Research is critical to well-developed planning, but be wary of hindering productivity by mundanely looking through websites.
Outsourcing web research is quickly becoming a way to make gains while allowing you and your workers to continue output. According to this infographic from Backoffice Pro, 38% of outsourcing jobs are now in the research and development fields.
There are three categories for outsourcing online research when looking for a company to aid you: agencies, freelance marketplaces and other services. Check out our list of the top 10 online research companies, then read on to discover the top marketplaces, other services and reasons why you should outsource your web research.
Here you'll find:
- Web research agencies
- Web research marketplaces
- Other services
- Why outsource web research
- Choose the best partner
- Things to consider
- Types of research to outsource
- Interesting outsourcing facts
Web Research Agencies
Web research services agencies are dedicated to data projects and the best of the best offer state-of-the-art computing and communications technologies.
These companies have devoted themselves to online research and data collection, so they lead in the industry. We’ve compiled a list (in random order) based on online reviews of the top agencies and provided information on the type and price of each company.
SuntecData
Type : Online research, data mining, data extraction, data collection, lead generation, online market research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
eMarketer
Type : Market research, digital trend research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
ResearchNow
Type : Data processing, online research, online market research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
Mustard Research
Type : Market research, brand research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
Damco Group
Type : Data mining, data collection, database building, data verification. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
Hitech
Type : Lead research, property document research, products research, online research, professional services, events research, document research, company/business research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
N2N Solutions
Type : Data/web mining services to increase your business intelligence, data validation and database management services, data extraction and collection services, database validation, market research, contact/mailing list creation. Price : Three plans starting at $15/unit leads.
Datahub Boston
Type : Data mining research, web research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
Eminenture
Type : Online data mining, image research, product research, design research, eCommerce, business research, market research. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.
Circle Research
Type : B2B market research, brand development research, marcomm research, customer satisfaction. Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website via phone or email before someone from the company gets in touch.Web Research Marketplaces
Marketplaces cater to several types of outsourcing options, including web research. Freelancers sign up as available for work and companies pick through the users for the right worker. It is exactly as described––a bazaar of freelancers ripe for the choice.
The pricing scheme typically varies based on the service provider. All work is done between freelancer and client, with no quality checks or middleman guidance involved.
Click Worker
Type : Address enrichment and validation, competitor research, lead research, personnel recruitment. Price : Find pricing at this link – https://www.clickworker.com/pricing/ .
Fiverr
Type : Web research, lead generation. Price : Starts at $5.
Upwork
Type : Web research, market research, lead generation, data mining, data scraping. Price : Varies depending on the category.Other Services
There are a few other research services on the web that provide innovative research opportunities. They use unique setups to work outside the traditional boundaries of an agency or marketplace. These options promise to scour the web for answers to specific questions you need answered or to discover new leads for your business.
Wonder
An agency with 6,000+ specialists that promises to answer specific questions within 24 hours for members. Type : Research PA Price : Annual member fee +$75 per request.
LeadGenius
Type : Lead generation Price : LeadGenius offers quote-based pricing packages tailored to meet the needs of specific users.
Callbox
Type : Lead generation Price : Can request pricing by completing form on their website or via phone/email to get call back.
Leadium
Type : Lead generation Price : Four plans, starting at $1250 for 500+ B2B leads. Can also request a demo.
VSynergize
Type : Lead generation Price : Need to contact them via phone or email to get a quote.
LexisNexis
Type : Legal research Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website or via phone/email to get the quote.
Acritas
Type : Legal research Price : Need to contact them via phone or email to get a quote.
Cogneesol
Type : Legal research Price : Need to complete the quote form on their website or via phone/email to get the quote.Why Use Web Research Services?
Using web research services can provide benefits to your bottom line by saving you time and money. Consider the following excellent reasons to use online research services:
- Alleviate payroll burden
Employing research professionals can be costly and finding the right ones can take time. The resources you put toward hiring and employing a researcher will be better used on other projects if you outsource what you need. - Quality assurance
The top research agencies and Superside put their researchers through stringent testing to ensure only top researchers are hired. They also provide quality control checks so that you can rest assured you are getting a thorough report. - Quick access to skilled professionals
Locating skilled researchers within a specific timeframe for a project can be daunting. Internet research services offer on-demand solutions that can be worked on while you continue meeting goals within the project.
This article from Stanford Business School, gives good insight into the topic.
Watch this video for more reasons on outsourcing web research:
How to Choose the Best Web Research Partner
Consider the following when looking for an internet research partner:
- Cost. Find a partner within your range, but remember that the price you pay often determines the quality of work you receive. Inexperienced freelancers are much cheaper than an established agency. Additionally, the average price range depends greatly on location and will be between $20-50/hour with the average U.S. agency price being $31-40/hour.
- Position in the Market. Top companies often have excellent reviews and scores. Go beyond the “big names” and check backgrounds to find the real quality in web research services. Check Trust Pilot, a great website for user reviews. Also search the company on Google. Read the reviews and check for threads on Reddit and Quora. The information you find through a simple Google search can be a powerful tool in choosing the right company.
- Scope of Work. Consider the scope of the work you need performed. A smaller company may not have the resources for big data analytics, whereas a large company may not have the personalization needed for market research. Prepare a list of questions to ask an agency before committing to using their services. Some questions that may help you decide could include: “What type of data mining capabilities do you have?” “What programs do you use for lead generation?” or “In what format will I receive my results?”
Things to Consider Before Outsourcing Web Research
Before reaching out to a web research service, think about these questions so that you are prepared to provide the company with enough details for your project:
- In which languages do I need the researchers to be proficient?
- In what format would I like the report delivered?
- How long can I give the company to complete the research?
- Who is the audience that will see or use this research?
- What specifics can I provide to the company that will enable greater findings?
- What level of security do I need in the company for my information?
Types of Web Research Work to Outsource
Before choosing a company to assist you in your research needs, consider the type of project you are preparing. No two research projects are alike, and the amount of time an expert must invest in the project will vary based on type. The following are some types of research that you should consider outsourcing:
- Data/web mining services to increase your business intelligence
Digs through the web to find patterns that will enhance your insights on consumer behavior. - Data validation and database management
Cleanses data to ensure it is useful and accurate. - Data extraction and collection
Retrieves and analyzes data to integrate patterns to discover new insights using Python web scraping techniques. - Database validation
Performs checks to guarantee reasonable entries. Used many times for forms to allow for certain ranges or data sets only. Does not confirm accuracy. - Market research
Looks through the market to determine the needs and desires of consumers. - Contact/mailing list creation
Uses sources and batch append services to create lists of emails and addresses within a certain location range or demographic set. - Lead generation
Cultivates potential customers for a business based on location range or demographic set. - Property document research
Searches through property documents including deeds, mortgages and titles to discover information about a property. - Products research
Identifies key issues and successes with products before they are rolled out to the market. - Online research
Collects data from the web to satisfy a query or research report. - Events research
Finds events within a certain location range that fit specific criteria. - Document research
Examines documents to summarize the text or provide detailed answers to questions. - Company/business research
Discovers information on businesses including financial data, investor profiles and private/public deals.
Once you know what research project you are looking to complete, you can reach out to the appropriate organization to get started.
Whether you want to outsource research services, draft a report or improve a PowerPoint presentation, Superside is your 24/7 team of professional freelancers. Let’s get started.
Interesting Facts About Outsourcing You May Enjoy
More on how to outsource web research.
