November 7, 2011
5 Tested Online Research Tips
By Susan Frede, VP, Research
Over the years, we’ve conducted numerous research-on-research studies to ensure our online research delivers the highest quality data possible. We visited our archives and unearthed five tips that cover the lifecycle of the online research process. These tips are simple to implement and will greatly improve your ability to get the best data for your online research studies.
Tip 1: Make sure respondents can complete your questionnaire in 20 minutes or less.
Concept test results are impacted starting around 20 minutes. Therefore, Lightspeed Research recommends keeping online questionnaire length under 20 minutes. With shorter questionnaires, respondents are more likely to stay engaged and we are able to establish better rapport with our panelists. Better rapport leads to less attrition and better quality responses.
Tip 2: Don’t worry about the launch day (unless you need to measure an immediate reaction).
The day the field launches does not appear to impact data and there is no difference between those responding on the weekend versus during the week. Therefore, there is no need to launch on a consistent day of the week or include both weekends and weekdays in the field period. The one exception to this recommendation is when there is a need to track scheduled marketing activity. For example, there may be a need to get immediate reaction to a new television advertisement.
Tip 3: Don’t include the survey topic in your survey invitation.
Including the subject of the survey in the invitation does not significantly improve response rates. There are no differences in key measures between the generic and non-generic survey invitations. However, generic survey invitations lessen the chance that category and brand usage questions are impacted by suspicious behavior. Generic survey invitations also reduce the potential impact of self-selection bias, which may be higher for certain categories.
Tip 4: Don’t send survey reminders.
Reminders do not increase response rates and the key measures are not impacted by reminders. Reminders may compromise respondent retention because panelists feel bombarded by communications. Our panel management practices allow us to achieve representative samples without sending reminders.
Tip 5: Keep your survey in field for at least four days.
Studies should be in field for a minimum of four days . Closing a study earlier than four days may exclude those who lead busier lives (e.g., they are employed full time, have children, etc.). Leaving the study in field for at least four days leads to a more representative sample and ultimately more accurate data and business decisions.
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Category:Data Quality, Research on Research, Survey Best Practices
Posted on November 7, 2011
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