Here’s a summary of the expected trends in 2024:

1. Evolution of Conscious Commerce Amongst Consumers

The shift towards conscious commerce reflects a growing consumer preference for brands that prioritize sustainability, ethical production, and social responsibility. This trend indicates that consumers are becoming more discerning, opting for purchases that align with their personal values and the broader societal impact. Brands that transparently communicate their commitments to these areas are likely to see increased loyalty and patronage from a more informed and conscientious customer base.

2. Retailers as Major Influencers for Generating Sales

Retailers are increasingly leveraging their platforms to influence consumer purchasing decisions directly. Through personalized marketing, curated experiences, and exclusive content, retailers are transforming into powerful influencers. This trend underscores the importance of omnichannel strategies that integrate online and offline experiences, enabling retailers to engage with consumers more personally and effectively drive sales.

3. AI will transform the way digital marketing and creative advertising is done in Nigeria

Artificial Intelligence(AI)  has emerged as a major buzzword in the last year or so. In 2024 (AI) is going into the practical stage and is revolutionizing digital marketing and creative advertising in Nigeria by enabling hyper-personalized content creation and delivery. AI’s capacity to analyze vast datasets for insights into consumer behavior and preferences allows for the crafting of targeted marketing strategies. This technological advancement not only enhances the relevance and efficiency of marketing campaigns but also paves the way for innovative advertising formats that resonate with the Nigerian audience.

4. Active Involvement in Health and Wellness

The increasing focus on health and wellness, particularly among the middle class, reflects a broader trend towards holistic well-being. This demographic is actively seeking products and services that support physical, mental, and emotional health, driving demand in sectors such as fitness, nutrition, and wellness tourism. Brands that can effectively tap into this health-conscious ethos, offering genuine value and quality, stand to gain a competitive edge.

5. Nano Influencer Marketing

The rise of nano influencers marks a shift towards more authentic, relatable marketing. With smaller but highly engaged followings, nano influencers offer brands a more personal and trustworthy means of connecting with niche audiences. This trend suggests that the impact of influencer marketing is not solely dependent on follower count but on the quality of engagement and community trust.

6. Competitive Pricing of Made-in-Nigeria Products

The growing emphasis on locally produced goods in Nigeria is set to make Made-in-Nigeria products more competitively priced. Fuelled by improvements in local manufacturing capabilities, government incentives and changing preferences, consumers will become more inclined towards patronage of local brands(Made-In-Naija Goods) at at competitive price levels and there will be focus on messaging that ties brands to the raw materials behind them, especially if these materials are sourced in Nigeria.

7. Ad Investments and Media Inflation

The rise in advertising investments, driven by media inflation rather than increased media activities, will likely be the consequence of the escalating costs of reaching audiences through traditional and digital channels, as other products and services grow in cost. This trend necessitates a strategic approach to media buying and planning, with a focus on maximizing return on investment through data-driven targeting and optimization of ad spend across platforms.

8. The Rise of Cocooning

Cocooning, the trend towards creating a comfortable, safe, and entertainment-filled home environment, has gained traction. This trend is reflective of consumers’ desires for a sanctuary amidst the chaos of the external world, driving demand for home improvement, entertainment technology, and comfort-driven products and services. Brands that can cater to the cocooning lifestyle through innovative, home-centric solutions will resonate with consumers seeking solace and convenience.

9. Increased Penetration of New Media Formats

The proliferation of new media formats, such as digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH), shoppable TV, and retail media, is transforming the advertising landscape. These formats offer immersive and interactive experiences, bridging the gap between advertisement and direct purchase. The increased penetration of these media formats underscores the importance of integrating innovative advertising solutions to capture consumer attention in an increasingly fragmented media environment.

10. Sustainability in Action Beyond Rhetoric

The growing call for sustainability in action represents a critical juncture for brands, demanding genuine, impactful measures beyond mere rhetoric. Consumers are increasingly holding companies accountable for their environmental and social impact, seeking transparency and tangible progress towards sustainability goals. Brands that can demonstrate real commitment and progress in their sustainability initiatives are likely to build stronger, trust-based relationships with their consumers.

Please reach out if you would like the full report and the recording.

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As the African economy continues to flourish, it becomes increasingly crucial to identify and celebrate the brands that resonate most with African consumers. The Brand Africa 100 serves as a definitive guide, showcasing the brands that have successfully captured the hearts and minds of the African populace.

Covering 32 African countries, which collectively represent over 85% of the continent’s GDP and population, the survey and rankings provide the most comprehensive reflection of brand perception and affinity among the diverse African consumer base. The extensive research conducted between February and April 2023 meticulously analyzed and evaluated brands from all economic regions within Africa.

Data collection, spearheaded by Geopoll, ensured the broadest and most representative sampling, guaranteeing the authenticity and reliability of the rankings. The subsequent analysis and rankings were expertly led by Kantar and Brand Leadership, leveraging their expertise in market research and brand evaluation.

Highlights from the Brand Africa 100 2023 Report

• Despite optimism with the progress of AfCFTA and other initiatives to drive African initiatives, African brands regressed 20% from a 10-year high of 17% to 14% share of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa, as stalwart African brands, MTN dropped out of the Top 10, and all African brands lost ground, except Zambia’s Trade Kings, the highest African mover and new at #38.
• Europe, led by Adidas at #2, has grown its share of the most admired brands in Africa to 37%, ahead of North America at 32% led by Nike, the #1 brand for the 5^th consecutive year, and Asia which retains its 17% share led by Samsung, the #3 brand for the 3^rd consecutive year.
• In a new category of brands that are doing good for people, society and the environment, inspired by business shifting from profit to purpose, Unicef emerged as the #1 NGO, Coca Cola the #1 non-African brand and MTN the #1 African brands.
• In a category-specific ranking of the Top 25 financial services brands, Africa’s oldest banking group, Standard Bank, surged to the #1 most admired brand in Africa, displacing GTBank, which had led the rankings for the past three years, but is reeling from recent UK regulatory issues, service challenges, and a tough competitive environment. The category is dominated by South African (6) and Nigerian (6) brands, which account for 48% of the rankings, with the USA (4), led by VISA, at 16% percent, making up 64% of the Top 25 brands.
• In a category-specific ranking of the Top 25 media brands, DSTV, the consumer brand of the Multichoice Group, retains its dominant ranking ahead of BBC and CNN as the most admired media brand in Africa. Consistent with previous rankings, non-African media dominate the continent, accounting for 76% of the Top 25 brands.
• MTN is the most admired African brand in the Top 100 brands recalled spontaneously, while Dangote has retaken the lead as the most admired brand when respondents are prompted to recall an African brand specifically.
• Fifteen (15) percent of the Top 100 brands are new entrants, led by USA’s Oral B the highest mover at #34, Zambia’s Trade Kings at #38 and the USA’s Jordan at #42.

Select Rankings

Most Admired Brands – Top 100

1. Nike (USA)
2. Adidas (Germany)
3. Samsung (Korea)

Most Admired African Brands (Prompted)

1. Dangote (Nigeria)
2. MTN (South Africa)
3. DStv (South Africa)

Most Admired Africa Brands (Unprompted)

1. MTN (South Africa)
2. Dangote (Nigeria)
3. Tradekings (Zambia)

 Most Admired Media Brands

1. DStv (South Africa)
2. BBC (UK)
3. CNN (USA)

Most Admired Financial Services Brands

1. Standard Bank (South Africa)
2. Equity Bank (Kenya)
3. ABSA (South Africa)

Companies that best exemplify Africa Pride

1. Dangote (Nigeria)
2. Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopia)
3. MTN (South Africa)

Sustainability – Doing Good for People, Society and the Environment – NGO

1. Unicef (USA)
2. WHO (USA)
3. Red Cross (Switzerland)

Sustainability – Doing Good for People, Society and the Environment – African Brands

1. MTN (South Africa)
2. Dangote (Nigeria)
3. Azam Group (Tanzania)

Sustainability – Doing Good for People, Society and the Environment – Non-African Brands

1. Coca-Cola (USA)
2. Vodafone/Vodacom/Safaricom (UK)
3. Unilever (UK)

Read the full Report. 

The Bottomline

The Brand Africa 100 2023 report presents a wealth of insights and highlights notable trends shaping the African market. From the dominance of European and North American brands to the rise of purpose-driven initiatives, the report offers a comprehensive view of the African brand landscape. It encapsulates the spirit of African entrepreneurship, innovation, and consumer preferences and serves as a valuable resource for businesses, marketers, and consumers alike, providing valuable insights into the brands that are shaping Africa’s economic and social landscape. GeoPoll is proud to play a part in this important initiative.

Get the complete report on the Brand Africa website and join the conversation that continues to shape the future of branding in Africa. Keep an eye on the GeoPoll and Brand Africa social media for local launches of the Top Brands in select countries.

Do not hesitate to contact us for further clarification on the methodology we used, to dive deeper into the data, or to conduct brand surveys throughout Africa and the world.

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The Marketing and Social Research Association (MSRA) is a professional body established in Kenya to promote and advance the quality and standards of marketing and social research. The association seeks to create a culture of research excellence and ensure that the industry adheres to ethical and professional standards.

Speaking about his focus and that of the association, especially as the industry and the world emerge from a challenging and disruptive pandemic and post-pandemic period, JP Murunga says that the onus is on everyone to seize the opportunities presented by the new, ever-evolving, and fast-paced environment. “MSRA remains committed to promoting excellence in the research industry. The new MSRA board will work collaboratively with all industry stakeholders to drive growth and development in marketing and social research in the region. We have learned from the past and are excited to embrace the ‘new’ and build a stronger, more resilient industry for the future,” says John Murunga. 

John Paul Murunga is an experienced researcher with a career spanning fifteen years. He joined GeoPoll in May 2016 and currently heads business and client development in the Eastern Africa region.

As a corporate member of MSRA, we are confident that he will help drive the association, which he served as the Vice Chair prior to his election as the Chairperson, to even greater heights.

“I am excited to lead a team of seasoned professionals who are committed to promoting excellence in the marketing and social research industry. We look forward to working together to drive growth and development in this important sector.” – JP Murunga.

GeoPoll congratulates John Paul and the rest of the new board on their appointment.

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He joins GeoPoll from RTI International, where he led multi-mode surveys and conducted research on survey methods for 12 years. He was a survey methodologist for a decade and most recently led RTI’s International Survey Research Program.

Dr. Lau has conducted surveys in more than 30 countries for clients in the international development and commercial sectors. His experience includes study design, questionnaire development and testing, sampling, data collection, data processing, and analysis. Dr. Lau has used multiple modes—mobile phone, face-to-face, and web—to study diverse topics around the world. He has conducted public opinion surveys with the general public and special populations for the U.S. State Department, USAID, and the Pew Research Center. With the U.S. CDC, he supported Ministries of Health in 10 countries to use mobile phones for disease surveillance. Dr. Lau also led a program of nationally representative surveys on technology adoption with over 200,000 respondents in 12 countries.

His scientific research focuses on improving data quality through innovative survey methods, sampling, and measurement strategies. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles in journals, such as the International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Survey Research Methods, and the Journal of International Development, and recently served as an Expert Panel Member and Co-Moderator for a U.S. National Academies of Sciences panel on the quality of international survey data.

“I am delighted to join GeoPoll as the Chief Research Officer,” said Charles Lau. “GeoPoll is a global leader in mobile research: its technology platform enables scientifically valid, multi-mode surveys to support our clients’ data-driven decision making. I look forward to supporting GeoPoll’s mission and advancing to GeoPoll’s innovative data collection methodologies.”

Dr. Lau holds a PhD in Sociology and Masters in Epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a BA in Sociology from Brown University.

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This article outlines some of our highlights for 2022.

Innovative Product Releases

One of the Core Values of GeoPoll is continuous improvement. While GeoPoll colleagues endeavor to grow as individuals and teams continually, the company also takes deliberate steps on a day-to-day basis to improve our mandate to provide reliable data to move essential decisions for your clients, partners and the world. In 2022, we launched great products and massively improved others, including:

The GeoPoll Attention Landscape

Media consumption has changed. Digital channels are both challenging and becoming entangled with traditional TV, radio, and print media. To reliably measure this intersection, there needed a change in media and audience measurement models. This need birthed the GeoPoll Attention Landscape! Bringing a new perspective to media insights, the GeoPoll Attention Landscape model maps out the touchpoints across both traditional and new media and goes beyond audience numbers to explore how and why they capture our attention. Get more details from our Namibia and Lesotho case study here.

A new and improved GeoPoll Audience Measurement (GAM 3.0)

Over the years, GeoPoll has established itself as the premier provider of media audience measurement through the GeoPoll Audience Measurement(GAM) subscription service. To further accentuate this and to provide advertisers, media houses, agencies, and other users with better media insights for conclusive decision-making in line with the changing media landscape, GeoPoll launched the new and improved GAM 3.0. with improved methodologies for both television and radio ratings and new measurement for new (digital) media and print. See what changed here.

A new GeoPoll Interviewer Platform

In 2022, everyone on GeoPoll collaborated to produce one of the best interviewer platforms in the world, a culmination of many years of experience conducting CATI and CAPI surveys in emerging markets. Our new and improved Interviewer platform for telephonic interviews (CATI)  and face-to-face interviews (CAPI) was a complete revamp of the mobile application at the center of the ecosystem. It also introduced a one-of-its-kind quality control mechanism, and a new portal for partners to quickly and accurately monitor the progress of projects. Read about it here.

Reports

Apart from the hundreds of client research projects we run every year, including 2022, GeoPoll also seeks to bring data sense into the issues that touch the world in various degrees through our own studies. To not miss any of our reports, bookmark the GeoPoll blog, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter, which gives you a front-seat view of the reports, opinion pieces and research tips from our experience. 2022 produced a record number of such studies and here are a few highlights.

Daily data from Ukraine following Russia’s Invasion

The event that most defined 2022 was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the last week of February. Just a week later, GeoPoll went to the field to collect data the assess the situation on the ground in Ukraine and assist in the targeting of humanitarian relief. We published the first report on March 11, 2022, and have been running daily surveys in the country ever since. Our latest update (November) summarizes some of the highlights of the trends we are observing, which include a myriad of highs and lows and what we think about it all. See the aggregated results and daily trends here.

The Kenya Media Establishment Survey

Since our last media establishment survey for Kenya in 2015, the media landscape has changed drastically. While the conversation then was about TV migration from analog to digital, the talk now is about another kind of digital – the internet and the smartphone – and the massive transformation it has caused the media industry. GeoPoll’s Kenya Media Establishment Survey 2022 is the country’s most comprehensive media study, covering all media touchpoints, establishing audiences for each media and diving into details such as the intensity of engagement, the channels used, and how each channel is consumed, among others. You can learn more about it here and request a copy of whatever data points you need.

The Cost of Living Crisis Study

The aforementioned  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic and climate change implications, among others, combined to create what the UN called the largest cost-of-living crisis of the 21st century. To assess the situation and understand how people around the world were experiencing and coping with the cost-of-living crisis, GeoPoll conducted a survey in August 2022 in 9 countries from across Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. We published the Global Cost of Living Crisis Report here, and GeoPoll experts from around the world got together to discuss their experiences and possible solutions on this podcast.

The World Cup Report

A welcome reprieve from the tough happenings of the year was the most significant global sporting showpiece – the FIFA World Cup. Held in Qatar during Winter for the first time in history, the World Cup was unique in several ways – including hugely surprising results. GeoPoll conducted this study in five countries in Africa to assess interest in football and the World Cup, viewership habits and plans, gambling, and the level of support both for global countries and African countries. We published the report here.

Climate Change in the Caribbean

Climate change is a real threat to humankind. Rising seas, hotter temperatures, and more frequent and extreme weather events pose a particular threat to coastal areas and island nations. As coastal flooding and erosion increase, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), like those in the Caribbean, project to be some of the most highly impacted and fastest displaced populations across the globe. GeoPoll conducted this survey across 13 countries in the Caribbean to assess the level of concern among residents on climate change, the perceptions of the crisis and suggested solutions.

Exploring Parents’ Perceptions of the Malaria Vaccine

A ground-breaking malaria vaccine was approved by the WHO, potentially changing the face of children’s health throughout Africa. To explore parents’ thoughts and reactions to this potentially revolutionary vaccine, GeoPoll conducted a survey in several high-burden malaria countries to help determine awareness of the new vaccine, general parent perceptions of routine childhood vaccines, intent to vaccinate for malaria and reasons for hesitancy and if COVID-19 vaccines had any impact on parent perceptions regarding the malaria vaccine. Read the report here.

Perceptions on GMO foods in Kenya

In 2022, the new Government of Kenya lifted a decade-long ban on the cultivation and importation of genetically modified food products (GMOs), a move that split opinions, with politicians and pressure groups clashing with biotech scientists over the safety of consuming GMO foods. GeoPoll conducted a Rapid Survey at the beginning of November to assess citizen awareness of GMOs, their perceptions on the government approval, information gaps, and concerns that need to be addressed, along with changes compared to a similar survey GeoPoll had conducted with the Gates Foundation in 2014. Here’s the report.

The Africa MSME Survey

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a significant role in most economies, particularly in countries classified as ‘emerging’ and ‘developing.’ GeoPoll collaborated with Africa 118 on a joint survey to assess the health and outlook of MSMEs in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. You can read the report here – and look forward to the annual report in the first quarter of 2023!

Brand Africa

Another annual research project we conduct is the Brand Africa 100, which has consistently been the most comprehensive brand rank list in the continent for the last decade. 2022’s edition was the twelfth and covered 29 countries spread across all the regions of Africa. Read the report here.

Conferences came back

We had missed conferences during the height of the pandemic. In 2022, people could move around and meet face-to-face again, which meant more opportunities for GeoPoll team members to share their knowledge and learn from peers.  From MSRA events and the East Africa Humanitarian Summit in Nairobi, Devex World, Global Development Forum, and Society For International Development (SID-US) in Washington DC to International Social and Behavior Change Communication Summit in Marrakech, the Big 5 Summit and PAMRO in Cape Town, GeoPoll participated in in-person events in over 20 cities in 2022!

At the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) 2022 conference in Dubai, GeoPoll became a founder member of the WAPOR SSA Chapter. See you at conferences in 2023!

Have a great 2023, will you?

The post 2022 Year in Review: Industry Leading Innovation and Landmark Reports appeared first on GeoPoll.

This is the latest and one of the biggest improvements we have made on the service over the years, as it remains the most dependable media measurement tool in Africa.

What has changed?

Overall, the new and improved GeoPoll Audience Measurement greatly increases the panel/sample size (122%), number of coverage hours (33%) and maintains a nationally representative sample with weighting across age, gender, and location. To allow for the growth in the number of stations, the list of stations has been expanded to cover most TV and radio stations.

As we found in the Kenya Media Establishment Survey 2022, other media channels, cannot be left out media measurement. The new GAM 3.0 will now include digital media channels and print.

Radio Methodology

Radio data in the new GAM 3.0 has several upgrades. Data will now be available for 24 hours per day, 365 days per year – an expansion from the previous methodology which did not include ratings between midnight and 6 AM. The data is twice as granular as before, with availability at the 1-hour and each station now has 24 ratings points throughout the day, broken down by several demographic and psychographic variables.

The result of this change is to-the-hour insights for radio listenership utilizing a quick recall period for accurate data measurement, while accurately reflecting expected listenership across the course of a given day.

Television Methodology

TV data will now also be available for 24 hours per day, 365 days per year with 30-minute increments. The ratings points are now a whopping 48 daily for each station, broken down by age, gender, location, LSM, and other demographic and psychographic variables.

Users will now be able to see granular changes in the graphs, more consistent with the real TV viewership habits with clearer trendlines as viewership changes throughout the day.

New Media Measurement Offerings

GeoPoll Media Measurement has, over the years, only featured radio and TV, with detours into print from time to time. GAM 3.0 goes beyond traditional media to cover additional channels.

Media data will now be available for Streaming Video On Demand (SVOD), internet/digital, social media, online videos, newspaper, and magazines, with the ability to cross-analyze with TV and Radio data!

The new GAM 3.0 Methodology is now live in Kenya and will be implemented in other countries soon. 

About GeoPoll Audience Measurement

The GeoPoll Audience Measurement service is a subscription product launched in several countries in 2014. Through a unique mobile-based methodology, GeoPoll provides accurate, up-to-date audience measurement data for various channels, which enables media houses, brands, and agencies to target their audiences and measure ROI of advertisements more accurately.

For more detail on GeoPoll Audience Measurement’s unique methodology and the update, contact us directly today.

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GeoPoll’s proprietary mobile application for telephone and face-to-face interviews facilitates interviewer flow, data collection, interviewer oversight and can be utilized on any Android smartphone or tablet. This wholesome update is a culmination of many years of experience conducting CATI and CAPI surveys in emerging markets, and our resolve to provide useful solutions to our clients and partners across the world.

The all-new application represents a significant upgrade from our previous solution. We redesigned the user interface to make the application easier, faster, and more intuitive for interviewers. It is both beautiful and packed with new capabilities for interacting with questions, recording notes, going back to previous questions, and more. The result is a seamless experience for both interviewers and respondents.

Quality

To reduce human error and streamline the interview process, the application also provides automatic sample management. The sample management feature enables interviewers to easily access the sample by simply starting a new interview (which will queue up the number and bring it to their phone dialer) so that all the interviewer needs to do is press the dial button. The application can still also be used with an external dialer when needed.

To meet GeoPoll’s strict survey and data quality standards, the new application automatically records calls for quality evaluation. It also includes a case log for interviewers to monitor the progress of surveys, and the option to schedule a call back to resume interviews at a later time.

For Supervisors, the application supports quality callbacks and is integrated with GeoPoll’s other platforms, enabling them to review their team’s progress and do quality checks – including reviewing their team’s audio recordings.

Enhancements to the application’s offline capabilities enable interviewers to seamlessly conduct surveys even without internet access.

Leverage the GeoPoll Interviewer App for your Research

Combined with the largest database of respondents and more than ten years of experience conducting surveys in emerging countries, the GeoPoll Interviewer application provides a revolutionary voice and face-to-face data collection tool. The App’s inherent features, such as multi-lingual support, offline capability, sample management, quota management, quality scoring, multiple question types, and the ability to recruit interviewers, create an all-in-one solution that can be adapted to any scenario.

Data collected from the application can be reviewed and analyzed in real time with support from GeoPoll’s one-of-a-kind research platform. Results can be made available to the client immediately in any format required.

Contact us to learn more about our capabilities for your next research project or to get access to our new and improved application for your surveys or call center work.

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In this article, we touch on a few highlights from GeoPoll’s 2021:

The Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 and Vaccine Acceptance

The collective hope at the beginning of the year was that life would regain normalcy in 2021 after a tumultuous, pandemic-ridden 2020. With the vaccines being rolled out and people learning how to cope with the virus, a bit of normalcy returned, but the impacts continue to be felt. In 2021, we took every opportunity to investigate the ongoing effects of coronavirus on people in several countries. We released a major tracker report on the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa and a more extensive report covering Africa, Asia and Latin America with more follow-up surveys in between.

Gender Equality in Africa

To mark International Women’s Day, GeoPoll conducted a study on gender equality in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa in the first week of March 2021. The survey gathered data on realities and perceptions about International Women’s Day, gender equality in various spheres of life such as the workplace and school, gender discrimination and harassment, actions regarding gender inequality, and hopes for gender equality in the future. We released the report here and had a highly informative GeoPoll Talks discussion about the position of women in Africa, which you can listen to here.

Brand Africa 100 – The Top Brands in Africa 2021

GeoPoll once again partnered with Brand Africa and others on the 2021 Brand Africa 100, an annual list of the top brands in Africa overall and in select key sectors. This year, the report was launched on Africa Day, as usual, and through seven virtual events in seven countries – Uganda, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, Morocco, and Cote D’Ivoire.

2020 Tokyo Olympics Consumer Interest, Viewing Intent, and Betting Behaviors

The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics was unique in that it happened in 2021, after being postponed from the previous year and the events took place entirely behind closed doors in the Japanese capital, which had declared a state of emergency due to the pandemic. GeoPoll conducted a survey in nine countries to gather information on planned viewing habits, betting activities, and brand/ad awareness surrounding the Olympics. It was the first time GeoPoll conducted a major study in some of the countries involved, further showing our versatility and ability to reach uncharted waters.

Conflict in Afghanistan and Ethiopia

GeoPoll is known for conducting surveys remotely, even in areas that are hard to reach due to natural calamities, disease, and war. In 2021, following the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and the takeover by the Taliban, leading to a dire humanitarian crisis, GeoPoll managed to remotely conduct surveys in the country to collect on the ground data on concerns, humanitarian needs, access to essentials, and food security among other topics. GeoPoll also conducted a survey in Pakistan to assess Pakistanis’ perceptions of the US troop withdrawal and the resulting influx of Afghan refugees.

In other news, the Ethiopia conflict started in Northern Ethiopia (which we covered at the end of 2020) and expanded into a nationwide crisis that continues to threaten the peace and wellbeing of one of Eastern Africa’s powerhouses. GeoPoll conducted another survey in Ethiopia in December, 2021 to assess the situation on the ground and recently released the report.

GeoPoll Started Conducting Surveys via WhatsApp

WhatsApp is, factually, the top mobile app in the world. It is the most widely used messaging app globally and has become an essential part of most smartphone users’ day-to-day life. As such, it is safe to assume that WhatsApp is a great way to reach many people for a variety of reasons, including for surveys. WhatsApp is a relatively inexpensive communication method, familiar to many people, and can involve rich content such as audio, video and pictorial messages, shared both ways. That’s why GeoPoll tapped into the Meta App to provide a new research mode, loaded with benefits, for our clients to conduct surveys.

Here’s to a great 2022!

We are happy to celebrate 2021 and wish to thank our staff, clients, and community of respondents for enabling us to take significant steps forward this year. We wish you and your families an even greater 2022, and are ready to serve you with your various research needs. To learn more about our research methodologies or to get a quote for your next research project, please feel free to contact us.

The post GeoPoll’s 2021 Year in Review: Highlights appeared first on GeoPoll.

Each mobile research mode comes with its own advantages and shortcomings, and selecting the right one for each project is typically about balancing reach (percentage of the population that can be interviewed), complexity (number of answer options, length of questions, use of images and multimedia), time, and cost.

By providing multiple mobile research modes, GeoPoll ensures we can reach any population, even those that do not have access to the internet or cannot read text messages. SMS, for example, can reach anyone with a mobile phone and is significantly cheaper and faster than Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), but is limited to plain text and 160 characters per question and answer. Our smartphone app, on the other hand, enables complex surveys and the sending and receiving of images, audio clips, videos, and hyperlinks. But limited smartphone penetration and affordability in most emerging markets means this platform is limited to more affluent respondents.

WhatsApp in Africa

The evolution of devices that have some smartphone features, but at a much lower cost, has boosted the adoption of messaging apps across the developing world. In Africa, this usually means WhatsApp.

The explosion of WhatsApp across Africa in the past few years has been spectacular. Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria (in that order) are now the world’s top three WhatsApp countries by penetration, and WhatsApp is the largest messaging platform in almost every country on the continent. Because it is available on basic devices with a low-level data connection, the penetration rates of WhatsApp usually far exceed actual internet access. Due to its wide reach and accessibility, WhatsApp is increasingly being used by organizations such as the World Health Organization as a mechanism for distributing vital information regarding COVID-19.

As a survey platform, in most African countries, WhatsApp has the potential to reach almost as deep into the population as SMS or CATI, and it is because of this that GeoPoll has added Whatsapp surveys to our suite of offerings in our core markets including Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. WhatsApp survey questions can be longer and more complex than SMS, and unlike CATI we can use audio and visual stimuli, meaning we can send picture or video content for respondents to answer questions about, and even get photos and recordings back from respondents. It is fast, cheap, and everyone knows how to use it. User engagement also seems to be strong. A study in Israel found that well over 50% of WhatsApp messages are answered within 1 minute. In our initial pilots, the average response time to each question was 1 minute 22 seconds.

Initial Tests

We have been working closely with our clients to explore the use of WhatsApp as a survey mode in more detail, running tests and pilots in our core markets, as well as frontier markets like Iraq. Early data suggests that response and completion rates for Whatsapp surveys (when using GeoPoll’s database) are higher than online surveys and almost as good as SMS, which makes this a valuable middle ground between high reach and high complexity. Respondents in a social development survey, for example, who would usually only participate via SMS or CATI, could be sharing images and videos of their daily lives to accompany and contextualize survey data. A TV ad can be shown to a test audience with only the most basic internet connectivity.

Many mobile networks have special Whatsapp deals and bundles that make it a considerably cheaper platform for respondents to use than a mobile web survey. We’re excited about the possibilities.

Conduct a WhatsApp Survey

Experience the benefits of conducting surveys through the WhatsApp messaging platform with GeoPoll. To learn more about how we can execute your specific project, please contact us.

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