Here are five key trends reshaping the research landscape this year—and what they mean for the future of data-driven decision-making.

1. AI is Revolutionizing Insights

Let’s face it – AI is no longer an overused buzzword. The train has already left the station!  The integration of artificial intelligence into research is no longer a future possibility—it’s a present reality. AI tools are transforming how we gather, analyze, and act on data, delivering deeper insights faster than ever before… and that will continue in 2025, as research (as well as other industries and sectors) needs to go beyond human limitations to offer predictive capabilities and automation that redefine research efficiency.

• Predictive Analytics and Forecasting
  AI is helping businesses stay one step ahead by analyzing complex datasets and predicting trends with remarkable precision. Imagine using AI to anticipate consumer demand or market shifts before they happen and turning insights into opportunities in real time. That will be key this year.
• Automated Data Collection and Processing
  Tedious tasks like transcribing interviews or cleaning datasets will increasingly be handled by AI, which then frees up researchers to focus on strategy and storytelling. GeoPoll is already leveraging AI, and we have reported a boost in efficiency and improved data quality.
• AI-Driven Surveys
  Surveys are also getting smarter. With dynamic routing, personalization, and predictive modeling, AI will ensure respondents are only asked relevant questions, keeping them engaged while generating impactful results.

Are you looking for data to fine-tune your LLMs?  We have the largest database of voice and text data from underrepresented regions packaged for the purpose. Learn more.

2. Data Privacy and Ethics Take Center Stage

As the use becomes more pervasive, so do concerns about privacy, ethics, and transparency in an increasingly privacy-conscious world. In 2025, the research industry will put more effort into the delicate balance between leveraging data to deliver meaningful insights,  respecting consumer rights, and upholding trust.

• Data Sovereignty and Localization
  More countries will be enacting strict data storage regulations, making it vital for organizations to comply with local laws and prioritize data sovereignty.
• Transparent AI Models
  With AI driving research insights, researchers must ensure algorithms are understandable and explainable. Transparency isn’t just a best practice—it’s essential to maintaining credibility.
• Ethical Practices
  Ethical considerations will be at the forefront now more than ever, from minimizing bias in AI models to preventing the misuse of data. Researchers are now tasked with creating fair, representative studies that serve all stakeholders equitably.

3. Mobile and Digital Dominate Research

Over the last decade, smartphones and digital technologies have changed how data is collected, analyzed, and used. As global smartphone penetration reaches new heights, mobile-first methodologies are becoming a cornerstone of modern research. The digital-first approach enhances accessibility, provides real-time feedback, and opens new doors for understanding consumer behavior.

• Mobile Surveys and Ethnography
  Mobile research continues to go beyond simple surveys. It captures real-time behaviors through location data, multimedia inputs, and mobile ethnography and makes insights more accurate and actionable.
• Digital Experiences
  Engaging participants is easier than ever with tools like chatbots and immersive technologies. The use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to simulate real-world scenarios and gather deeper behavioral insights is expected to be on the rise.
• IoT Integration
  Wearable devices and smart home technology are taking over in 2025 and will offer a wealth of behavioral data. These tools allow researchers to track lifestyle patterns and generate previously unattainable insights.

4. Deep Insights Through Experiential Research

Observing GeoPoll’s own trends recently, one thing is clear: data is no longer just about numbers; it’s about stories. Experiential research focuses on capturing the emotions, motivations, and lived experiences that drive consumer behavior. In 2025, qualitative research is becoming more immersive and human-centered to bring out not just what people do but why they do it.

• Empathy and Storytelling
  Looking at how aspects like social media and marketing are changing, in-depth interviews and ethnographic studies will become more important to allow researchers to connect with participants on a human level, and data into compelling narratives.
• Immersive Methods
  Simulated environments and virtual reality experiences are already helping researchers replicate real-world scenarios, providing authentic insights into decision-making processes. Expect that to grow in 2025.

The human touch remains irreplaceable, even in an AI-driven world. Researchers’ ability to contextualize and empathize ensures insights are not just accurate but meaningful.

5. Agile Research for Faster Decisions

Now, organizations don’t have the luxury of waiting weeks for insights. A lot can change rather fast. Agile research is emerging as the solution, allowing for rapid, iterative studies that adapt to changing circumstances. This is one area that makes GeoPoll popular with our clients – the ability to turn in data rapidly, for example, during times of conflict, natural crises, or moments of virality.  This trend empowers businesses to act quickly and confidently in dynamic markets and circumstances – pivot strategies, react to changes, and maintain a competitive edge, and in the case of the social sector, speed is the difference between life and death.

• Rapid Insights
  Businesses will increasingly demand quick turnarounds for data. Agile methodologies prioritize speed without sacrificing quality, delivering actionable insights within hours or days.
• Iterative Approaches
  Continuous learning and adaptability are key. Researchers must iterate on studies in real time to ensure insights remain relevant and aligned with evolving needs.

Looking Ahead

The research industry in 2025 is defined by innovation, adaptability, and a commitment to ethical practices. These trends will shape how organizations make decisions, connect with consumers, and drive impact.

At GeoPoll, we are pioneering solutions that align with these trends, from mobile-first methodologies to cutting-edge AI tools. Let us help you stay ahead of the curve—contact us today to learn more about conducting impactful research in a rapidly evolving world and get tailored insights into trends touching on your sector.

The post Top 5 Research Trends to Watch in 2025: Insights for the Future of Data appeared first on GeoPoll.

This performance gap isn’t due to any inherent limitation of AI technology. Instead, it’s a direct result of the data used to train these models. The majority of AI systems are developed using datasets that predominantly represent Western contexts, leading to models that excel in these environments but falter when faced with the diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic landscapes of emerging markets.

This article explores how integrating diverse, region-specific data can dramatically improve AI applications in emerging markets, using Africa as a compelling case study. As the topic unrolls, we’ll unroll why AI models need locally relevant data, how this data can be ethically sourced and integrated, and the transformative impact it can have on AI performance.

Before you continue…

GeoPoll is conducting a comparative study of AI-simulated surveys and traditional CATI in Kenya. The study, whose paper will be out in a couple of weeks, is investigating the effectiveness, efficiency, and data quality generated by AI models compared to traditional human-led surveys. We want to ascertain if AI-simulated surveys can provide data as reliable and nuanced as traditional respondent surveys, how AI models simulate human-like survey responses when controlled for demographics, and the differences in response rates, data consistency, and cost efficiency between AI-driven and human-led surveys. The survey itself explores various real aspects such as nutrition and food security, media consumption and internet usage, eCommerce, AI usage and opinions, and attitudes towards humanitarian aid in the country. 

If you are an expert in AI/research and would like to contribute to the study, a business or social leader interested in the report, or anyone who wants to get front-seat access to both the paper and the underlying report, please fill this form or subscribe to our newsletter to get the reports to your email.

The Global AI Performance Gap

The disparity in AI performance between developed and emerging markets is a concern in the tech industry. This gap manifests in various ways:

1. Language Processing: Many AI models struggle with languages and dialects prevalent in emerging markets. For instance, a model trained primarily in English may falter when processing Swahili or colloquial Arabic. Even the English accents vary from country to country – Nigerians speak English in a different way from South Africans, who speak differently from Americans.
2. Cultural Context: AI systems often misinterpret cultural nuances, idioms, and social norms unique to emerging markets, which leads to inappropriate or ineffective responses.
3. Economic Disparities: Models trained on data from high-income countries may make incorrect assumptions about spending patterns, access to resources, or financial behaviors in emerging economies.
4. Technological Infrastructure: AI applications designed for high-speed internet and advanced devices may underperform in regions with limited connectivity or older technology.
5. Diverse Data Representation: The lack of diverse training data leads to biased outcomes, potentially reinforcing stereotypes or excluding minority groups within emerging markets.

This performance gap has real-world consequences. In healthcare, it could mean misdiagnoses or ineffective treatment recommendations. In finance, it might result in unfair loan rejections or inaccurate credit scoring. In education, it could lead to curriculum recommendations that don’t align with local educational standards or cultural values. In marketing, you might have seen distorted AI-generated images of people from some regions of the world.

The root cause of this disparity lies in the data used to train these AI models. Datasets predominantly sourced from Western countries fail to capture the complexity and diversity of emerging markets. This data bias creates a self-perpetuating cycle: AI systems perform poorly in these markets, leading to less adoption and fewer opportunities to gather relevant data, further widening the performance gap.

Addressing this issue is not just a matter of fairness; it’s a business imperative. As emerging markets continue to grow and play increasingly significant roles in the global economy, the need for AI systems that can effectively operate in these diverse contexts becomes crucial for companies looking to expand their reach and impact.

The Importance of Local Context in AI

To truly understand why local context is crucial for AI performance, we need to delve into the nature of AI systems and how they learn:

1. Data-Driven Learning: AI models, particularly machine learning and deep learning systems, learn from the data they’re trained on. They identify patterns, correlations, and rules based on this data. If the training data lacks diversity or local context, the resulting model will have blind spots and biases.
2. Contextual Understanding: Language, behavior, and decision-making are deeply rooted in cultural and socioeconomic contexts. An AI model needs exposure to these contexts to accurately interpret and respond to inputs from diverse user bases.
3. Avoiding Misinterpretation: Without local context, AI systems may misinterpret user inputs or produce inappropriate outputs. For example, a chatbot trained on Western data might not understand the nuances of politeness in Asian cultures, leading to perceived rudeness or miscommunication.
4. Relevance of Recommendation: In applications like e-commerce or content recommendation, understanding local preferences, trends, and availability is crucial for providing relevant suggestions to users.
5. Ethical Considerations: AI systems that lack local context may inadvertently perpetuate biases or make decisions that are unethical or unfair when applied to different cultural settings.
6. Regulatory Compliance: Different regions have varying regulations around data privacy, financial practices, and other areas where AI is applied. Models need to be trained on locally relevant data to ensure compliance with these regulations.

Incorporating local context into AI models isn’t just about improving performance metrics; it’s about creating systems that are truly useful and trustworthy for users in emerging markets. This approach leads to:

• Improved User Experience: AI applications that understand local context provide more accurate, relevant, and culturally appropriate responses, enhancing user satisfaction and adoption.
• Increased Efficiency: Locally-aware AI systems can streamline processes and decision-making in ways that are optimized for the specific market, leading to greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Innovation Opportunities: Understanding local contexts can show unique use cases and innovative applications of AI that may not be apparent when viewing the market through a Western-centric lens.
• Social Impact: Accurately serving the needs of emerging markets makes AI a powerful tool for addressing local challenges in areas like healthcare, education, and financial inclusion.

The key to achieving these benefits lies in sourcing high-quality, diverse data that accurately represents the target markets. This is where companies like GeoPoll play a crucial role, providing the essential local context that can transform AI performance in emerging markets.

AI in Africa

Africa serves as a compelling example of both the challenges and opportunities in adapting AI for emerging markets. With its diverse languages, cultures, and economic conditions, the continent presents a unique landscape for AI development and deployment.

Challenges:

1. Linguistic Diversity: Africa is home to over 3,000 languages. Many AI models struggle with this linguistic complexity, especially with languages with limited digital presence. The accents are diverse even in global languages such as English, French, and Arabic, which are widely spoken in Africa.
2. Infrastructure Limitations: Varying levels of internet connectivity and device access across the continent pose challenges for AI applications designed for high-bandwidth environments.
3. Economic Disparities: The wide range of economic conditions across and within African countries requires AI models to be adaptable to different socioeconomic contexts.
4. Data Scarcity: There’s a general lack of large-scale, quality datasets representing African users, which has historically limited the development of locally relevant AI models.

Opportunities and Success Stories:

Despite these challenges, there are promising developments in AI across Africa:

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP): Projects like Lelapa and Masakhane are working on developing NLP models for African languages, improving machine translation and text analysis capabilities.
2. Healthcare: AI is being used to enhance diagnostic capabilities in resource-limited settings. For example, a model trained on local data has shown promise in diagnosing malaria from smartphone images of blood samples.
3. Agriculture: AI-powered apps are helping farmers predict weather patterns, detect crop diseases, and optimize resource use, contributing to food security efforts.
4. Financial Inclusion: AI models adapted to local economic behaviors are improving credit scoring systems, enabling more accurate risk assessment for individuals without traditional credit histories.
5. Education: Adaptive learning platforms using AI are being developed to cater to diverse educational needs across the continent, considering local curricula and learning styles.

There exists a huge transformative potential of AI when powered by contextually rich, local data. They also highlight the immense value that companies like GeoPoll can provide by offering access to diverse, high-quality datasets from across the African continent.

As AI continues to evolve and expand in Africa, the integration of local context through relevant data will be crucial in creating systems that truly serve and empower African users, bridging the global AI performance gap.

GeoPoll’s Role in Bridging the Gap

GeoPoll stands at the forefront of addressing the AI performance gap in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. With its extensive experience in conducting surveys and collecting data across diverse populations, GeoPoll is uniquely positioned to provide the critical ingredient for improving AI performance: high-quality, locally relevant data.

Key Contributions:

1. Diverse Data Collection: GeoPoll’s methodologies allow for the collection of data from a wide range of demographics, including hard-to-reach populations. This ensures that AI models trained on this data are truly representative of the target markets.
2. 1 million hours of African voice recordings – GeoPoll holds an unmatched database of authentic African voice recordings from our surveys. We have over a million hours of voice recordings, in over 40 languages from all African countries. Combined with transcripts and possible translations, this is an invaluable asset from anyone looking to train LLMs based on African languages.
3. Multi-Modal Data: GeoPoll collects data through various channels, including voice, SMS, and online surveys. This multi-modal approach captures a more comprehensive picture of user behaviors and preferences.
4. Real-Time Insights: The company’s ability to gather real-time data allows for the creation of AI models that can adapt to rapidly changing market conditions and consumer behaviors.
5. Ethical Data Practices: GeoPoll adheres to strict ethical standards in data collection, ensuring that the data used for AI training respects privacy and consent, crucial for building trust in AI systems.
6. Local Expertise: With teams on the ground in many African countries, GeoPoll brings invaluable local knowledge to the data collection process, ensuring cultural nuances are properly captured.

Impact on AI Development:

By leveraging GeoPoll’s data, AI developers can:

1. Improve Language Models: Train NLP models on real-world usage of local languages and dialects, improving translation, sentiment analysis, and chatbot performance.
2. Enhance Predictive Analytics: Develop more accurate predictive models for consumer behavior, market trends, and economic indicators in emerging markets.
3. Refine Recommendation Systems: Create more relevant and culturally appropriate recommendation algorithms for e-commerce, content delivery, and personalized services.
4. Optimize Decision-Making AI: Improve the accuracy of AI-driven decision-making tools in areas that define the day-to-day activities of Africans, as well as business decisions.

The Bottomline

The global AI landscape is at a pivotal juncture. As we’ve explored throughout this article, the performance gap between AI systems in developed markets and emerging economies is not just a technological challenge – it’s an opportunity for innovation, inclusion, and impactful change.

The key to bridging this gap lies in recognizing the paramount importance of local context. AI systems, no matter how advanced, can only be as good as the data they’re trained on. In the diverse, complex environments of emerging markets like Africa, this means going beyond surface-level data collection to truly understand the nuances of language, culture, economic conditions, and social dynamics.

GeoPoll, with our extensive experience and innovative methodologies in data collection across emerging markets, is a crucial partner in this endeavor. We can provide rich, locally relevant datasets to enable the development of AI systems that don’t just work in these markets – they thrive, offering solutions tailored to local needs and challenges.

Learn more about GeoPoll AI Data Streams and voice recordings. Contact us to discuss how our data can slot into your AI project.

The post Closing the Gap: How Local Context Improves AI Performance in Emerging Regions appeared first on GeoPoll.

Smartphones have evolved beyond their original communication function to become adaptable learning, business, and leisure instruments. This extensive usage, reaching from cities to remote communities, has linked people across great distances and ignited creativity in financial services, healthcare, and farming, thus advancing socioeconomic progress.  

As Kenya continues to lead the way in Africa’s digital revolution the interdependent connection between technological progress and the widespread use of smartphones will accelerate additional advancement. This path is positioned to enable communities, promote comprehensive growth, and create new growth opportunities. 

The Mobile Penetration Rate in Kenya 

By gathering information from various sources, we can estimate the standard of mobile phones in Kenya and predict their widespread expansion. Mobile phones, especially smartphones, are everywhere in Kenya, from cities to rural areas. They’re not just for calls—they’re used for everything from buying goods to getting information.  

Experts predict that more individuals will acquire mobile phones due to their growing affordability and initiatives to enhance internet connectivity and digital literacy. Consequently, Kenya is moving towards a future where more of the population will have access to mobile phones, opening up new possibilities for development and advancement. 

GSMA Intelligence data indicates that Kenya had 66.04 million cellular mobile connections at the beginning of 2024. 

It’s essential to remember that many individuals globally utilize multiple mobile connections. For instance, they may have one connection for personal purposes and another for work-related use. Therefore, it’s common for the number of mobile connections to surpass the total population figures. 

In January 2024, GSMA Intelligence reported that the number of mobile connections in Kenya exceeded the total population by 118.7 percent.  

Between the beginning of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, the number of mobile connections in Kenya rose by 1.8 million, marking a 2.8 percent increase. 

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, prepaid plans continue to dominate the market, representing 65,492,294 out of 66,745,709 subscriptions, leaving only 1,253,415 for postpaid plans.  

Safaricom is Kenya’s leading mobile subscription provider, with a substantial 44,013,156 users, making it the largest operator by a significant margin. Airtel closely follows with 19,387,460 subscribers, while Telkom lags with 1,343,276 users. 

Mobile subscription per operator by CAA 

Mobile Money Usage in Kenya 

Mobile money platforms have become the preferred option for Kenyan citizens due to their speed and cost efficiency. They provide a convenient and adaptable financial solution.  

The Communications Authority reported that as of December 30th, 2023, mobile money subscriptions had decreased to 38 million, resulting in a penetration rate of 75.1%. This decline is attributed to a reduction in the number of mobile (SIM) subscriptions.  

Furthermore, the report highlights that the mobile money penetration rate, which indicates the proportion of people using these services, started at 78.2% in December 2022, gradually declining over the year before stabilizing around 75.1% from June 2023 onwards. 

Social Media Usage 

GeoPoll recently released a report on social media usage in Africa, revealing rapid growth due to mobile accessibility and a youthful population. Platforms like Facebook’s dominance reflects their function as communication tools, sources of news, and hubs for entertainment. 

In Kenya, the top social media platform is Facebook, which 82% of respondents prefer. TikTok comes next, capturing the interest of 62% of participants, while Instagram follows closely behind with 57%. Twitter holds a strong position, with 52% of respondents favoring it, and LinkedIn, while somewhat less popular, still maintains a notable presence, with 28% of respondents indicating their preference for the platform. 

These figures highlight the lively social media scene in Kenya. Facebook leads in user preference, with other popular platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn following closely behind. These platforms cater to various interests and demographics, creating a lively and interactive digital space. 

Learn more: 

GeoPoll, with its main office in Nairobi, utilizes the increasing influence of mobile technology to carry out surveys across Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. We engage individuals on their mobile devices through SMS surveys, voice calls, and web-based approaches. Additionally, we conduct face-to-face surveys using mobile devices to reach those who do not have access to their phones. If you want more details about our mobile methodologies, please contact us. 

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The Transformation of Data Collection Methods

Data collection methods have evolved significantly, transitioning from traditional paper-based surveys and in-person interviews to more sophisticated, technology-driven approaches. This evolution is driven by the need to overcome challenges such as high costs, time constraints, and accessibility issues in remote or hard to reach areas.

Modern data collection leverages mobile and internet technologies, offering several advantages:

1. Broader Reach: Mobile-based methods, including SMS, voice calls (CATI), and internet-based surveys (such as mobile web, WhatsApp, and email surveys), enable access to broader audiences, including remote or marginalized communities.
2. Speed and Efficiency: Digital tools facilitate quicker data collection and processing, allowing for real-time insights and faster decision-making. GeoPoll has deployed fast surveys even in times of natural disaster or conflict, with real-time data flowing in to help stakeholders act fast.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: Reduced logistical and operational costs make large-scale surveys more feasible and frequent. You can run surveys in multiple countries from the comfort of a single office.

Improving Data Quality through Technological Innovations

The accuracy and reliability of data are crucial. Technological advancements play a key role in enhancing the quality of data collected:

1. Real-Time Data Monitoring: Technology platforms such as GeoPoll’s allow for immediate data tracking and analysis, ensuring timely identification and resolution of discrepancies.
2. Automated Quality Controls: Algorithms can efficiently detect and correct errors, enhancing data integrity.
3. Geo-Location Verification: All data privacy elements considered, geolocation technology confirms the geographical location of respondents (and interviewers in CAPI Surveys), adding a layer of authenticity to the data.

Data Processing and Reporting: Turning Data into Insights

Transforming vast datasets into actionable insights is a critical step in the decision-making process. Advanced data processing systems are capable of handling large volumes of data, converting them into meaningful information through:

• Analytical Tools:  Data analysis software helps identify trends, patterns, and correlations fast.
• Visualization Techniques: Data visualization tools, including charts, graphs, and infographics, aid in presenting complex data in an understandable format.
• Customized Reporting: Tailored reports meet specific needs and objectives, ranging from comprehensive analytical reports to concise summaries.

The bottom line – Better technology + better data = better decisions

The future of decision-making is increasingly reliant on the synergy between technology and quality data. This trend is not just about collecting information; it’s about equipping decision-makers with accurate, comprehensive, and timely insights.

The continuous advancement in data collection and analysis technologies promises more nuanced, rapid, and cost-effective research methods. This evolution is crucial for understanding complex global phenomena and making informed decisions in various sectors, from development and humanitarian aid to market research and public policy.

At GeoPoll, we have created a unique technology platform that handles the entire research process, from questionnaire development to reporting. The result is an unprecedented speed at scale, high-quality data, and reporting outputs that truly drive decisions. Contact us to learn more about our platform and survey research capabilities.

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Let’s explore some key trends to watch in 2024 and beyond:

1. AI-powered Insights: From Data to Wisdom

Imagine a world where surveys aren’t just a collection of data points, but a treasure trove of insights generated by artificial intelligence (AI). AI and machine learning will play a central role in streamlining data analysis, uncovering hidden patterns, and even suggesting follow-up questions based on real-time responses. This will enable researchers to extract the full potential of their data, leading to more informed decisions and a deeper understanding of complex issues.

2. Micro-surveys: Capturing the Fleeting Moment

With a lot on people’s plates, gone are the days of lengthy questionnaires. In today’s fast-paced world, micro-surveys are taking center stage. These short, targeted surveys are ideal for capturing real-time opinions, preferences, and reactions in the moment. They are becoming increasingly important in gauging customer satisfaction during a service interaction, understanding fleeting trends, or gathering feedback on ever-changing situations – all through concise surveys.

3. Mobile-first Design: Surveys in Your Pocket

With mobile phone penetration skyrocketing, it’s no surprise that mobile-first survey design is here to stay, and will get even more essential with time. At GeoPoll, we have seen the rise of mobile surveys over the last decade, with more surveys completed via our mobile modes every year. This means optimizing questionnaires for smaller screens, incorporating interactive elements like geolocation and touch-friendly interfaces, and leveraging the power of mobile notifications for timely survey delivery. The result? A seamless and engaging survey experience that reaches respondents wherever they are.

4. Beyond the Checkbox: A Symphony of Data Collection

The future of surveys is not confined to multiple-choice questions. Prepare to be dazzled by multimedia elements like images, videos, and even augmented reality (AR) woven into the survey experience. This will enhance engagement and allow respondents to express themselves in more nuanced ways. Imagine capturing a respondent’s emotional response to a product image like we do with our Mobile Web, WhatsApp, and App surveys or gathering spatial data through a geolocated survey – the possibilities are endless.

5. Ethics and Transparency: Building Trust in the Data Age

As data collection becomes more sophisticated, ethical considerations and transparency will be even more paramount. Survey research must address issues like data privacy, bias mitigation, and ensuring informed consent from participants. Building trust will be essential for ensuring the validity and legitimacy of research findings.

6. Longitudinal Studies: Unveiling Long-Term Trends

Gone are the days of research snapshots; the future lies in understanding the long-term story. Longitudinal studies track respondents over time, offering invaluable insights into how trends evolve, interventions impact communities, and attitudes and behaviors shift over years and even decades. An example would be tracing food security and hunger indicators on a region within a country over several years such as the WFP Hunger Map, charting the changing demographics and needs of a refugee population over time or tracking daily media audiences. These longitudinal studies, with their rich data tapestry, hold the power to inform long-term planning and predict future scenarios. Advanced analytics tools then allow researchers to visualize trends and identify emerging patterns in real-time, react swiftly to evolving situations, and make informed decisions based on the latest data.

7. The Human Touch: A Guiding Light in the Age of Technology:

While technology is undoubtedly transforming the landscape of survey research, it’s crucial to remember the irreplaceable value of the human touch. Skilled researchers are the architects of effective surveys, the interpreters of complex data, and the translators of insights into actionable recommendations. But the human touch goes beyond just technical skills; it’s about building trust with participants, ensuring ethical practices, and respecting cultural sensitivities. In an age of automation and algorithms, it’s the human touch that ensures research remains grounded in empathy, responsibility, and ultimately, the betterment of humanity.

The Final Word

These are not just trends but a glimpse into the future of research, where technology empowers participation, data reveals long-term narratives and the human touch guides us toward a more informed world. By embracing these shifts and staying true to the core values of research, we can unlock the full potential of data to understand the world around us, make informed decisions, solve complex problems, and build a brighter future for all.

At GeoPoll, we are already participating in this data revolution with our deep understanding of diverse cultures, talented team, innovative research solutions, and a commitment to responsible research. Get in touch to explore the possibilities for your research.

The post 7 Trends in Survey Research to Watch in 2024 and Beyond appeared first on GeoPoll.

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.

Still, there is a lot of confusion about what it actually means.

This article discusses big data, why everyone is talking about it, and its comparison to research-based data.

What is big data?

Big data is a combination of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data collected by organizations that can be mined for information and used in machine learning projects, predictive modeling, and other advanced analytics applications.

Oracle describes big data as data that contains greater variety, arriving in increasing volumes and with more velocity (the three Vs).

According to Tech Target, big data doesn’t equate to any specific volume of data. Still, big data deployments typically involve terabytes, petabytes, and even exabytes of data created and collected over time.

How do big data and research data compare and contrast?

Whereas big data can tell us what has happened in the past and can make predictions on future events, in itself, it cannot explain “why” it happened. Research data that is more targeted to a specific question and can also include qualitative data can answer “why,” which is a fundamental difference between the two types of research.

Actually, research data can form an essential part of further enriching data sets that contribute to big data.

Rather than getting caught up in the semantics of the differences and which is more effective, the more important question is not how much data you have but what you do with it. The value of information obtained from the two methods of data collection and analysis (whether from large volumes of unstructured data – big data or research-based data) determines the most effective one for your business.

If we were to focus on the desired outcome of a data-gathering project by its ability to drive decision-making, then we see that both big data and data from research are just a means through which we get an outcome. Various other considerations must be made for each, such as the availability of the data in the first place, big data analysis capabilities, and the cost of marketing research, among others.

While research aims at solving particular research questions, big data tries to make sense of the information available where the topic/research question may or might not be in context, ergo sometimes the need to have ‘influencers’ to drive the topic.

Big data takes a lot of time to get output from, while research could be scoped to a particular time, reducing the time it takes to get the insights needed to make a business decision.

What does big data mean for market research data?

The question as to whether big data will render data from direct market research obsolete continues to elicit colossal debate in the research industry. In the developed world, big data is, in many aspects, providing insights that, traditionally, only market research could. In emerging markets, there may not be as much data to prompt the concern about the continued primary role and need for market research.

To answer this question, one must first contemplate the role of primary or secondary research in today’s world. The role of market research is to understand consumer behavior and perception and measure the consumption of goods or services. Or, simply put, the “hows” and the “whys.”

Without context and connections, big data is useless. It is simply megabytes of data that need to be compiled and manipulated to answer a question.

Humans are irrational, and more often than not, why they behave in a certain way or make the decisions they make cannot be explained or even predicted. No amount of machine intelligence through big data analytics will be able to answer the “whys.”

Big data can’t replace the need for market research. Instead, the two complement each other, as each has its purpose and benefits that, if used correctly, can effectively understand consumer behavior.

So, which is more important?

Organizations still strive to understand and respond to shifts in demand and consumer preferences. By having a clear understanding of the capabilities and challenges of big data and research data, businesses can effectively plan their expenditure either on tools to collect and analyze their own big data or go the primary research route by engaging a research agency such as GeoPoll to get a complete picture of consumer behavior and preferences.

Talk to us about your data and research needs.

The post Big data analytics vs market research data appeared first on GeoPoll.

Statistica reports that as of the fourth quarter of 2020, Kenya recorded the highest share of WhatsApp users, with 97% of the country’s digital population using the mobile messaging app monthly. South Africa (96%) and Nigeria (95%) followed, highlighting the significance of WhatsApp, especially in Africa.

Why it is so Popular

• Cost – For starters, WhatsApp is free to download and use. Then, WhatsApp uses data connectivity to exchange messages and phone calls, which is considerably cheaper than regular SMS and phone calls.
• Rich messaging – Unlike SMS, WhatsApp users can send messages of whatever length without counting words and leeway to send multimedia content such as images, videos, and audio.
• Ease of use – WhatsApp is so easy to use, people with most levels of literacy can use the app comfortably. All one needs is a smartphone and a phone number.
• Device accessibility – Being platform agnostic, WhatsApp can be on almost any device. The broad availability of the software is undoubtedly a significant factor in its popularity.
• Its own popularity – The fact that so many people use WhatsApp fuels its popularity even further as users will generally use Apps that the people they interact with as using.

Using WhatsApp to Conduct Surveys

Owing to the position WhatsApp holds in many people’s day-to-day lives worldwide, it presents a realistic means to conduct survey research. There are several reasons for this:

• Multimedia Questions – Provides the flexibility for administering complex surveys in rich multimedia such as audio, video, gifs, pictures, and animations. You can send pictures or videos for respondents to answer questions on and even get photos and recordings back from respondents.
• ­Low Costs – WhatsApp utilizes less data bandwidth making it cheaper for respondents to take surveys. The researcher also doesn’t incur direct mobile charges, making WhatsApp an affordable platform even for clients.
• ­Response Rates – Given that WhatsApp is one of the most widely used apps globally, WhatsApp surveys typically have higher engagement rates and are markedly faster to run.
• ­Flexible Question Types – WhatsApp works with multiple question types, such as matrix or grid questions with skip logic and randomization. ­WhatsApp also has no restrictions on question character limits and can utilize more extended question types.

­GeoPoll WhatsApp Surveys

GeoPoll uses WhatsApp to conduct surveys in two main ways:

• Mobile-Based Market Research Online Communities (MROCs) – Using WhatsApp Groups to gather valuable qualitative data to understand target audiences better. MROCs are focus groups where GeoPoll places respondents in moderated groups to discuss the topic under research.
• WhatsApp Survey Mode – Recently, GeoPoll fully integrated WhatsApp as a survey mode. We send automatic WhatsApp message prompts that are coded to allow for two-way interaction with the respondent. This way, GeoPoll can track progress remotely in real-time, providing more operational control over projects and ensuring high-quality data. We can send the surveys to the client’s database or GeoPoll’s own WhatsApp panel.

To learn more about our WhatsApp solutions and how they can be implemented with your project, please contact us.

The post WhatsApp: Penetration and Using it to Conduct Surveys appeared first on GeoPoll.

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.

This increase was primarily influenced by the restrictions placed on traditional retail stores that led to the reduction of in-store shopping by 30%. While many sectors of the economy were crippled by varying degrees of lockdown in 2020, online retailers experienced a boom in sales as South Africans avoided shopping malls and stores in favor of home deliveries. According to Stats SA, the market share of online retail in South Africa grew to 2.8% in 2020, double the percentage in 2018.

While COVID-19 had a role to play, this surge is expected to grow. Much like how the pandemic changed research for the long term, more South Africans got acquainted with shopping online, experienced the convenience of shopping online and may be shopping online more going forward.

According to a Deloitte study, more than 70% of South Africans are shopping online at least once a month. Most cited convenience, COVID-19, and saving time in that order as their reasons for increased online shopping. In tandem with global online shopping preferences, the report also shows clothing, electronics, footwear, household appliances and health products as the most popular categories among South African online shoppers.

The role of the Mobile Phone

Another factor that has increased the growth of eCommerce in South Africa is the fact that people are becoming more ‘digitally savvy,’ and technology, especially the mobile phone, is slowly taking part of their lives. The majority of people who go online mainly do so using their mobile phones. Cell phones have primarily replaced wallets, as banks, card operators, retailers and communications companies provide alternatives to cash as a means of payment.

A GeoPoll study in February 2020 showed that 45% of South Africans browse the internet on their mobile phones for more than four hours every day. The mobile phone is so integral that over 70% of South Africans access the internet only through the mobile phone.

Due to this reason, the US International Trade Administration advises companies to include mobile optimization in their e-commerce offerings to increase the buying experience.

Is Online Retail the Future in South Africa?

E-Commerce is growing at unprecedented rates in South Africa. Some of this growth has undoubtedly been fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, and while it remains to be seen if the demand will hold up, the expectation is that culture is shifting for the long term.

The increased appetite of South Africans for online shopping has not gone unnoticed by retailers as they seek to offer customers greater freedom and more options to transact. More and more businesses, both small businesses and established retail giants are following the demand and are establishing e-commerce as an essential sales channel.

Also, the rise and rise of mobile and internet penetration is laying the foundation of more day-to-day activities, including shopping, going digital.

For this digital revolution to be completed, however, the players in the market need to innovate and invest in overcoming the challenges that belabor the e-commerce sector in South Africa. Data costs remain incredibly high, residential addressing system is not well defined, and access infrastructure such as internal road and rail system is not up to par.  Insecurity also remains high, and many South Africans still have trust issues with shopping and paying remotely.

Once these challenges are met, e-commerce in South Africa should be able to break the ceiling and achieve the immense opportunity it holds.

Track e-Commerce and other Retail Metrics with GeoPoll

Retail, in all forms, is highly reliant on data to make actionable decisions and business moves. GeoPoll has worked with major retail players in South Africa and worldwide to collect on-the-ground, actionable insights to drive sales, customer satisfaction, audience measurement, the success of marketing campaigns and other key performance indicators. If you would like to learn more about GeoPoll Consumer Research, please contact us here.

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