Persona Conversation, Questionnaire or Stimulus Analysis: Which Format to Use for Each Marketing Decision

Nexus offers three study formats, Persona Conversation, Questionnaire and Stimulus Analysis, each designed for a different depth of decision. This is by far the most common question I receive from new clients during their first week of use: “which one should I use for my case?” The answer depends less on urgency than on the type of question the team is trying to answer.

Why we designed three formats instead of one?

When we began designing the product, we considered offering a single universal conversation interface for every question. We discarded the idea after observing real users: a deep qualitative question about purchase motivation and a comparison of five message versions at scale are different cognitive exercises. Forcing both into the same format made the experience confusing at both extremes.

That is why Nexus has three study formats, accessible directly through the Nexus Agent, which interprets an objective described in natural language and suggests the most suitable format, or through Labs for users who prefer to configure studies manually.

Persona Conversation: one persona at a time, in depth

This is an individual chat with a single synthetic persona. It is ideal for briefing creative work, raising hypotheses before fieldwork or exploring specific objections and questions qualitatively. It accepts image, video, document and audio uploads after the first text message, and the final report comes in editable blocks of summary, context, insights, barriers and recommendations, exportable in PDF or PPT.

I use this format when the question is open and exploratory, such as “why would this audience hesitate in front of this offer?”, rather than when it already has specific alternatives to compare.

Questionnaire: comparison at scale, with up to five Personas

When a decision requires comparing a concept, claim or message across different profiles, Questionnaire is the right format. It runs with up to five personas simultaneously, up to 100 samples per persona, and recommends up to 30 questions per study. It is the right route when traditional fieldwork would not fit the schedule but the team still needs volume to see differences between segments. To structure comparison profiles, see how to find the audience segments that move a campaign.

This is also where Digital Twins are available as a sampling option, at the sample-distribution stage, when the goal is to vary the composition of twins within each persona.

Stimulus Analysis: fast creative screening

To screen concepts or assets before investing in media, Stimulus Analysis is the right format: up to five personas, up to five files per round, with the advantage of iterating through several asset rounds in minutes. It is the most-used format by campaign teams deciding quickly which variation deserves final production. Read also how to validate campaign creatives with AI before going live.

How I choose between the three?

I use a simple internal rule: if the question is “why,” about motivation, objections or context, I choose Persona Conversation. If it is “which,” comparing specific options at scale, I choose Questionnaire. If it is “does this creative work?”, with a finished or nearly-finished asset, I choose Stimulus Analysis. When I am unsure, I describe the objective to the Nexus Agent and let it suggest the route.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Persona Conversation and Questionnaire?

Persona Conversation is a one-to-one qualitative chat with one persona at a time, ideal for exploring motivations deeply. Questionnaire compares up to five personas simultaneously at scale and is suited to testing concepts, claims or messages with sample volume.

How do you decide which study format to use?

Use the question type: open motivation questions use Persona Conversation, comparisons between specific options use Questionnaire, and screening a ready creative uses Stimulus Analysis. The Nexus Agent also suggests the right format from a natural-language objective.

Can Nexus be used to test audience segmentation?

Yes, particularly through Questionnaire, which makes it possible to compare up to five personas simultaneously and identify which profiles react differently to the same proposition.

The Right Format Depends on the Question, Not the Rush

There is no “best” format among the three. There is the right format for the question the team is trying to answer. That logic guided the product’s design and remains the most reliable criterion for anyone deciding where to begin.

Discover which study format fits your moment. Schedule a demo.