Qualitative research has long held a central position in academic inquiry and market research, particularly in fields concerned with understanding human experiences, meanings, and behaviors. Unlike quantitative approaches, which focus on measurement and statistical generalization, qualitative research seeks to explore how individuals interpret and make sense of their social realities (Creswell & Poth, 2018, p. 1). This interpretive strength has contributed to the widespread use of qualitative methods across disciplines such as marketing, communication, psychology, and consumer behavior, where understanding motivations, perceptions, and emotional responses is critical.
In both academic literature and industry practice, qualitative research is especially valued for its ability to capture depth, context, and nuance. Market research firms increasingly rely on qualitative techniques such as interviews, focus groups, and digital ethnography to uncover insights that cannot be fully explained through numerical data alone (Malhotra & Dash, 2016, pp. 174–176). This is particularly relevant in dynamic digital environments, where consumer behaviors are shaped by subjective experiences, social interactions, and emotional engagement rather than solely by rational decision-making.
Compared to quantitative research, qualitative approaches offer greater flexibility and exploratory power. While quantitative methods are effective for testing hypotheses and identifying patterns across large samples, they often assume predefined variables and relationships. Qualitative research, in contrast, allows themes and meanings to emerge inductively from participants’ accounts, making it well suited for studying new or evolving phenomena (Denzin & Lincoln, 2018, pp. 1–4). This advantage is particularly important in social media research, where platforms, content formats, and user behaviors evolve rapidly and may not yet be fully captured by existing theoretical models.