European and Global brands already know that the expansion to new geographies and cultures depends on their ability to understand what local people think and how they feel.
This thirst for knowledge has been a key driver in the rapid development of online research panels as they deliver local insight in a cost effective, accurate yet rapid way.
Whilst European Online Research is still a relatively young science it is proving to be a highly effective alternative to traditional market research techniques for consumer markets.
The challenge in its evolution has been the need for good design, usability and localisation, which requires a high degree of expertise. Respondents, as with offline research, are increasingly reluctant to devote much of their valuable time to answering questions about brands, products or projects; which means that online research needs to continually evolve, utilising the full breadth of online capabilities, to become significantly more attractive and entertaining (for the respondents) and to keep panellists engaged.
Maintaining the quality of the panel, how they are rewarded and how a localised approach is achieved, will be the battleground of the future. Companies that embrace this challenge will be leading the industry into the future.
Here are just some of the elements that will ensure their continued success:
- You have 5 seconds to create an impact. A well designed, attractive survey demonstrates the knowledge of the subject category and shows a respect for and appreciation of the respondents’ time. What does the respondent see, think, and feel upon receipt of a survey invitation? Is it engaging? Does it elicit the enthusiasm we want? Each of these elements could mean the difference between a completed survey and a dropped survey.
- Surveys that don’t work are the kiss of death. The quickest way to turn off a potential respondent is to have mistakes within your survey. A well-constructed survey that functions correctly and contains relevant content is essential.
- Exploit technology to improve the survey experience. The future of online research is limitless if we continue to stay ahead of the curve technologically. As today’s respondents become more sophisticated, our research technology must also mature. We must be willing to experiment and try new things, to enhance the respondent experience.
- Understand the psychology of cooperation. Make it entertaining and a positive experience. Understand what will motivate the respondent and design the survey to meet that expectation. Does it meet the “that was cool” factor?
- Consider the impact of incentives. The using of incentives, if at all, and how much to provide when you do, plays a role in cooperation. Too many people act as professional respondents and we need to engage new respondents-those entirely new to the market research world- so that we are not focusing on the same core group willing to share their opinions repeatedly.
- Know your respondents. Use logic checks to determine that people are who they say they are. Develop better systems to protect privacy, and to identify and eliminate fraudulent responses and professional respondents.
