ABSTRACT
This chapter is about HYVE’s journey using netnography as a methodological framework for qualitative internet research in the field of innovation and product development. It is written from the perspective of the company’s netnography specialist team highlighting five key lessons learned during the last 16 years of applying netnography practices to business projects. These lessons include how important it is for companies to stay on top of the rapidly evolving dialogue on social media. The lessons also reflect how we at HYVE deal with collected social media traces and how we believe user stories should be told to create value and impact for clients. We look ahead to the future use of machines and technology to support social media research practices and conclude with a recommendation of how we at HYVE combine netnographic procedures with other approaches from our methodological toolbox. The chapter should be understood as a comprehensive field report from a dedicated team that has come to know and love netnography as a unique source of consumer insights and trigger to create successful innovation.
