Webinar Recap: Mobile Survey Best Practices

Mobile devices have grown swiftly in popularity, capability, and functionality. The number of global mobile users has officially surpassed that of desktop users, and their impact on market research can’t be ignored. It’s no secret that respondents are eager and willing to participate in mobile research, but in order to make the most out of this versatile medium, researchers need to understand its advantages, disadvantages, and some key best practices. Our recent webinar about conducting mobile surveys outlines a number of these, including the following:

Mobile research has a ton of advantages—but you have to adapt.

Mobile research can do a lot. It can follow customers in real-time, resulting in faster, better data that bypasses finicky human memory. It can reach new audiences and make your survey more accessible. It can even be a means to monitor product usage through mobile check-ins. But in order to ensure precision and accuracy, researchers must adapt to the scope of mobile research. It can be helpful to think of a mobile survey as a completely new methodology, with its own set of tools, practices, and nuances. For example, research design must be formatted to devices: shorter instructions, unobtrusive logos, effective screen contrast, open-ended questions that are considerate of typing inefficiencies. Learning the subtle and not-so-subtle distinctions of mobile research is crucial to executing it effectively.

Get excited about mobile respondent videos.

One of the most exciting things about mobile research is the opportunity for respondent videos. Mobile video allows you to see the consumer in more times and places, offering a uniquely intimate approach to qualitative research. For your insights team, hearing directly from the consumers makes feedback so much more powerful than just numbers and words on a screen. It is perhaps the best illustration of data, allowing you to see through the consumers’ eyes with the context of an authentic setting. Mobile video is exciting for both researchers and consumers thanks to the freedom of moving beyond the desktop, which grants researchers entry to more experiences and engages respondents through more creativity and interactivity.

Find balance to get the best data possible.

Just as mobile research should be thought of as its own methodology, so should it be treated as another asset in the researcher’s toolbox. Mobile is just one option of many when it comes to conducting market research and can be used on its own or in conjunction with other tools to optimize consumer insights. Researchers should plan accordingly both internally and with participants to get the best mobile survey and video data possible and analyze it effectively. This will help to ensure that expectations, incentives, and guidelines are set according to the time, effort, and activities required, as well as to prioritize mobile where it really counts.

Just as mobile devices are constantly evolving, so does their still budding role in market research, and the exciting opportunities they offer will be best utilized by those researchers who understand them. Check out the full webinar recording below to learn more about

• how to avoid the two main issues of bias that affect mobile surveys
• which questions and objectives can be best addressed with mobile research
• insightful shopper research & IHUT activities respondents can perform on mobile devices
• more best practices as they relate to designing, conducting, and analyzing mobile surveys and video options