In 2018, Spain had 37 million mobile users. This high penetration rate represents a clear opportunity in the field of market research, particularly through the development of mobile surveys that have become widely popular. A significant portion of the research conducted today is mobile research.
Through mobile surveys, we can gain insights into users’ experiences when performing specific tasks, gather their feedback, understand their opinions on certain topics, as well as their complaints or suggestions. However, this mode of accessing surveys and market research presents its advantages and opportunities, such as immediacy or high penetration rates, but also its challenges and difficulties, such as response quality or designing a specific questionnaire for these types of devices.
At We are testers, we address these challenges by adapting our surveys to mobile devices, both in form and content, to achieve results with the highest quality standards. Let’s review what these challenges and opportunities are when it comes to conducting mobile surveys.
Surveys conducted via mobile phones offer multiple opportunities for market research for various reasons: their immediacy, the growing prevalence of mobile phones in Spanish households, or the inherent flexibility of this method for answering surveys from virtually anywhere you are. Let’s explore some of the advantages and opportunities of conducting mobile surveys.
In Spain, there are 37.2 million mobile users who spend nearly 5.5 hours online, numbers that continue to grow each year. The number of internet users connecting through a mobile device is increasingly higher, making fewer sectors underrepresented in mobile surveys due to the high penetration rate. An online panel, like We are testers, is composed of various profiles with different sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics. In a way, mobile phones have enabled a vast majority of society to access resources, platforms, and information.
Mobile surveys are known for being user-friendly. You don’t need computer expertise to respond to mobile surveys effortlessly. Being an intuitive tool gives the impression that collaboration is faster and easier to complete. Consequently, users who complete mobile surveys have a more positive experience compared to other types of surveys that can be more tedious and complicated.
One advantage of mobile surveys over phone or in-person surveys is that users have the freedom to respond whenever and wherever they want. The person responding to the survey decides when and from where to complete it.
In addition, information is obtained in real-time. Surveys can be answered in various situations: on public transportation, while waiting in a long supermarket line, during TV commercial breaks, or in a waiting room.
Do you want to know people’s opinions on the design and usability of a website or app? Would you like to understand the habits and behaviors of online shoppers? Mobile surveys are highly suitable when targeting segments of the population familiar with technology. In general, those who use a mobile phone have at least basic knowledge of technological devices. Therefore, if the survey deals with technological matters or requires app testing to analyze the user experience, for example, mobile surveys are a good choice.
These types of surveys offer respondents the option to maintain their anonymity, unlike face-to-face or even telephone surveys. With complete invisibility, users feel more comfortable and at ease when providing responses. Therefore, more sincere responses are obtained through mobile surveys compared to what can be obtained, for example, in a face-to-face survey where the presence of the person asking the questions can make respondents uncomfortable.
Despite the many advantages of mobile surveys, there are also several challenges to consider when choosing mobile research for a market study.
The perception that a mobile survey is easier to fill out diminishes when it takes more than 10-15 minutes, and this is when one of the great advantages of this type of survey, immediacy and simplicity, is lost. The longer a survey conducted on a mobile phone, the higher the rejection rate. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid very long and complicated surveys. For long surveys, other methodologies, such as surveys conducted on a computer, are more recommended.
One best practice when programming mobile surveys is to try to avoid ambiguous questions or those that require special attention, as users may misunderstand the question or interpret it differently than intended. Mobile survey questionnaires are characterized by agility, and as a result, questions should be simple, clear, and concise.
In addition to avoiding lengthy surveys that remove the feeling of ease and immediacy, it is also recommended not to overuse open-ended questions, as they require more effort from users.
One reason why respondents may lack interest in filling out a survey is the lack of personalization. For example, when conducting a study on video games, people who respond more enthusiastically to mobile surveys are those familiar with the subject.
Therefore, motivating users is crucial, either through small compensation or by tailoring questions to their interests, making them interesting and easy to answer via mobile.
A factor to consider when designing a mobile survey is that the layout should be different from that of a computer-based survey. For example, filling out a mobile survey with horizontal scrolling can be uncomfortable and tiresome. Therefore, it is advisable to structure the information so that users can read the text without the need for horizontal scrolling.
In relation to horizontal scrolling, it is essential that the font size remains the same as on a computer so that users do not have to zoom in. In addition to adapting formats, visual elements should also be adjusted to ensure the most comfortable reading experience.
Do you want to conduct an online market study but don’t know where to start? Are you thinking about incorporating mobile surveys into your next research? Are you looking to identify the most suitable questions for your survey to achieve your study’s objectives?
Let’s talk. Contact us at info@wearetesters.com or through our contact form, and we’ll advise you on mobile research and how to apply it to meet your market research needs. Start conducting research via mobile with confidence.
Update date 22 December, 2023
