What’s your downtime activity? Some people are taking more surveys
By Guy Wates, Measure Protocol
We’ve all heard stories during the last few months of people pursuing activities and hobbies that they might not have otherwise had time for — planting a garden, learning a language, sewing or taking online classes. In the case of one individual — we’ll call him Ben — he’s been taking mobile surveys on his phone.
While Ben was already taking surveys through various channels well before the pandemic hit, he thinks survey taking is a good way to keep busy. As someone who is self employed, he has a flexible schedule. He enjoys the engagement that surveys offer, especially through rewards and incentives.
Ben said, “I like the way that different companies keep me interested, whether it be a loyalty bonus after a certain number of surveys are completed or a quarterly prize drawing you can enter by guessing the answer to a question. Other places give badges for reaching milestones and everyone likes a badge.”
One of the newer platforms on which Ben is taking surveys is Measure’s MSR app, which is why I had an opportunity to speak to him. He’s been a member of the MSR community and has been completing data jobs with us for over a year. We’ve worked hard to not only put user needs first — such as privacy, transparency and better rewards — but also to create a blockchain-powered, mobile-only interface that is easy to use and intuitive.
Ben said he loves MSR surveys as opposed to others he’s taken. “These surveys make me feel like Measure has really ‘bought in’ to the user, which makes me more conscientious when completing the surveys. I want to take more time to think about my answers. It has great rewards and is easy and straightforward to use. I’ve referred several people to the app already.”
This is the perfect example of how the market research and consumer insights space is changing to focus more on its respondents. Individuals are demanding more from every interaction that they have online. Tolerance levels are very low for experiences that are cumbersome in any way, and traditional surveys can be long, difficult to navigate and offer minimal rewards.
What about my data privacy, though?
People are beginning to realize that their data is worth a lot more than they may have previously thought. Ben said, “I know data is super valuable”…and he also concedes that it is likely being misused. However, he believes that privacy is a “myth” and doesn’t see a path toward protecting it. In fact, he’s so disillusioned that he’s not even sure he cares about privacy anymore.
The reality is that the average consumer is early in the process of understanding data privacy, as well as their options surrounding it. While there may still be few solutions, this is quickly changing as new products come to market. Some good examples are Brave Browser, a secure web browser that rewards users for viewing “privacy-respecting” ads, and DuckDuckGo, an internet search engine that emphasizes protecting searchers’ privacy. At Measure, we too are trying to bring new options to the consumer.
While some may not see a simple way out of “privacy invasion” when online, that doesn’t mean they don’t care about it. When we conducted a user study last year, our community overall was very concerned about this issue. Seventy-seven percent of participants in that study stated they would share more data if they felt organizations were being more transparent about how they are using their data. Eighty-three percent felt their privacy was protected while using the MSR app.
Surveys don’t have to be frustrating
Ben’s experience isn’t unique. People are looking for better experiences online, and they notice the difference. When it comes to the market research industry, there is a long history of poor experiences for consumers. Frustrating routing to surveys for which they don’t qualify, lengthy questionnaires, unwieldy interfaces and low rewards means participation in surveys is declining at a time when data is more important than ever before.
Brands need consumers to participate in surveys and data collection in order to drive important business decisions, but consumers are becoming less and less tolerant of the “game.” In order to obtain quality data and insights for business decisions, the industry needs to do better from the ground up when it comes to privacy protection, user experience and incentives.
Some companies are giving respondents formal opportunities to give feedback on every survey they complete. This creates an opportunity for change. For example, if participants are consistently marking a specific survey with one star out of five, then there may be a problem. The data collection company can pull the survey and fix the problem, incorporate the feedback into the next job to create better experiences, or penalize survey providers who continually produce low scoring surveys. This consumer-centric approach to surveys mimics other industries that are trying to do better when it comes to engaging and satisfying their customer base.
So what are you doing in your downtime? Ben recently cashed in some of his points for a $25 gift card, and has more points stored up in the app to choose another reward in the future as he nears the $100 milestone since joining. While he may not be getting rich, he’s occupying himself and giving companies important, quality insights, and enjoying a few cups of coffee with his rewards or to put it toward that purchase on Amazon. As the market research industry shifts toward addressing consumer demands when it comes to data sharing, maybe a whole new group of people will spend spare time taking surveys that are enjoyable, engaging and rewarding.
About the author: Guy Wates serves as Director of Operations and Programmatic at Measure Protocol (www.measureprotocol.com), the ethical person-based data marketplace powered by blockchain. Prior to joining Measure, Wates was Global Head of Operations for Zappi, where he oversaw customer operations, sample operations, product operations & business operations. He previously served as Global Operations Manager for GfK, and began his market research career as a media researcher with TNS Media (now part of the Kantar family). Wates holds a Bachelor of Business Science from University of Cape Town and is based in London.
