Navigating Online Sample Quality Challenges in Market Research
8th October 2024 15:48
By Carly Parsons, Panel Development and Strategy Manager.
The market research industry is currently grappling with significant challenges related to the quality of online sample data. As digital data collection becomes more widespread, we are seeing an increase in issues such as the infiltration of bots, fraudulent respondents, and disengaged participants, all of which threaten the reliability of research outcomes.
Bots and Fraudulent Activity: One of the most pressing concerns in our industry is the rise of bots - automated programmes that can complete surveys with random or nonsensical responses. This not only distorts the data but also drives up research costs, as additional resources are needed to identify and eliminate these fraudulent entries. Moreover, there is growing concern about human respondents who engage in deceitful behaviour, such as participating multiple times under different identities or providing dishonest responses to qualify for incentives.
Disengaged Participants: Another significant issue is the presence of disengaged or inattentive participants who rush through surveys without providing thoughtful answers. This behaviour degrades the quality of the data, making it challenging to draw accurate conclusions. As more surveys move online, the temptation for respondents to complete surveys quickly for incentives, rather than fully engaging with the questions, has become a notable concern.
Diverse and Representative Sampling: Ensuring that online samples are both diverse and representative has also become more challenging. With a vast array of online content competing for people's attention, securing participation from varied and representative groups has become increasingly difficult, leading to potential biases in the data.
Industry Response: In response to these issues, many in the industry are turning to advanced fraud detection algorithms, enhanced verification processes, and improved engagement strategies. However, these solutions require continuous refinement to keep pace with the evolving digital landscape.
How DJS Research is Addressing These Challenges...
At DJS Research, we are acutely aware of these challenges and have implemented several robust measures within our in-house panel, Opinion Exchange, to ensure the authenticity and reliability of our data:
Rigorous Location Verification and VPN Prevention: From the moment a user registers, we employ stringent checks to verify their location and prevent the use of VPNs or other tools that could obscure their true identity.
Continuous Quality Monitoring: We continuously monitor each panellist, assigning a quality score based on their engagement and response patterns. This helps us identify high-quality participants and ensure that only reliable data is used in our research.
Panellist Satisfaction and Engagement: We prioritise panellist satisfaction by tracking their activity levels and willingness to participate. By managing communication and avoiding over-contact, we maintain high levels of engagement and ensure that participants provide thoughtful, accurate responses.
Real People, Real Engagement: We regularly interact with our panellists through qualitative work, such as face-to-face focus groups and telephone interviews. These interactions confirm that our panellists are real people who actively contribute to our research. This direct engagement reinforces the authenticity of our panel and the quality of the insights we gather. We also perform regular checks to remove inactive panellists, ensuring our panel remains engaged and authentic.
External Panel Provider Quality Checks: In addition to our in-house panel, we keep close quality checks on our external panel providers to ensure that, even when we can't use our own panel, we maintain strict oversight to guarantee the quaity and reliability of the data collected.
By implementing these strategies, DJS Research is at the forefront of tackling the challenges of online sample quality. Our commitment to maintaining the integrity of our Opinion Exchange panel allows us to deliver reliable insights to our clients, ensuring that our research remains a trusted source of information in an increasingly complex digital world.
If you want to know more about Opinion Exchange, our in-house panel, or if you have concerns about panel quality and engagement, and would like to learn more about how we address these industry challenges at DJS Research, please contact Carly Parsons at CParsons@DJSResearch.com or Liam Pringle at LPringle@DJSResearch.com.
