German Society for Online Research

What German Society for Online Research does

DGOF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V.), founded in 1997 and headquartered in Cologne, is a registered non-profit professional association (eingetragener Verein) dedicated to the establishment and advancement of online research methodologies in the German-speaking market. Its scope spans web-based survey methods (Webbefragung), mobile research, social media research, big data research, and increasingly AI applications in market and social research. The association serves academic researchers, market and social research institutes, corporate research users, and early-career professionals through a portfolio of programs including the annual General Online Research (GOR) conference, regional Research Plus networking evenings in 14+ German cities, the DGOF KI-Forum, professional workshops, and the research GARAGE podcast, complemented by publications such as the Kompendium der Online-Forschung and DGOF White Papers.

DGOF operates a community-led go-to-market: revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership fees across four tiers (personal, institutional, corporate, and reduced-rate), supplemented by event participation fees for non-members and corporate sponsorships from market research vendors (Bilendi, horizoom, xelper, Skopos, norstat, talk, testset, Consorsbank). Membership services include data protection consulting, newsletters, access to events, and eligibility for the annual Online-Forschungsförderungsfonds research grants (€6,000 disbursed in 2025). The association co-founds the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung alongside ADM, ASI, and BVM and participated in adopting the ICC/ESOMAR International Code 2025 German declaration, giving it institutional weight in industry self-regulation.

The organization is governed by an elected board (last refreshed at GOR 25 on 31 March 2025, chaired by Dr. Otto Hellwig) and operated by a minimal Geschäftsstelle with part-time staff. It holds no venture capital or external ownership, does not publicly disclose revenue or member counts, and depends on member loyalty, event attendance (~250 at GOR 26), and sponsor relationships for its continued operations across the DACH region.

Name

German Society for Online Research

Legal name

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V.

Website

https://dgof.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DGOF is a German non-profit professional association founded in 1997 that advances online research methodologies through its annual GOR conference, Research Plus events in 14+ German cities, publications, and research funding, serving academic and commercial market and social researchers across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Online Research Community

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Professional Organizations (81392), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAI

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYEDAEALAO

Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Outsourced Operations & Managed Services for Education (BPO/Contracted Support)

SECONDARYBPAHALAE

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

Keywords

• Online research association
• Market research conference
• Professional membership society
• Research methodology events
• Research community networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln (Cologne)

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: DGOF generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees. The organization offers multiple membership categories: personal members (Persönliche Mitglieder), institutional members (Institutsmitglieder), corporate members (Korporative Mitglieder), and associate members (Assoziierte Mitglieder). Member services include data protection consulting, newsletters, and access to events.
2. Event participation fees: Revenue is generated from conference and event participation fees, including the annual GOR conference and Research Plus evenings. Some Research Plus events are free for members; non-members and corporate members pay for additional tickets.
3. Research project funding disbursements: DGOF distributes funds from its Online-Forschungsförderungsfonds to support innovative online research projects. In 2025, a funding pool of €6,000 was distributed across three research projects. This represents an outflow rather than revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DGOF is a non-profit professional association that advances online research in Germany by running the annual General Online Research (GOR) conference, regional Research Plus networking evenings in 14+ cities, the research GARAGE podcast, and workshops/KI-Forum events on AI in research. It funds innovative online research projects through its Online-Forschungsförderungsfonds, recognizes excellence via awards (Best Paper, Thesis, Poster, Best of FAMS), and co-founds the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung self-regulatory council alongside ADM, ASI, and BVM. Membership is offered in personal, institutional, corporate, reduced-rate, and associate categories, with member services such as data protection consulting included.

Product overview

DGOF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V.) is a professional association for online research in Germany, not a single unified product but rather an organization offering multiple services and programs. The core offerings include the annual General Online Research Conference (GOR), regional Research Plus networking events, the research GARAGE podcast, and various publications (Kompendium der Online-Forschung, Neue Schriften zur Online-Forschung). DGOF also administers research funding through its Forschungsförderungsfonds, and recognizes excellence through awards including the DGOF Best Paper Award, GOR Thesis Award, GOR Poster Award, and Best of FAMS. The organization connects market researchers, social scientists, and digital research professionals through events, publications, and community building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Research GARAGE: The DGOF Podcast featuring interviews and discussions about online research in market and social research
• GOR
• Research Plus
• DGOF KI-Forum
• DGOF Workshops

Products and services

• General Online Research Conference (GOR) Annual international conference for online research organized by DGOF, featuring academic presentations, poster sessions, workshops, and awards (GOR Impact and Innovation Award, GOR Poster Award, GOR Thesis Award, DGOF Best Paper Award). Aimed at academic researchers, market researchers, and industry professionals.
• Research Plus regional networking events Series of regional networking evenings held across German cities for market and social research professionals; free for members with paid tickets for non-members. Focused on professional exchange, networking, and discussions on current topics such as AI in market research.
• research GARAGE Podcast DGOF's regularly published podcast featuring interviews and discussions with online research experts, hosted by moderator duos. Provides ongoing community engagement between events.
• DGOF KI-Forum

Quantifiable outcome

• 14+ German cities hosting regular Research Plus networking events since 2012
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ADM – Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025DGOF co-founds and co-manages the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. (German Market and Social Research Council) alongside ADM, ASI, and BVM. The Rat acts as an independent self-regulatory institution that reviews complaints, enforces professional codes, and sanctions violations. DGOF also co-adopted the German Declaration for the ICC/ESOMAR International Code 2025 and jointly published Standards for Quality Assurance in Market and Social Research (2023, available in German and English) with ADM, ASI, and BVM.
• ASI – Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025DGOF co-founds and co-manages the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. alongside ASI, ADM, and BVM. Co-adopted the German Declaration for the ICC/ESOMAR International Code 2025 and jointly published Standards for Quality Assurance in Market and Social Research with ASI, ADM, and BVM.
• BVM – Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025DGOF co-founds and co-manages the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. alongside BVM, ADM, and ASI. Co-adopted the German Declaration for the ICC/ESOMAR International Code 2025 and jointly publishes Standards for Quality Assurance with BVM, ADM, and ASI. BVM co-organizes the Best of FAMS award with ADM and DGOF. The Weinheimer Gespräche (now 21st edition) are held with all four associations.
• ICC and ESOMARcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025DGOF participates in the adoption of the ICC/ESOMAR International Code (2025 edition) published by the International Chamber of Commerce and ESOMAR. DGOF, alongside ADM, ASI, and BVM, adopted the German declaration for this international ethical code covering AI use in research, digital data collection, and transparency requirements.
• moweb researchminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025moweb research is a cooperative corporate member of DGOF. Conducted a major study on Generation Z ('Gen Z = Generation authentisch?') for the 'Initiative für echtes Leben'.
• International Market Research Day (IMRD) – joint event with ADM, Swiss Insights, VMÖminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022DGOF co-organized the International Market Research Day 2022 online event with ADM, Swiss Insights, and VMÖ (Austrian Association for Market and Social Research) under the title 'Impact und Selbsttest: Wie hält es die Markt- und Sozialforschung mit der Nachhaltigkeit?' (Impact and self-test: How does market and social research approach sustainability?).
• GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für SozialwissenschaftencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022GESIS serves as jury chair and provides jury members for DGOF's annual Online-Forschungsförderungsfonds research funding competition. DGOF GOR workshops are held at GESIS Köln. GESIS is a key academic partner contributing methodological expertise to DGOF's research promotion activities.
• Digital Media Women (#DMW)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022DGOF co-organized Research plus Rhein-Neckar events with Digital Media Women (#DMW), bringing together online researchers and digital media professionals for networking events.
• BilendiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Bilendi is a corporate member and sponsor of DGOF events. Bilendi sponsored the GOR Thesis Award 2026. The 21st Weinheimer Gespräch was hosted at Bilendi GmbH headquarters in Cologne.
• horizoomminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022horizoom is a corporate member and sponsor of DGOF Research Plus events and sponsored the GOR Poster Award 2026. horizoom was also part of the award-winning GOR Impact and Innovation Award team.
• xelperminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022xelper joined DGOF as a new corporate member in June 2025. Founded in 2023 by David Ranftler and Paul Wesendonk, xelper uses AI-moderated interviews. xelper is a sponsor of Research Plus events and part of the GOR Impact and Innovation Award 2026 winning team.
• WEBDATANETminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2013DGOF entered a cooperation agreement with WEBDATANET for GOR 2013, aimed at fostering networking opportunities and high-quality scientific presentations and workshops at the General Online Research conference.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Insights Association: Leading US trade association for the insights and analytics industry, formed from the merger of CASRO and MRA. Comparable to DGOF in its role as a convening body for researchers, with a broader geographic scope and full-time staff.
• AAPOR (American Association for Public Opinion Research): Professional society for public opinion and survey research in the US. Comparable to DGOF in promoting methodological rigor in online/social research, with annual conference, awards, and code of ethics — though broader in scope across all survey modes.
• MRS (Market Research Society): UK-based professional association for market researchers, offering membership, events, training, and publications. Operates a similar membership-plus-events model to DGOF but with broader international reach and a larger staff.

Direct peers

• ESOMAR: Global market research association setting international standards (ICC/ESOMAR Code). DGOF co-adopted the German declaration of the 2025 ESOMAR Code, and both organizations operate as membership bodies serving market researchers with conferences, publications, and standards-setting.
• BVM (Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher): German professional association for individual market and social researchers. DGOF co-manages the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung with BVM and ADM, and jointly runs the Best of FAMS award, making BVM the most direct German peer.
• ADM (Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute): Association of German market and social research institutes. Together with DGOF, BVM, and ASI, ADM co-manages the Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung and co-publishes Quality Assurance Standards, making it a core partner-and-peer in the German research industry.

Emerging players

• QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants Association): International association focused on qualitative research with a strong online research community. While more specialty-focused than DGOF, QRCA's conference, awards, and online research content overlap with DGOF's market research methodology focus.

Regional players

• Swiss Insights: Swiss association for market and social research. DGOF co-organized the International Market Research Day 2022 with Swiss Insights and VMÖ, making it a direct regional peer serving the German-speaking research community.
• VMÖ (Verband der Marktforscher Österreichs): Austrian association for market and social research. Joint partner with DGOF for the International Market Research Day 2022, representing the Austrian market and serving a similar professional membership function in a different DACH geography.

Others

• WEBDATANET: European network for web-based data collection research. DGOF entered a cooperation agreement with WEBDATANET for GOR 2013 to foster networking and high-quality scientific presentations, making it a complementary academic-network peer rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dgof.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dgof

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about German Society for Online Research