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Verbatim Definition

A transcript of the actual comments participants make in a focus group. Many moderators include verbatims in their final reports to support their interpretation of the finding.

Verbatim refers to the direct and exact responses provided by participants when answering open-ended questions during surveys, interviews or focus groups. They are the unedited word-for-word responses capturing the raw, authentic voice of the consumer which provides deeper insights into their attitudes, experiences and emotions.

Whey are verbatims important in market research?

Verbatims are important in market research because they capture the authentic, unfiltered voice of the customer. Unlike closed-ended questions that limit responses to predefined choices, verbatim responses allow participants to express thoughts, feelings and experiences in their own words. This raw feedback provides valuable context, helping researchers understand the “why” behind consumer behavior.

Verbatims are especially useful for identifying emerging themes, emotional drivers, unmet needs or pain points that might not surface through structured questions alone. They add depth to quantitative findings, often revealing nuances that numbers can’t fully explain. When analyzed and categorized properly, verbatim responses can inform product development, messaging, customer experience strategies and more.

In reporting, well-chosen verbatims bring data to life, adding human insight that resonates with stakeholders. Ultimately, verbatims offer a richer, more complete view of the customer, enabling marketers and researchers to make more empathetic, informed and effective decisions.

When should I collect verbatim responses in a study?

In market research, verbatim responses are helpful to provide important context to quantitative data. A great example: the questions after a rating or scale question where the respondent can explain why they rated whatever is being tested the way they did.

Verbatims are also useful in concept testing, brand perception studies and customer satisfaction surveys, especially when you want to identify unmet needs, emotional reactions or unexpected feedback.

Open-ended questions that prompt verbatim responses work best when placed strategically and sparingly. Too many can lead to respondent fatigue.

Use them when you’re looking for depth, nuance or emerging themes rather than quick metrics. They’re particularly powerful in exploratory research or when testing new products, services or messaging.

How are verbatim responses analyzed and categorized?

Verbatim responses are analyzed and categorized through a process called coding, where researchers group similar comments into themes or categories manually or using text software analysis. Once responses are coded, researchers can quantify how often certain themes appear, compare responses across segments and identify outliers or emerging trends.

Categorizing verbatims adds structure to qualitative feedback, making it easier to interpret and integrate with quantitative findings. It also helps bring data to life by pairing statistics with authentic consumer voices, providing context and emotional depth to the overall insights.