Earlier this month, Touchstone Research’s COO and Security Officer, Travis Santa, joined a panel of industry leaders for the Insight Platforms Demo Days series. The session, titled “When Agencies Build Tech,” explored a growing trend: research agencies developing their own technology to better serve clients. Fellow panelists included Karin Nelsson, CEO of Demoskop; Serigne Fall, Co-founder of LOOKA; and Tovah Paglaro, founder of Fathom.
The discussion highlighted a key principle that drives our work at Touchstone Research: to create the best market research tools, you need to deeply understand the research process.
Tech Built by Researchers, for Researchers
We were proud to showcase two of our most impactful in-house technologies, which we believe are among the top market research tools for their specific applications:
Secure Content Testing (SCT): Our proprietary solution for safely testing pre-release video and digital content. SCT integrates visible and invisible forensic watermarking to provide the highest level of security for media research.
Dial Tester – A Moment-to-Moment Online Dial Testing Tool: A real-time feedback platform that measures second-by-second audience sentiment. Designed with a focus on usability—especially for youth research—our online dial tester delivers actionable insights through an intuitive interface and a real-time reporting dashboard
Why We Built Our Own Market Research Tools
As Travis explained during the panel, both SCT and our Dial Tester were born from necessity. While many top market research tools are available, we found they couldn’t meet the specific demands of our clients, particularly in the media and entertainment sectors where content security is paramount. Off-the-shelf platforms simply didn’t offer the protection our clients needed, so we built SCT to fill that gap.
Similarly, existing online dial testing solutions lacked the usability and flexibility required for our specialized youth research. Our team built Dial Tester from the ground up, using direct user feedback to create one of the best market research tools for engaging younger audiences.
“We built SCT and Dial Tester because we saw a real need—especially in media and youth research—where existing solutions just weren’t cutting it. Our team knows what works in the field, so we were able to design our platforms around real research challenges, not hypothetical ones.” — Travis Santa, COO & Security Officer, Touchstone Research
Integrated into Our Services, Not Bolted On
What makes Touchstone’s approach unique is how seamlessly our tools integrate into our research operations. They aren’t stand-alone products; they are embedded within the qualitative and quantitative studies we run for clients. This ensures a better user experience, tighter feedback loops, and higher-value insights.
Watch the Full Panel Recording
To hear more about how agencies like Touchstone Research are building their own tech to deliver superior results, watch the full panel discussion here:
At Touchstone Research, we stand at the intersection of innovative research methods and scalable tech. Tools like SCT and our online dial testing solution are more than just platforms—they’re extensions of our commitment to data quality, respondent experience, and client success.
Frequently Asked Questions: Building the Best Market Research Tools
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Why did Touchstone Research develop its own market research tools?
We built our own tools because we couldn’t find existing solutions that met our high standards for security, usability, and flexibility. To provide our clients with the best market research tools for their specific needs—like secure media testing and engaging youth research—we developed our proprietary platforms, SCT and Dial Tester, from the ground up.
What makes your tools different from other top market research tools on the market?
Our tools are built by researchers, for researchers. Unlike many off-the-shelf products, our Secure Content Testing (SCT) and Dial Tester platforms were designed to solve real-world challenges we faced in the field. They are not just software; they are fully integrated into our research services, ensuring higher data quality, a better respondent experience, and more actionable insights for our clients.
Can we license or purchase your software to use on our own?
Our tools are designed with flexibility in mind to meet a variety of client needs.
Dial Tester is available as a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) platform, or through our full-service and flexible research models, depending on the level of support your project requires. Secure Content Testing (SCT) is available through both full-service and flexible research models.
We encourage you to reach out to our team to determine which option is the best fit for your research goals.
What industries benefit most from SCT and your online dial testing tool?
Our tools are especially valuable for industries where content security and in-the-moment feedback are critical. This includes: Media & Entertainment: For testing movie trailers, TV pilots, and other pre-release content. Gaming & Technology: For testing game concepts, features, and user interfaces. Youth & Family Brands: Our Dial Tester is specifically designed to be intuitive and engaging for younger audiences, making it one of the top market research tools for gathering feedback from kids and teens.
How can we learn more about using these tools for our next project?
The best way to start is by reaching out to our team. We can discuss your specific research objectives and demonstrate how our proprietary tools can help you get the clear, reliable insights you need. You can learn more on our individual tool pages for Secure Content Testing (SCT) and the Dial Tester or Contact Us directly to schedule a consultation.
