this is a call for collaborative SNS focus group research project in China to deep dive factual insights on China Consumer Internet/ SNS.

1. SNS Focus Group Project Collaborative qualitative market research on China SNS users October 2007

4. Why Focus Group over Quantitative Survey? Quantitative surveys need large samples and are best to test incremental improvements to existing products. However, at this stage of the SNS market, products are too new for users to provide useful feedback. We need to first understand our users’ needs and motivations better to build better product and do better marketing.

5. Qualitative Quantitative Focus Group Survey Contextual Digital  RESULT  Qualitative Focus Group vs Quantitative Survey

6. Project Participants’ Roles Publish public results of the study, thus helping promote participants as SNS thought leaders Bloggers / Media Marketing Pay for incidentals and focus group attendees’ incentives All split costs; estimated 2000 RMB/group? Funding Ensure focus group is run properly to get credible results Market researcher and/or Scholar Focus Group design, facilitation, analysis Free usage of conference room with whiteboard, projector, screen, etc at convenient location for 10 person focus group Any participant Donate location Database of ~200 target users to contact; assuming 10% conversion rate => 2 focus groups of 10 people each SNS Focus Group Users Overall project coordination Geni Coordinator Contribution Participant Role

8. Project Plan

9. Possible User Demographics Sample Target Group to be discussed with Project Participants Career - teachers Career - students Career - investors Friend SNS user Family SNS user Biz SNS user Education - high-school Education - college Career - IT professional G ender - female G ender - male >45 27~45 <27 Age