The U.S. weight loss market has hit a plateau, experiencing  little growth over the last 6 years. After the downsize of the economy, consumers have decreased their purchases of diet drinks, health club memberships, medical programs, diet books, and exercise videos and moved forward to a more do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. Yet, small niches in the industry are starting to boom.

According to a report by publisher Marketdata Enterprises Inc., the value of the U.S. weight loss market declined by 1.8% in 2013, down to $60.5 billion. The market is expected to increase in 2014 with the increased DIY dieting trends and as organizations sort out the effects of the Affordable Care Act.

As an intern in the field of market research, I am learning what it is like to be in a career setting, as well as getting a feel for what market research truly entails and if it is where I see myself in the future. On a daily basis, I am putting into practice the information I’ve been learning in my marketing courses and applying it to my work. But, while researching information for a blog post, I noticed a gap between my life as a student and my life in the “real world.” The information I am being taught in my marketing courses does not always match the information industry leaders are saying out here in the working world.

With the fast-paced lifestyles of the average U.S. consumer, simplicity of snacks and beverages is a must. Bottled water has been around to fill that need since the late 1700s, but even today bottled water is seeing a bright future. As health awareness continues, consumers are going to continue switching from carbonated soft drinks to water. Marketers from companies around the globe need to embrace new ideas for water to ensure their bottles are picked off the shelves.

Social games are one of the fastest growing segments of the online gaming industry. According to the industry body, Entertainment Software Association, social games increased in popularity by over 50% last year. Together with casual games, social games account for the largest share of online games played most often, with their share being even higher among the games frequently played on mobile. Social games are popular not only among the tech-savvy youth, but also adults. The International Social Games Association reports that the average age of a social game player is as much as 40 years. Overall, close to half of gamers engage in social games.

Market research projects can be a long and grueling task, requiring extreme dedication in order to obtain all the information you need to move your company in a positive direction. Market research allows organizations to get a better and deeper understanding of the market that surrounds their products so they can adjust their strategies accordingly. Even with the difficulties that market research can create, the hardest part isn’t until the end of the process: the market research presentation.

With more than 7 Billion mobile network subscriptions worldwide, the mobile communications sector is rapidly gaining traction from a diverse range of vertical sectors. Healthcare is no exception to this trend.

As healthcare providers seek to maximize their patient outreach while minimizing costs, many view mobile healthcare (or mHealth) as the solution to improve healthcare cost-efficiency. mHealth refers to the usage of mobile communications technology & devices to enhance access to healthcare information, improve distribution of routine and emergency health services and provide diagnostic services.

Every researcher relishes in the job of assisting clients with ongoing, diverse needs for market data. Having a unique platform that provides value to users enhances the job even further. As a Global Account Manager specializing in delivering Enterprise Market Intelligence Platforms to the Financial Services industry, I have come to realize how advanced this industry is with regards to investing in the best tools to answer its diverse and constant pace of information requirements.

There are few products that can sell themselves. Because of this, we have advertising. Advertising your product can establish your organization’s identity, promote your latest product, attract new customers, remind old customers of how great you are, and, of course, boost sales. How to advertise your product or business successfully is not a guessing game, it’s an extended market research process.

The diseases that can affect cattle, pigs and other livestock and endanger the food supply are numerous, yet still growing. Swine fever, neosporosis, foot-and-mouth disease and other diseases are among the threats to animals that humans eat. Test makers have answered the call to develop products that can help food manufacturers and government agencies protect livestock and ensure a safe food supply at the beginning of the chain. For this reason, the Veterinary Diagnostics market can expect healthy revenue growth, according to insights from a Kalorama Information report on the topic.

Some of the most successful companies in a range of different industries have made their way to the top because of their marketing strategies. The decisions these industry leaders have made based on how they market their product have led to successful growth and popularity among consumers. To successfully implement these positive marketing strategies, these companies had to create a specific market research budget to ensure they had enough information to effectively promote their product to the world.