming if one or more first qualifying users has made past purchases of products or services relating to the first survey; 
   logic for retrieving, from the updated user profile database, the refined user profile information;   logic for creating, from the plurality of online users, a second user segment comprising second qualifying users according to the selected analysis model that compares the online user requirements to the refined user profile information stored in the updated user database.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising logic for:
 performing a user personal profile enrichment process further comprises: providing information relating to historical behavior of the one or more users to prompt the one or more users to provide more accurate responses to the first survey. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising logic for:
 recording at least one electronic communication viewed by the one or more users, or at least one website accessed by the one or more users in conjunction with viewing the at least one electronic communication. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising logic for:
 performing a periodic profile updating process by periodically offering one or more first qualified users incentives to provide additional information. 
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising logic for:
 retrieving refined user profile information from the updated user database to derive a first survey report, the first survey report reflecting the degree to which the first survey impacted one or more users in the first user segment. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising logic for:
 transmitting the first survey report to the survey issuer. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method for improving online market research, the method comprising:
 establishing a plurality of online user requirements to qualify as a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of a survey issuer;   in response to establishing, retrieving, from a user profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality of online users, wherein the user profile database comprises:
 a transaction database storing information specific to the online users that is obtained from interactions involving the online users, and 
 a marketing database, in communication with the transaction database, storing information specific to the survey issuer and extracts of data from the transaction database; 
   creating, using information read from the marketing database, an online user segment, the online user segment comprising a subset of the plurality of online users sharing the qualification requirements;   transmitting a first survey to the online user segment, the first survey being relevant to the qualification requirements;   receiving, at least partially in response to transmitting the survey, user response information from at least one user in the online user segment; and   creating, from the user response information, a first survey report, the first survey report reflecting the degree to which the first survey impacted the one or more users in the first user segment.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 measuring user response behavior and, in response to the measuring response behavior, updating the user profile information and identifying an updated set of surveys for which a user qualifies based on the updated profile information. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 the first survey comprises questions that are prioritized in response to observed consumer behavior. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 transmitting a first survey to the online user segment comprises directing the consumer to a website provided by the survey issuer to complete the survey. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 updating the database in response to measuring the response behavior comprises: 
 a dynamic personal profile enrichment process that continuously enriches a personal profile for each online user; 
 a behavior analysis process that extracts online user behavior relating to at least the first survey; 
 a result verification process that verifies the results of at least the first survey with the survey issuer; and 
 a periodic profile update process that conveys incentives to the online user for participation in at least the first survey. 
 
     
     
         18 . A system for improving online market research, the system comprising:
 a receiver for receiving, from an survey issuer, a plurality of online user requirements to qualify as a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of the survey issuer;   logic for establishing a plurality of online user requirements to qualify as a user that can receive an online survey on behalf of a survey issuer;   in response to establishing, retrieving, from a user profile database, user profile information relating to a plurality of online users, wherein the user profile database comprises:
 a transaction database storing information specific to the online users that is obtained from interactions involving the online users, and 
 a marketing database, in communication with the transaction database, storing information specific to the survey issuer and extracts of data from the transaction database; 
   creating, using information read from the marketing database, an online user segment, the online user segment comprising a subset of the plurality of online users sharing the qualification requirements;   transmitting a first survey to the online user segment, the first survey being relevant to the qualification requirements;   receiving, at least partially in response to transmitting the survey, user response information from at least one user in the online user segment; and   creating, from the user response information, a first survey report, the first survey report reflecting the degree to which the first survey impacted the one or more users in the first user segment.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising:
 logic for measuring user response behavior and, in response to the measuring response behavior, updating the user profile information and identifying an updated set of surveys for which a user qualifies based on the updated profile information. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein:
 the first survey comprises questions that are prioritized in response to observed consumer behavior. 
 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18  wherein:
 transmitting a first survey to the online user segment comprises directing the consumer to a website provided by the survey issuer to complete the survey. 
 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18  further wherein the logic for updating the data base in response to measuring the response behavior comprises:
 dynamic personal profile enrichment process logic that continuously enriches a personal profile for each online user; 
 behavior analysis process logic that extracts online user behavior relating to at least the first survey; 
 result verification process logic that verifies the results of at least the first survey with the survey issuer; and 
 periodic profile update process logic that conveys incentives to the online user for participation in at least the first survey.