In our modern, data-driven world, there’s no replacement for hard evidence about what your customers want. And why spend money when there are so many free-market research tools out there?
It’s true that some free platforms give you exactly what you pay for — nothing. Lucky for you, we’ve put together the top 6 free marketing research tools this year so you can save your time and effort for what you’re best at.
So if you want the benefits of understanding your customer base without dipping into your budget, (and who wouldn’t) read on!
1. Google Trends — the evergreen keyword comparison tool
Google Trends has been a go-to for marketing teams for many a year now, but it is still one of the best free-market research tools out there. Put simply, it gives you insights into the most commonly searched terms on the web.
To use it, type in two words that you think will work well for you, Google will give them a score out of 100, and you can see how they have performed over time in comparison with each other.
A huge advantage is that because it is a Google product, you can explore the entire world, and drill down into your local market. What’s more, you get almost real-time updates so you can really make the most of the Zeitgeist.
One of the drawbacks of Google Trends is that while you can compare four keywords at a time, the suggestions are quite limited.
2. Answer the Public — what people are really searching for
Answer the Public lives in the same realm as Google Trends on this list of free-market research tools, but rather than comparing single words, it gives you a vast array of long-tail keywords based on what you type in. You can select a country and a language, so it’s especially good for international brands or those aiming to move into new markets.
It provides you with easy-to-understand visuals showing you all the different kinds of queries people have been using to search for your main keyword. This lets you tap into the minds of your customers and can reveal insights you’d never have thought of just sitting at your desk. Remember that bubble wrap was originally intended as wallpaper, so it's good to keep tabs on how people see and use your product.
3. Mention — track all your socials in one
With so many similar tools now only available as paid options, Mention is one of the few free online market research tools that scans social media for keywords you provide. The most obvious use of this is to track all the mentions of your brand across the web in one place. You can monitor what’s hot and what’s not, and use those insights to adapt your marketing approach going forward. Another great use of this is to track your competitors to see what’s working for them and to identify areas where you can get ahead.
Mention will allow you to post to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn on its free version too, so you can get the best of both worlds in one app.
A drawback on Mention, but something that is pretty absent from free social media listening apps, is that it can’t detect the tone of each post, so you have to go through manually to work out if a mention is positive or negative.
4. Bitrix24 — fully integrated forms and sales insights
Imagine if you could go to each and every one of your customers, and even those further afield, and ask them exactly what they want. Bitrix24, as well as servicing all your business needs in one handy app, offers unlimited submissions on its online forms.
You can send forms out to everyone on your CRM, post them on social media, or embed them on your website and start collecting those responses. Your forms are fully integrated with your CRM, so you can collect your data without entering a single line of code.
Bitrix24’s market research tools also allow you to analyze your sales results within your CRM and create customizable CRM reports. Monitor your conversion rates, sales velocity, deal pipelines, and more, and make adjustments based on your research. If you’re already using Google or Facebook Ads, you can also integrate them with Bitrix24 to get even more insights.
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5. SellerApp — boost your Amazon listings
SellerApp’s paid version is seriously powerful, but its free market research tools are pretty impressive too. You can optimize your Amazon listings by simply typing in your keyword and selecting your marketplace. SellerApp will give you a huge list of suggested keywords in a click to optimize your listing.
By choosing your keywords the smart way, you can stand out from the competition and get an advantage on your competitors. Like Google Trends, SellerApp allows you to choose your marketplace, which makes SellerApp one of the best Amazon market research tool free versions.
It’s also super easy to use. Sure, you can go to the website itself, but by installing it as an extension on your browser, you can constantly keep an eye on the best keywords for your Amazon products.
6. Make My Persona — design your own customer persona
On the market since 2018, HubSpot’s Make My Persona free tool is still a very handy way of getting inside the mind of your customers. At least the semi-fictional minds.
To get started, you follow the step-by-step process to answer questions. You’ll assign them demographic information, a job title, their challenges, their goals, and more, and your classic customer persona will be born.
You then get a series of recommendations on how to reach them how and when they want. As your real customers change, so must your persona, so any new information you find out in real life, you can apply in this tool.
Make My Persona seems to sit more comfortably among the B2B free market research tools, but can easily be used as B2C too.
Get started with your market research
The best time to begin your market research is when you first have the idea about your company. The second best time is now.
This list of free-market research tools is a great way to get started, whether you’re on a budget or not, so you can choose the one that suits your needs or test them all before deciding.
However, while all of the tools are great in their specialty, Bitrix24 stands out because its market research forms and sales analysis fit seamlessly alongside all the other business apps that come with the free tool. It’s so easy to set up and will boost your company in more than just market research, so give Bitrix24 a try — 9,000,000 companies can’t be wrong!
