Slider questions in mobile surveys

Slider questions in mobile surveys

Slider questions are a form of a survey rating question where the user inputs feedback via a graphical interface.

There are several advantages to using the slider question type on your mobile survey, including:

  • They are fun and engaging to users
  • They allow for more specificity than a simpler rating scale
  • Users are often more inclined to answer truthfully given the flexibility to rate as they see fit

However results from a slider rating can have a wider variety of responses, which can cause challenges in interpreting the overall sentiment of the sample.

Grouping these numerical responses into ranges based on the ratings provided can be helpful in this interpretation, assuming your survey provider supports answer grouping with this type of survey question.


Single-selection question design

Single-selection question design

Single-Selection, or Single Answer Questions are questions where a user is asked to pick only one answer from a pre-determined set of responses of two or more options. They are one of the most common survey question types and are effective in determining a user’s primary preference among a set of choices.

The most common single-selection questions are multiple choice questions, where users are given a list of responses and asked to pick the best answer.

Why are single-selection questions so popular?

  • They close the responses—you provide answers that a user may not have thought of.
  • It's easy to analyze their results quantitatively
  • They're easy for participants to respond to on mobile devices and stay engaged.

Single-selection and multiple choice questions: Examples & Best Practices

How to write multiple choice questions

Traditional multiple choice questions (like you might find on the SATs) contain 3 parts: the stem (the question or incomplete statement), the correct answer and the distractors.

In mobile market research surveys, multiple choice questions can be used to gauge user opinion.

Multiple choice survey questions are popular for several reasons:

  • Everyone has seen them before so there is no confusion as to what to do.
  • They are easily consumed on mobile.
  • They make reporting very easy.

Just like with traditional multiple choice questions, you need a stem. But there is, of course, no correct answer, just opinions, so all answers hold equal weight.

When creating a stem, create a question with a single-select answer. You want to ensure that there is no ambiguity where someone could select multiple responses, as this creates confusion and results in incomplete results. You can also write an incomplete or "fill-in-the-blank" statement and have the user select the blank.

There are many different kinds of multiple choice questions, but single-selection questions provide straightforward responses that are easy to work with once data collection is complete.

Yes/No answers may be polarizing

Provide limited insights depending on the question. You can offer more than two answer options, including:

A) First Answer
B) Second Answer
C) Third Answer
D) Fourth Answer

Don’t offer too many choices

This will force a user to scroll or take time to compare an answer at the bottom of the list with one from the top—you want the most natural response possible without a user “speed-selecting” the first answer choice as a result of researcher or participant bias.

Scale questions work well on mobile

Another popular type of single-selection question is a Likert scale question. These questions allow users to select from a scale of responses, indicating their feelings towards customer satisfaction. These question types tend to provide the best experience on mobile, for example:

Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree

Single numerical values vs number ranges

You don't have to stick to single numbers. You can ask users to choose between numerical ranges. Just be sure not to “overlap” answers, as this can confuse the respondent:

Considerations for designing a mobile survey

Answers to single answer questions should be shuffled, or randomized where appropriate to remove some of the survey bias and ensure that the participant is selecting the best choice. Researchers tend to write answers in the order they expect them to be answered, and respondents tend to choose the first answer they are presented with.

With Pollfish, there is also the ability to anchor the last answer, by selecting “Shuffle but keep the last one fixed”.

There are times when you do not want to shuffle answers, such as when asking for a numerical response.

You may want to employ a technique of asking single-selection questions in a slightly different way in your survey, to validate that the responses are consistent, reliable, and credible.

If you already have a list of answer choices, batch answers can speed your survey design and avoid the hassle of typing individual answers one at a time. If you have the list on separate lines in an excel sheet, word doc, or similar, simply select “Add batch answers” and cut-and-paste your choices from your source document.

Advanced Tip: If you want to copy the answers from a previous question you created, select “Add batch answers” there and the pop-up window will have your choices available to copy and paste.
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Rank order survey questions (and how to use them)

Rank order survey questions (and how to use them)

Rank order survey questions (also called Ranking questions) enable participants to compare items and rank them according to their preference.

The Benefit of Rank Order Survey Questions

The benefit of this over other survey question types like multiple answer survey questions or rating questions is that you gain critical data about a participant's preference of one item as compared to another—versus choosing multiple answers without ranking them or rating on an individual basis.

Ranking Survey Questions vs Rating Survey Questions

Ranking survey questions differ from rating questions in that participants are forced into providing a preference for one item over another—whereas in a rating question, two items may both compare similarly. For example:

“Rank your preference on the hotel amenities during your stay”

  • Pool
  • Gym
  • Bar
  • Fast Check-in

Will provide different information than

“On a scale of 1-5, please rate the following hotel amenities”

  • Pool
  • Gym
  • Bar
  • Restaurant

In the latter, all categories may receive a “5” – which will tell you how satisfied a guest is, whereas survey ranking questions may provide insight on what the most appealing amenity is.

How To Write Ranking Survey Questions

Unlike other types of survey questions, which may tell you how much a user enjoyed your product or service, Ranking questions are often used to determine what about the experience was most valuable.

For example, if you ran a Mexican restaurant, you may want to know the most popular Mexican dish among Mexican food fans in your area. But let's say you are going to invest in certain parts of your business--new menu, top-shelf ingredients, renovation. But you only have money to invest the money into three projects. It might be helpful also to know which parts of your business customers already love and which they feel could use some improvement.

Here's where ranked-choice survey questions are a must.

Just a few examples for your Mexican restaurant:

Please rank the following in order of importance

  • Great cocktails
  • Vegetarian options
  • A delicious dessert menu
  • A top-shelf tequila list
  • Ample parking
  • Speedy pick-up service

Please rank your favorite Mexican restaurants in the area

  • Sleepy Joes
  • Cantina Dos Segundos
  • Casa Taqueria
  • Rosa Mexicana
  • Jose Pistolas
  • Chipotle

Best Practices for Ranking Survey Questions

Don't read too much into the lower rankings

Once people have selected their favorites or their least favorites, results can get a little noisy. Most people clearly know what they like and don't like, and may just be selecting in the middle to get the question over with. Make sure to take this into account.

Aim for six items

Six items in a ranking question allows for a full range, without creating imprecise answering that longer lists can create. Six items allows you to determine a top 3 very clearly, or get a high end and a low end, with enough options in between. In our experience, between 6-10 items usually work well.

Shuffle items

If your survey platform allows it, set items to shuffle regularly. This will reduce survey bias. In some cases, the top result may be ranked higher because it is first on the list.

Split longer lists into categories

If you have a very long list of different product features that you want ranked, doing a long ranking list will provide messy data that is hard to use. Try splitting your items into categories, keeping lists short and creating multiple questions. It will increase response rates and give you a better dataset.

Frequently asked questions

What are rank order survey questions?

Rank order survey questions, also called Ranking questions, enable participants to compare items and rank them according to their preference.

What is the benefit of Rank Order Survey Questions?

The benefit of rank order survey questions over other survey question types (multiple answer survey questions, rating questions) is that you gain critical data about a participant's preference of one item as compared to another—versus choosing multiple answers without ranking them or rating on an individual basis.

How can you reduce survey bias in rank order survey questions?

You can reduce survey bias in rank order questions by shuffling them regularly, if your survey platform allows it. This is because, In some cases, the top result may be ranked higher because it is first on the list.

How do rank order survey questions differ from other types of survey questions?

Unlike other types of survey questions, which may tell you how much a user enjoyed your product or service, ranking questions are often used to determine what about the experience was most valuable.


Frequently asked questions

What are rank order survey questions?

Rank order survey questions, also called Ranking questions, enable participants to compare items and rank them according to their preference.

What is the benefit of Rank Order Survey Questions?

The benefit of rank order survey questions over other survey question types (multiple answer survey questions, rating questions) is that you gain critical data about a participant's preference of one item as compared to another—versus choosing multiple answers without ranking them or rating on an individual basis.

How can you reduce survey bias in rank order survey questions?

You can reduce survey bias in rank order questions by shuffling them regularly, if your survey platform allows it. This is because, In some cases, the top result may be ranked higher because it is first on the list.

How do rank order survey questions differ from other types of survey questions?

Unlike other types of survey questions, which may tell you how much a user enjoyed your product or service, ranking questions are often used to determine what about the experience was most valuable.


How to run effective consumer surveys

How to run effective consumer surveys

If you want more customers, it is worth listening to the feedback provided by the ones you already have. Discovering and understanding what they think about your product/business/brand is critically important to successfully scale your business.

One way that you can find out how your customers are feeling is through surveys. With consumer surveys, you will be able to gather valuable information about their experience and can adjust accordingly. This will be effective in the long run, as listening to customer feedback will inevitably lead to improving people’s experience and creating a loyal customer base.

Surveys can give you the information to help you improve the experience of existing customers but can also help you decide the best way to reach new customers in the future. By finding out how you are viewed by your customers, you can adjust and adapt to create a better experience for everyone. Here are a few tips for writing the most effective customer feedback survey:

Construct a short, yet compelling invitation

The invitation is often the make-or-break factor in deciding whether the recipient clicks through to and completes the survey. Keep this invitation as brief as possible—but without leaving out key details. Make sure that the recipient knows it is coming from your company and briefly explain what the survey will be about. This will be effective because it will refresh the customers’ minds and increase the chance of getting better results.

Keep it short

No one wants to waste their valuable free time answering hundreds and thousands of questions about your company. So, keep your survey concise without sacrificing your goal. Do this by losing unnecessary questions and by making the questions you use specific and useful.

Optimize for mobile

Over 50 percent of most demographic groups have a smartphone, and this number is only increasing. Since the average person checks their phone up to 150x a day, chances are you are going to connect with your audience a lot sooner than on other platforms. By optimizing for mobile usage, your mobile survey will reach more people, and by extending the reach of your survey, you will also get survey responses faster. There is no better way to connect with consumers in the 21st century than reaching them where they are most accessible: on their mobile devices. In this way, you can reach existing or potential customers and learn what they think within hours of creating your survey.

Offer incentives

Depending on your audience, offer incentives or prizes for completing the survey. Incentives undoubtedly lead to more and faster survey responses, but they also occasionally lead to rushed answers and incomplete submissions. Make sure the incentive correlates with the survey and the targeted audience. If you have crafted a compelling invitation, your survey response rate should increase on its own. However, everyone appreciates added incentives.

At Pollfish, you can create custom consumer surveys to find out exactly what your customers think. For example, you can attach videos if you want consumer feedback on a new advertisement. You can also add targeting if you want to find out what a certain demographic of your customers thinks about certain issues.


Nonprofit Surveys: Fundraising, Volunteer Satisfaction & More

Nonprofit Surveys: Fundraising, Volunteer Satisfaction & More

Are your fundraisers successful? Are your volunteers happy? Did anyone actually like those homemade biscuits last week? A cheap and easy way to get answers to questions like these is through nonprofit surveys. This can help your organization gain a better understanding of people’s experiences, why people donate and how your events could be improved. Ultimately, surveys can give you the data to improve the effectiveness of your organization and increase the awareness of your cause.

Using a large network of audience members as well as specific targeting options, you can reach the respondents you need to get the best responses to a nonprofit survey:

Write a welcoming introduction.

People want to know that their responses will be contributing to something good. Be sure to include an introduction for your survey telling people what their results will be used for and how you will be using them to improve your organization.

Keep your questions short and sweet.

Clarity is key. Stick to the point and ask questions with specific objectives. This way your target demographic won’t zone out answering loads of unnecessary questions, and you’ll have responses to the questions you need answered. It would also be a good idea to hone in on exactly what you want to find out and who should be answering these questions—are you focussing on those who regularly attend fundraisers, or newbies who you want to attract? Be sure to check out some of Pollfish's targeting and screening questions to narrow down who your survey will be sent to and see how large your survey audience is.

Follow up!

The most successful surveys occur over time. What this means is that you will get answers from your respondents over many successive surveys, so be nice to them. They should receive a thank you for taking their time answering your questions, and make sure you're doing this sincerely. People are happy to help a genuine company with a good cause.

We understand that as a nonprofit organization you need tools that are inexpensive and quick. With Pollfish surveys starting from as little as $1 per survey and with results available within hours, we're here to help. We even offer 24/7 communication with our customer support team to help you with anything in regards to your nonprofit survey.


Targeting the right survey audience

Targeting the right survey audience

If you are developing a survey, you probably have a broad idea of the audience you want to reach, right? But with all of the options out there for reaching potential respondents, how do you target the right survey audience?

Let's start with some basics.

Demographics

Demographics are populations based on age, sex, income level, employment, education, etc. You probably have a general sense of the age range, gender, and location of the people you want to reach – you may even know the income ranges and education levels.

There are other ways of targeting your audience as well – including psychographics (personality, values, lifestyles), behavioral attributes (loyalty, habits), firmographics (number of employees, functions), even technographics (attitudes toward technology, adoption rates).

In most cases, a combination of demographic, psychographic and behavioral attributes can help you reach your ideal target audience.  Pollfish pre-screens all of our respondents, enabling you to select from a mix of predefined criteria to build exactly the audience you want to survey, without having to ask those questions yourself.

However, sometimes your ideal audience target is more narrowly defined, which is where advanced filtering comes into play.

Advanced filtering

If you want to find a certain audience based on factors like their behaviors, opinions, or exposure to events, you can ask a screening question.

Screening questions help you reach the target audience that will meet your criteria. A screening question, when worded properly, will disqualify those respondents who may be a fit from a demographic standpoint but aren't an exact fit for your specific research needs.  You can find out more about screening questions here.

Finding The Right Type of Survey Target Audience

Unfortunately, not all survey respondents are created equal.  One option is to go to a provider that uses research panels.  Panels consist of people who agree in advance to take surveys, often by email, in exchange for a predetermined benefit (monetary payments, prepaid credit cards and airline points are the most common incentives.) There are benefits of using a research panel, including:

  • Detailed audience profiling
  • Ability to target B2B audiences
  • Established approach

However, there are downsides as well, including:

  • Cost of panels—survey respondents are paid directly for their participation, which gets passed on to the client
  • Speed (or lack thereof)—traditional panel-based surveys can take a significant amount of time to complete
  • Randomization—respondents may not be selected randomly, and may not be representative of the broader population
  • Data Quality from panelists—aggregate incentives offered by panels can lead to "professional survey takers", resulting in flawed data
  • Limited Availability—panels have to be built from scratch for each new market they enter, which can result in delays and lack of availability

Organic RDE Sampling

Surveying via organic RDE methodology—such as on Pollfish’s network—provides the benefits of scale, convenience, and fast response rates, while also saving on cost, providing high-quality data, and access to a variety of sample populations that can help you to reach the target market you are seeking for your survey.


Probability vs Non Probability Sampling

Probability vs Non-Probability Sampling

As stated in this article on Wikipedia, survey sampling methods consist of two variations; probability and non-probability sampling.

So what are the main differences between the two?

Probability sampling

This means that everyone in the population has a chance of being sampled, and you can determine what the probability of people being sampled is.

Probability sampling includes Simple Random SamplingSystematic SamplingStratified Sampling, Probability Proportional to Size Sampling, and Cluster or Multistage Sampling. And have these elements in common

  1. Everyone has a known (calculated) chance of being sampled
  2. There is a random selection

Non-probability sampling

This means that you have excluded some of the population in your sample, and that exact number can not be calculated – meaning there are limits on how much you can determine about the population from the sample.

Nonprobability sampling methods include convenience samplingquota sampling, purposive sampling – or judgment sampling, and snowball sampling.

(Source, wikipedia.org)

Probability Sampling Methods

Simple Random Sampling

Random sampling, in its simplest and purest form, means that each member of the population has an equal (and known) chance of being selected. In a large population, this becomes prohibitive for cost and technical reasons, so the actual pool of respondents becomes biased.

Systematic Sampling

This method is often preferable to simple random sampling, as you select members of the population systematically – that is, every Nth record. As long as there is no ordering of the list, the sampling method is just as good as random – only much simpler to manage.

Stratified Sampling

This is a more commonly used technique, and the population is divided into subsets with a common trait, or “strata”, and then random sampling is performed to reduce sampling bias. The key is to ensure that the sample size is large enough to represent the population.

Non Probability Sampling Methods

Convenience Sampling

One of the most cost-effective sampling methods, researchers choose this method as they can recruit the sample from the population that is close at hand, or convenient to them. It is up to the researcher to ensure that a large enough sample is chosen that can closely represent the population being studied.

An extension of this is judgment sampling, where the researcher selects a representative sample based on their judgment.

Quota Sampling

Very similar to stratified sampling, where the researcher defines the segments or “stratums” and their representative proportion in the population – quota sampling differs in that respondents are typically filled by convenience or judgment sampling, vs random.

Snowball Sampling

There is another method of acquiring respondents called snowball sampling, where initial subjects refer others to take the survey.

Examples of Survey Bias

Survey bias can rear its ugly head many times during the creation of a survey. From the population, you choose unintentionally exclude key respondents, to ensure you have a sample size that accurately reflects the total population.

You can also create survey bias through the probability or non-probability sampling method you select. This is called Sample Bias (or Sampling Bias).

Sample bias is when a sample is collected and, due to the method used, some members of the intended population have a lower probability of being included than others.

Non-Response Bias

Non-response bias (or self-selection bias) can happen when a respondent has knowledge of what the survey is about and can decide whether or not to participate. If the survey offers advanced knowledge of the survey topic and gives users the choice to opt-in or out, you may get an increased population of users who know a lot about that topic, and results may underrepresent those who are indifferent or don't have knowledge on the topic.

Exclusion Bias

Let's say you are trying to survey "teens who have tried drinking." You may create a sample that targets by education level to get kids in high school who have tried drinking. But this sample would leave out anyone who dropped out or was home-schooled. An age range survey may make more sense.

Pre-Screening Bias

Some sampling methods may run ads to get survey participants. But depending on the targeting of these ads, researchers could bias samples. If ads are only targeted to certain sub-groups inside the sample population, this could create a biased sample.

Frequently asked questions

What are the two survey sampling methods?

Survey sampling methods consist of two variations: probability and nonprobability sampling.

What is probability sampling?

Probability sampling is a survey sampling method in which everyone in the population has a chance of being sampled, and you can determine the probability of people being sampled.

What is non-probability sampling?

Non- probability sampling is a survey sampling method that excludes some of the population in your sample, and that exact number can not be calculated – meaning there are limits on how much you can determine about the population from that sample.

What are some examples of how probability sampling is used?

Some examples of probability sampling are simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, probability proportional to size sampling, and cluster or multistage sampling.

What are some examples of how probability non-probability sampling?

Some examples of non-probability sampling are convenience sampling, quota sampling, purposive sampling – or judgment sampling, and snowball sampling.


How survey response bias can happen (and how you can prevent it)

How survey response bias can happen (and how you can prevent it)

There are many ports of entry for survey response bias and other types of bias, from the population selection method, sampling method, survey design, medium, question and answer wording, the interviewer, and, in particular, the respondents.

Unless you were to survey everyone in your population, it would be nearly impossible to eliminate survey bias – but we can reduce it. Each of the survey sampling methods has its benefits and unique detractors. Here’s a brief explanation.

First, assuming that you’ve chosen the right population, you need to decide the survey sample size, confidence level, and how you will reach the audience and collect the results. But wait – how do you define the population?

Defining the Population

You could use personas to be precise, or you may just want to reach a population of “teens in high school who have tried drinking”. Sounds reasonable. However– that population definition would rule out anyone who may have dropped out, or who is home-schooled—which would affect your sample. And what about the teens who have tried drinking, but don’t want to respond—they would be underrepresented in your sample.

And, if you are trying to survey the population of “teens who have tried drinking” to see if they are talking to their parents about contraception (vs the consequences of drinking and driving), you may have missed the mark entirely—as this is a small subset of the total population you may want to survey.

There are other forms of Sample Bias:

Sample Collection

Once you’ve established your population, and defined your survey goals, you want to make sure you choose the best method possible for collecting data from your sample. You could choose a from a variety of collection methods, which are either probability sampling or non-probability sampling—and all have pros and cons.

There are different methods to collect data including traditional methods like telephone, in-person, and mail-in, surveying. More modern methods include online surveys via email, websites, social media, and mobile.

Telephone surveys were very popular for quite some time, but over the years have developed several downsides—particularly for respondents as this article explains—and have shrunken in popularity and effectiveness.

In-person interviews, including focus groups, have the benefit of obtaining feedback directly and immediately—however interviewer bias and other social factors such as moderator bias, biased answers, and biased reporting can set in.

Mail-in forms rely on accurately targeting the respondent and validating that they are the ones in the household that completed the survey; it is also subject to non-response bias.

Online surveys have many advantages, but since respondents complete them in private, they are subject to interpretation, and therefore question length, wording, style—even format and coloring can affect responses, and survey completion rates.

Social media surveys have inherent issues with population size and characteristics. They don’t allow for sophisticated survey questions and can be perceived as “fun” or “entertaining” which may not fulfill your survey goals. Surveys on personal networks have the issue of respondents within the network (such as on Facebook) being somehow affiliated with the researcher.

Many mobile surveys can have issues with the survey design itself, and its ability to keep the respondent engaged on the mobile screen. Many surveys are mobile-unfriendly, and even mobile-friendly designs may fail to capture full audience participation.

Sample Size

What’s the right sample size? A lot of that depends on the population size, the ability to reach them, and your budget. However, you need to make sure the sample size is representative of the population or segment (strata) from which you are trying to gain an understanding.

Under coverage happens when not enough members of the population are adequately represented. Non-response bias is when potential survey respondents are unwilling or unable to participate.


Mobile Surveys vs Online Surveys: Definitions, Examples & More

How to choose between mobile surveys and online surveys

If you’re planning on venturing into the unknown, whether it’s a new business venture, new product, or even something a little more laid back, like launching a new event, getting the measure of potential ups and downs is vital; that’s where mobile surveys can be extremely important.

A well-constructed survey can give you valuable insight into key criteria such as:

  • How much people are willing to pay for a product
  • Where do they usually buy a product
  • How often do they use a service

All of which is vital information for success.

There are two main ways to conduct a survey: mobile surveys and online surveys. What are the differences and which one is best for you?

Here are a few considerations that should help you decide which survey to choose.

Mobile Surveys vs. Online Surveys

What Is An Online Survey?

Online surveys are surveys that are created with an online survey platform and distributed online through a variety of survey distribution methods.

These methods include (but are not limited to):

What Is A Mobile Survey?

Mobile surveys are created with an online survey platform, optimized for and distributed exclusively on mobile devices.

These survey platforms create relationships with app publishers, delivering surveys inside mobile apps in exchange for in-app incentives like an extra life in a game or access to exclusive recipes in a cooking app.

There are pros and cons to different survey methods. Check out how the two stack up below.

Potential Reach

Over the past fifteen years, mobile phone use has expanded drastically. This makes surveying respondents on their mobile devices a great choice as a research tool because the potential reach is bigger than ever. What’s more, the nature of mobile device use inspires respondents to fill out mobile surveys more completely than their email-based online counterparts.

Surveys conducted via email invitation will also struggle to get through email filters, something that mobile surveys don't need to worry about. A survey sent straight to a mobile device has a much higher open rate.

Survey Feedback

Online surveys offer really in-depth data which definitely helps decision-makers. However, the data sometimes takes a few hours, or even days, to be compiled meaning decisions can’t be made as quickly. Mobile surveys on the other hand usually offer real-time feedback, making data analysis a much more responsive task.

Target Audience

Surveys are ineffective if the data collected is from an inaccurate source; if your target market is 25-30, there isn’t much point in researching 65 to 70-year-olds! Luckily, both mobile and online surveys offer excellent targeting to make sure you’re reaching the right people with your questions.

Of course, you can choose to target certain demographics with your survey, usually at an extra cost. Mobile wins out here, too. Although both methods offer segmentation to help improve survey accuracy, mobile devices are usually unique to an individual, so there’s less room for error or the wrong user filling in the survey.

Survey Questions and Options

While mobile surveys offer up a great way to reach plenty of people who are more willing to answer your survey, the questions you can ask are definitely more limited than those available in an emailed survey. Why? Basically, mobile users are less inclined to read lengthy questions. So if you’re using mobile surveys, questions need to be short and to the point, whereas online surveys can deliver more in-depth questions.

There you have it, plenty of things to think about before you conduct your next survey. On the face of it, mobile surveys (which are definitely growing in favor) seem to offer more benefits. However, it’s safe to say either online or mobile surveys are a valuable, integral part of any market research depending on the audience you are trying to reach and what your survey needs are.


Why Conduct Surveys On Mobile Phones?

The benefits of using mobile surveys for market research

Mobile surveys combine the principles of traditional research with scale, reach, and affordability of the smartphone-enabled economy.

Why Conduct Surveys?

The first question you have to ask when choosing your survey collection method is why are you conducting your survey? Traditional market research offers many methods to distribute surveys and collect responses. You can find respondents using your existing customers or through your email network. You can solicit people to sign up to take surveys and, over time, you may collect a large enough sample to be representative of your target audience.

Most people, however, are looking to grow beyond just their local audience or existing customer base. That's where mobile surveys can help.

Why Conduct Surveys On Mobile Devices?

There are numerous benefits to reaching consumers via their mobile device to gather data.

The primary benefits to a researcher using mobile surveys over other methods are that they are able to:

  • Reach a broader audience
  • Get faster results
  • Enjoy a lower cost
  • Gain the potential for higher quality responses

Mobile is where your audience spends most of their time.

There are over 5 Billion smartphone users globally, and they spend the majority of their time in apps. Mobile internet usage has eclipsed desktop, and the average consumer checks their phone so often, it’s hard to miss them by more than a few minutes

With a mobile-optimized survey, mobile survey participants provide higher quality responses:

  • They're able to respond at their convenience
  • Are more engaged since surveys are shorter
  • Find it easier to use the interface
  • Enter responses directly (avoid interviewer bias)
  • Reduce interviewer misinterpretation
  • Provide more honest answers

Simply stated, all surveys and market analyses try to arrive at the same conclusion. Smartphones will reach the target audience via a faster, simpler, cheaper, and high-quality methodology.

And, since the Pollfish database has many already known (measured) characteristics or variables, you can create a sample with the same characteristics to that of the real population. And by stratifying your sample according to a certain variable that is highly correlated to the variable that you need to explain, you get statistically significant results.

So why are mobile surveys preferred over desktop?

Vs desktop online surveys, mobile surveys:

  • Provide greater reach
  • Reach consumers who are hard-to-access—important for younger cohorts like Gen Z, and expanding nations where internet is accessed primarily on mobile
  • Increased response rate
  • Decreased survey completion time
  • Faster data capture and analysis

In summary, mobile surveys:

  • Provide excellent value, as they are inexpensive and offer greater accuracy.
  • Provide a vast array of question types
  • Are easy to use, both for researchers and participants of the survey
  • Is THE solution when you need to gather data as fast as possible
  • Provide a better participant environment, allowing the respondent to preserve their anonymity and respond at their convenience, allowing the participant to respond answer to questions as sincerely as possible.