Social Media is all around us. Smart B2B marketers recognize that through social connections, information that is shared (good and bad), can impact the thoughts, attitudes and beliefs of individuals and groups. Moreover, even the flow of information itself, can be a powerful predictor of key business and program outcomes.

Social Media Research (SMR) is distinct from other forms of marketing research in that it uses social media as its data source as opposed to surveys, focus groups and other data collection methods and techniques. It offers a unique opportunity to listen and measure the opinions of potentially large numbers of people who communicate online, some of whom may not normally or easily be accessible through non-observational research.

In a just released guide by the Media Research Association/Interactive Marketing Research Organization, MRA/IMRO Guide to the TOP 16 Social Media Research Questions (492 KB PDF) offers a thoughtful way to help address important SMR Research issues including: the validity and reliability of results, execution (how will SMR activities be tracked and by whom), interaction with other kinds of research, ethics and legal compliance, data quality, process, and final product.

Top 16 Questions SMR questions is a good starting place to begin developing best practices for your SMR program and definitely a worthwhile read.