1. Monitoring changes in weather patterns: Mobile surveys can collect data on weather patterns, such as temperature, precipitation, and wind speed, from respondents across different locations. This data can identify trends and changes in weather patterns over time.
2. Assessing the impact of climate change on ecosystems: Mobile surveys can be used to gather data on the health and condition of ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and coral reefs. This data can be used to assess the impact of climate change on these ecosystems and identify areas that require conservation efforts.
3. Tracking the adoption of climate-friendly behaviors: Mobile surveys can be used to track the adoption of climate-friendly behaviors, such as reducing energy consumption, using public transportation, and recycling. This data can be used to identify areas where more education and outreach are needed to encourage sustainable behaviors. Here is a report from a mobile survey GeoPoll conducted in the Caribbean on Climate change perceptions.
4. Identifying vulnerable populations: Mobile surveys can be used to gather data on the vulnerability of different populations to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and sea-level rise. This data can inform policy decisions and allocate resources to vulnerable communities. Here is another report we conducted on the impact of climate change on women in Pakistan.
5. Guide humanitarian relief responses – When natural crises such as hurricanes and floods occur, it is important for relief providers to move with speed and provide targeted aid to those in the affected areas. Mobile surveys help access such areas, which wouldn’t otherwise be reachable by researchers.

GeoPoll Climate Change Research Use Cases

Over the years, GeoPoll has developed remote mobile surveying capabilities that allow energy, climate, and environmental stakeholders to gather ongoing data to measure trends or one-off data from specific populations.

• Assess the green energy market – assess community awareness, usage, availability, and habits around green energy to inform green energy strategies.
• Assess natural disaster preparedness – assess preparedness for potential natural disasters and predict resilience levels if a natural disaster occurs.
• Assess resilient farming practices – assess farmer perceptions of, and experiences with, climate-resilient farming practices and new farming technologies.
• Monitoring and Evaluation – measure the impact of climate-focused initiatives on communities.
• Measure climate change behaviors – track community perceptions about climate change and changes in behavior due to climate.
• Measure access to resources – measure perceptions of the effectiveness of interventions intended to increase access to natural resources.
• Quickly access populations hit by climate crises – Due to our huge database of respondents and capability to move quickly, GeoPoll can deploy mobile surveys to assess the impact of the crises and assess the needs of the victims to help direct humanitarian relief.

Overall, mobile surveys can be a valuable tool for tracking climate change, but ensuring that the data collected is representative and reliable is important, and this is where GeoPoll comes in.

If you are in the climate, energy, and environment space, contact GeoPoll to learn more about our capabilities and how we can help.

The post Using Mobile to Track Climate Change appeared first on GeoPoll.

Mobile, therefore, is one of the most plausible tools to reach young people, whether for marketing and promotion or when you need to collect feedback. Using mobile modes such as GeoPoll’s SMS, mobile links, CATI and WhatsApp, organizations can collect data directly from the youth using self-administered or enumerator surveys. Given that younger people are more tech-survey, mobile surveys promise an excellent interaction rate.

In this article, we look at the various ways mobile can be used to reach and survey the youth and suggest considerations from GeoPoll’s experience conducting mobile research.

Examples of youth-targeted survey research

• Understand youth perspective: Surveys are an effective way to gain real-time market and human development insights on how the youth perceive brands, development topics, and unfolding events. Given that the youth form the most significant population segment, surveying them can be the driver for most initiatives.
• Tracking trainees: During and after training programs targeting the youth, it is imperative to understand their effectiveness. Mobile surveys can be used to track the progress and success of participants during and after training without the risk of bias.
• Surveys integrated into training: Surveys can be part of training and can be used to track participants’ learning goals in skills development programs.
• Incentivized follow up: Participants can be contacted in the future to evaluate program effectiveness
• Identify in-demand skills and labor markets: Since they form that largest part of the global workforce, the youth are well placed to point to skills gaps, the direction of work, employment rates and to inform workforce development programs as the youth share their experience in the job market.

How to design and run youth-friendly surveys

Short surveys: Younger generations are known for their short attention spans, and the lengthier the survey, the higher the chance of them dropping off before finishing.

Short and simple questions: The best survey questions are simple and straightforward, particularly for younger people whose concentration levels will make them gloss over complex questions and either drop off or provide rushed responses.

Vibrant, casual language: They say the best way to speak to someone is to speak their language. When surveying the youth, it is advisable to make the tone chatty and fun to keep their concentration.

Ensure the survey is mobile-friendly: Over 60% of the youth spend most of their time on mobile, as compared to desktops. The survey design should, therefore, be mobile-focused.

Ethical considerations: When surveying younger people below 16, 18, or 21 depending on the country, we’re surveying minors who legally fall into a protected class of people whose parents or guardians may need to consent.

Incentivize: Responding to surveys takes valuable time that could be spent doing anything else, which applies to most age groups. To get optimal participation levels, it’s a great idea to incentivize the process so that the respondents feel appreciated as they readily complete the survey.

GeoPoll Surveys

GeoPoll’s data scientists and market researchers are experts in collecting reliable data through mobile and will assist you with youth-friendly survey design, mode selection, and data analysis. With our robust mobile surveying platform, we can target youth specifically, with advanced demographic/geographic targeting, survey routing, and complex skip logics for reliable, high-quality data.

If you would like to collect data from younger populations or learn more about our work, please contact us for a personalized demo.

The post How to Survey Youth using Mobile 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.

The experienced panel for this webinar consisted of Christine Mueni (Business Development Lead, East Africa), Scott Lansell (VP, International Development & Relief), and King Beach (Director of Solutions). Roxana Elliott (VP, Marketing) moderated the webinar. Panelists presented on the different mobile modes and then answered several questions from the audience in this interactive session.

Here is the webinar recording, in case you missed it:

Key Takeaways from the webinar

1. There are several benefits to conducting research via mobile phone.

Mobile surveys’ reach is wider than ever with the growing mobile penetration around the globe. With mobile, there are several modes to choose from, the targeting can be hyperlocal, and most importantly, data can be collected remotely. Remote research saves time and money and transcends barriers such as poor infrastructure and field inaccessibility such as during a natural calamity, war, or disease outbreaks such as Ebola and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

2. The choice of the survey mode is as important as the project itself

There are several mobile research modes, which the panel went through in detail, and each method has its pros and cons, depending on the goal of the research project. Several factors determine the choice of the best mode to use, such as the target audience, the type of survey questions, length of the survey, and data connectivity availability. Short, concise surveys, for example, work well for SMS, but longer surveys incorporating pictures will work with mobile web or app. If the target audience is illiterate or the surveys are long, phone interviews via CATI may be best.

>> Learn about GeoPoll’s Mobile research modes.

3. During COVID-19, mobile research may be the only option

In the past, GeoPoll has gathered data remotely in otherwise inaccessible areas. For example, when Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, GeoPoll’s on-the-ground data helped international and relief organizations focus relief efforts. During the coronavirus pandemic, face-to-face interviews have been deemed impractical. Yet beyond regular data needs, organizations need to understand how the pandemic has impacted communities and markets, making remote research imperative. This has led to the rise in remote research methods.

4. CATI is a good substitute for face to face surveys

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing involves trained enumerators calling respondents, asking them survey questions, and recording the answers on an application. It is similar to face to face interviews in that it allows for probing for quality responses, response reinforcement and accommodates longer questionnaires. However, it has some limitations and challenges, including CATI reaching only mobile phone-owning populations, and requiring remote monitoring of enumerators. There are also cultural and socioeconomic nuances that must be considered when conducting CATI calls, such as respondents in certain areas responding better to female interviewers. Now that face to face interviews are not as applicable as in normal times, GeoPoll transitioned to remote call centers and is running over 80,000 CATI interviews every month.

Learn more about CATI research here.

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The presentation deck is available for free download here. If you have questions about mobile research or the modes presented in the webinar, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The post RECAP: Takeaways from the Mobile Research FAQs Webinar appeared first on GeoPoll.

Research Methodologies

Self-Administered Surveys 

A survey is a series of simple questions that build on each other and are designed in a specific order to explore one or more topics. Depending on the survey, questions and responses can be text or multimedia. Self-administered surveys are surveys that are completed by the respondent and are often sent to and completed by SMS, web link, or mobile application. 

Respondents can complete surveys via Short Message Service (SMS or text message) one question at a time. This method is ideal for some populations, such as those found in countries in sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America, because it does not require respondents to have internet connectivity. 

Surveys can also be internet-based via a web link, mobile web link or a mobile application. With mobile web links, respondents with internet-capable phones click on a link within an initial SMS message and then complete the survey in a basic web browser. Mobile web supports video/picture questions, and question formats such as matrices which are not supported in SMS surveys.

Respondents who own smartphones can complete surveys through a mobile application which, with the respondent’s consent, has additional capabilities for GPS location, passive data collection and picture taking. Mobile applications can also facilitate tasks such as retail audits or billboard monitoring. 

Interactive Voice Interviews (IVR) are a self-administered audio interview, in which respondents listen to audio pre-recordings and answer questions using their dialpad. This method is useful for reaching illiterate populations through voice calls, without needing to train call center interviewers, however response rates can be lower than when using CATI, a method outlined below.

Interviews through CATI, CAPI, or Pen and Paper  

Similar to surveys, interviews are a series of questions that explore one or more topics. One major difference is that the interview methods discussed here are interviewer-administered, rather than self-administered. Depending on the targeted population and the amount of time needed for data collection, interviews can be done in person or over the phone. Interviewers must be trained, fluent in the respondent’s language of choice, and familiar with their cultural context.

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), is done over the phone with the interviewer based in a country-specific call center. This methodology allows for interviewers with multiple language capabilities to easily speak with respondents across a large or hard-to-access region more quickly than is possible using face-to-face interviews. 

For in-person interviews, Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) facilitates face-to-face data collection in the field through a mobile application and removes the need for paper questionnaires or manual data collection. Pen and paper interviews are still used in some contexts but are inefficient and can lead to data input errors or interviewer error.

Observative Research

Observation is a qualitative methodology where researchers witness a respondent’s natural behavior in their usual environment. Depending on the goal, a researcher may engage with the situation or remain at a distance and only watch. The benefit of this methodology is that researchers can understand how a respondent actually acts, rather than what they self-report.

Observational research may be used as a precursor to a survey when researchers need more information about a specific question. Or, observation might be used if researchers are concerned that self-reported behaviors may differ from a person’s actions, even if this inaccuracy is unintentional. 

Focus Groups

A focus group is a small group of people (usually 6-8) who represent a larger group. In traditional focus groups,  respondents meet in one location with a researcher for up to two hours and discuss specific research topics. Similar to surveys or interviews, the researcher will lead respondents through a series of predetermined questions. This methodology allows for discussion and collaboration between respondents.

Digital focus groups can also be administered through either computer-based chats, often called Market Research Online Communities, or using mobile-based group chats, such as ones GeoPoll has facilitated with brands including Unilever. 

Big Data Analytics

Analysis of large amounts of data is a useful way to understand patterns and trends. Gartner defines big data as “data that contains greater variety arriving in increasing volumes and with ever-higher velocity.”  Big data can be valuable in identifying certain types of consumer insights. It can lead to robust decision-making around consumer needs or satisfaction and help predict future opportunities for innovation. However, the large amount of information is not infallible. Just as important is the interpretation and application of this data. While big data analysis tries to make sense of large amounts of information, market research methodologies like surveys and interviews can answer a specific research question. 

Market Research Methods During COVID-19

In-person research is one of the most traditional types of data collection and still remains popular today. However, the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus has made in-person research impossible, and researchers must find other ways to collect data that keep both themselves and their respondents safe. 

Using the aforementioned remote methodologies, which include SMS, mobile web link, CATI, and mobile-based focus groups,  data collection is still possible and safe during coronavirus. GeoPoll has experience transitioning face-to-face research to remote methodologies and has the existing infrastructure to support robust data collection. Our team are experts in remote data collection methodologies and can quickly transition an in-person study to a remote, mobile-based methodology. To speak to a member of our team about your project, please contact us today. For more information about GeoPoll’s research methodologies and conducting research throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America, download our guide to research in emerging regions. 

The post Market Research Methods appeared first on GeoPoll.

In such a crisis, the challenges that response and relief teams face cannot be overstated. Accessing the victims and assessing immediate needs is critical, but this can be an arduous task when areas are difficult to reach, as was the case with Mozambique when Cyclone Idai – and Cyclone Kenneth soon afterward – landed to great destruction.

After Cyclone Idai, data was required to help guide the humanitarian response. But, with challenges accessing affected areas, there was a need for a way to gather data both quickly and remotely. Leveraging our existing respondent database in Mozambique and mobile survey platform, GeoPoll deployed a series of remote SMS-based surveys to the regions hardest hit by the Cyclone in Mozambique. Data gathered included information on infrastructure damages, food security, and the aid needed most by the communities.

Due to the fast nature of SMS surveys, we were able to pass on this invaluable on-the-ground information to humanitarian organizations in real-time, enabling them to offer the humanitarian and health assistance needed.

Collecting Data During Disease Outbreaks

The Mozambique case is just one example of how data can be collected immediately and remotely following various humanitarian crises. Another use case is during infectious disease outbreaks when it is not safe or feasible for workers to collect data in-person.

During various outbreaks of Ebola between 2014 and 2019, GeoPoll conducted several SMS and CATI surveys in the worst-hit parts of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the DRC to measure its impacts on the livelihoods of people and indicators such as food insecurity.

Currently, GeoPoll is running a series of research surveys to assess the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This freely available data is helping policymakers, international development organizations and brands make better decisions to reduce the spread and effect of the virus.

Data on Conflicts and Violent Extremism

Conflict is another humanitarian issue affecting many regions of the world from time to time. During a conflict, on-the-ground data is imperative for humanitarian aid groups and governments looking to measure the severity of the crisis and aid those in need. For instance, in April 2018, GeoPoll deployed our remote mobile data collection tool to collect vital information on food insecurity, levels of displacement, relief needs, and individual opinions from respondents in the war-ridden Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The data collected helped focus humanitarian aid efforts on protecting civilians from the side effects of war.

Data for humanitarian development and relief

Research points out the realities of broader populations. In times where it is otherwise impossible to get information from people on the ground, remote data collection can play a pivotal role in capturing the sentiment and realities in hard-to-reach areas. Over the years, GeoPoll has developed unique remote research systems, a large respondent database, and the experience to be able to assist essential humanitarian interventions through the provision of fast, reliable information in any circumstance.

We have worked with several international development groups and governments on a myriad of topics, including humanitarian aid, education and employment, monitoring and evaluation, food security, health, combatting violent extremism, governance, resilience, energy and climate, and financial inclusion among others. For more information and capabilities, please contact us here.

The post Collecting Data for Relief Remotely During Humanitarian Crises appeared first on GeoPoll.

Reaching the lowest SECs through mobile research

Conducting research with the poorest populations in countries such as Ethiopia and South Sudan has typically been done through in-person interviews. However, GeoPoll has been able to implement high-quality research methods that can reach the lowest SEC populations via the mobile phone, and at a much more reasonable price than face-to-face methods. The secret to our success came from looking at what variables have typically been a barrier to engaging the lowest SEC populations via mobile phone and working with those variables in mind.

Mobile based research that is conducted through certain modes, like SMS and Mobile Web, use written questionnaires to engage respondents. Such modes require a respondent to have sufficient reading and writing skills in order to participate in the survey. In the lowest SEC populations, literacy rates are often low. In order to engage people in low literacy populations, GeoPoll uses voice call surveys, rather than SMS or mobile web surveys, which enables us to conduct research remotely without relying on written surveys.

GeoPoll’s most popular research mode that uses voice calls is Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). CATI surveys are conducted by live enumerators via a voice call with a respondent. Enumerators guide respondents through the survey and record the responses in a GeoPoll mobile application on an electronic tablet device for future analysis. GeoPoll’s CATI call centers are staffed by enumerators fluent in local languages and dialects of the target population to eliminate communication barriers that could exist between the enumerator and respondent. Although CATI is very effective at reaching the low-level SEC populations in emerging markets via mobile phone, GeoPoll also offers Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) as a research mode to aid the in-person interview process.

Reaching mid-level SECs in emerging markets through mobile research methods

When setting out to reach mid-level SECs, literacy rates of the target population should still be considered but there are. In fact, the World Bank published that as of 2018 55% of adults age 15+ in sub-Saharan Africa are literate.

GeoPoll often advises that clients targeting a relatively literate mid-level SEC use the SMS mode of research. SMS is a strong method for collecting research in emerging markets because surveys can be conducted completely remotely, data is available for analysis in near real-time, and costs can be lower than voice call methods. Additionally, SMS surveys are able to engage all people from low-to-mid level SECs up to the wealthiest populations because all literate mobile phone users can receive SMS messages regardless of their device type.

Reaching the wealthy through mobile based research in emerging markets

Although the number of feature phone and smartphone users in emerging markets is increasing, there is still a large portion of people without access to the Internet through their mobile phones. Because of this, survey methods that require Internet access primarily reach those in mid-to-upper tier SEC populations. The importance of this factor in a study will depend on the project at hand.

The modes of mobile research that require Internet connectivity conducted by GeoPoll are mobile web and mobile application. The advantages of these research modes are the capabilities in comparison to the SMS and CATI modes. Mobile web and mobile application surveys can support images, videos, complex question types, and they have lower associated costs than the other modes mentioned in this post. The drawbacks are rooted in the narrower frame of respondent reach.

Reaching all SECs through mobile

At GeoPoll we understand the importance of reaching survey respondents across all social classes for quality research and data. This is why we offer a variety of methodologies to our clients. GeoPoll’s range of survey modes and methods allow us to strategically reach populations that many other research organizations cannot.

With all of the information provided above, it may be hard to determine the best method to use for your survey to reach your target population. Keep in mind that each project has a unique set of needs; GeoPoll’s research experts have years of experience facilitating mobile based research projects all over the globe and can provide guidance on the survey mode, or combination of survey modes, best for your project. GeoPoll research experts are always available to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have. Contact us to speak with a research expert today.

The post Reaching Different Socioeconomic Classes through Mobile Based Research in Emerging Markets appeared first on GeoPoll.

The proliferation of mobile phones in sub-Saharan Africa opens up new possibilities for data collection. Businesses and the international development community can now collect data via short message service (SMS), interactive voice response (IVR), surveys with a live interviewer (also known as computer-assisted telephone interviewing, or CATI), and through the use of a mobile application. Collecting data via mobile phones also allows for the collection of longitudinal data – meaning data from the same person over a set amount of time. Unlike conducting panel surveys face-to-face, which is still cost prohibitive for most projects, mobile research reduces this cost whilst still providing quality insights as and when they are needed for quick decision making.

The development of Africa as a mobile-first continent has led to great interest in collecting panel data using mobile phones in sub-Saharan Africa. Although research agencies that previously fully relied on traditional data collection methods are now warming up to the idea of using mobile in research, there is still some uncertainty regarding their use in surveys either for qualitative or quantitative research.

As the leading mobile surveying platform, conducting over 7 million surveys per year through the mobile phone, we have encountered and answered numerous questions in various forums and meetings regarding mobile research. In this article, we pick some of the most frequently posed ones and provide answers based on our policies and industry best practices which we have adopted into our operations.

What is mobile sampling?

Access to mobile phones is becoming more widespread across all parts of the globe, and research agencies like GeoPoll are leverage the ubiquitous nature of mobile phones to recruit survey respondents who form a sample.
A sample is a representative number or an entire population. Sampling is the science of using a subset of a population in order to make observations of a larger population.

What is a mobile research panel?

This is a group of respondents recruited via a mobile phone to take part in a number of market research sessions over a period of time in order to collect longitudinal data. This data helps to paint a dynamic picture of people’s economic livelihoods and social well-being – supporting program design, implementation, and evaluation. In contrast, single cross-sectional surveys or repeated cross-sections cannot prospectively show how circumstances in people’s lives change over a time period.

How are active panels of respondents recruited via mobile?

A respondent panel can be built through multiple methods including partnerships with Mobile Network Operators, random digit dialing, and both online and face-to-face recruitment. GeoPoll incrementally invites all mobile phone numbers in a country to complete the GeoPoll registration survey and be eligible for future surveys. GeoPoll then builds an active panel consisting of respondents who have taken a GeoPoll survey in the past and who GeoPoll is able to target by demographics including age, gender, and location.

Are panelists recruited via mobile nationally representative?

Access to mobile phones is becoming more widespread across all parts of the globe, however, the mobile population does not always perfectly match the national population. To account for this, at GeoPoll, we compare the demographic distribution of mobile survey respondents to the most recent census population estimates by age, gender, and the first administrative political geographic boundaries in order to ensure that the surveys are as representative as possible of sampled populations. In addition, GeoPoll regularly recruits respondents to widen our demographic reach and can support face-to-face interviews to reach non-mobile populations.

What is the optimal number of questions in a mobile survey?

In our experience, mobile respondents are often likely to drop out of a survey. Not all mobile respondents complete a survey they have been served. To help reduce the drop-off rate it is important to have an optimal number of questions that ensure that respondents don’t get fatigued. A standard 10- 15 question mobile survey sent either via SMS, mobile web or via a mobile application is the optimal number to ensure a high response rate.

What is the normal response rate for mobile surveys?

As seen in the US for mobile surveys, the response rates for new respondents can be often around 10% or less. The response rates will vary by survey mode, by country, and by project so this can be discussed further with your research agency project team since they are fully responsible for ensuring the highest possible completion rate. Additional research by Lau et. al. 2018 indicate that higher or lower response rates do not necessarily dictate a more ‘valid’ survey when looking at mobile surveys in emerging markets.
For GeoPoll panelists who have completed at least one survey with GeoPoll before, the response rates can be as high at 80%, for example with a daily panel.

Do mobile surveys require smartphones?

Not all of them, there are mobile surveys that can be sent to respondents on their feature phones via SMS or via call. Based on our experience in emerging markets, one is more likely to have a more nationally representative sample when mobile surveys are sent via SMS. This is due to the high penetration rate of feature phones compared to a smartphone or other internet-enabled mobile devices. GeoPoll surveys can be taken on any handset, including basic feature phones, and do not require access to the internet.

How can data security be assured and data privacy be protected when utilizing mobile devices?

Data privacy has become of great concern in recent months following the Cambridge Analytica scandal among other recent events.  As market researchers continue to leverage the new capabilities that modern communication technology brings, concerns arise on how we can safeguard the privacy of our respondents as an industry.

This access to personal data by market research agencies is why it’s so critical that market research industry associations like ESOMAR continue to distinguish market research practices from platform practices. The market research industry, including companies like GeoPoll, abide by a set of ethics in the management of personal information. Not marketing or trying to sell services to survey respondents is critical for ongoing trust and honesty in market research.

The post Frequently Asked Questions in Mobile research appeared first on GeoPoll.

This short article attempts to highlight three key factors that market research and insights providers can use to get out from the shadows and carve out our fair share of sun: The how, the what, and the why.

How can market research companies innovate like the big platforms and their ecosystems?

While they have been buzzwords for some time, agile and incremental systems development remain just as key for market research innovators today as they do for the latest technology start-ups.  Being agile means prioritizing shipping products collaboratively with clients, and doing so in structured loops that are responsive to emergent challenges and opportunities.  It means rapid prototyping and continuous deployment and calculated risk-taking.  Incremental development also means starting with smaller budgets, and following with multi-client subscription projects.  The “how” might not be the most obvious place to start an article like this, but without the “how” there is no way to achieve a “what” that matters.

What can market research companies do to keep up with changing technology?

Today there are thousands of devices running hundreds of versions of dozens of operating systems, and they are all coming on and offline able to collect and transmit market research information.  What are market researchers to do?  The solution is stepping backward and stepping forward at the same time.  Let me explain.

What are the lowest common denominators still in mobile technology?  Voice and SMS.  Integrating solutions that can still reach every device are key to keeping up.  This is also key for minimizing selection biases when people can only be reached by conventional mobile methods. That’s stepping backward.

Simultaneously, market research must step forward by leveraging the new capabilities that modern communication technology brings, including the Internet, email, mobile applications, and over the top messaging (like Whatsapp), amid a myriad of nearly endless (although not all endlessly lucrative) sensor technology options.  Combining the old and the new in a credible and logical fashion so that everyone can be reached and results are comparable is key.

Why must market researchers differentiate themselves from platform companies and their ecosystems?

While platform companies like Facebook and Google have earned the wary trust of consumers through free products and services, the drawback is in individuals sharing deeply personal information and trusting these groups to be responsible with it.  There are some fissures in this implicit bargain which are starting to show, as demonstrated by the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal, among other recent events.

This access to personal data is why it’s so critical that market research industry associations like ESOMAR continue to distinguish market research practices from platform practices. The market research industry, including companies like GeoPoll, abide by a set of ethics in the management of personal information. Not marketing or trying to sell services to survey respondents is critical for ongoing trust and honesty in market research.

The research we do is our How, What is the way we conduct research, and Why is to make sure we act responsibly with the personal information to which we are entrusted.  With the arrival of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May, it is not only morally critical but legally critical to make sure our ethical codes around data use remain strong and adhered to.

The post How Market Research Can Innovate with Integrity in 2018 appeared first on GeoPoll.