8 Tips for Better Global Sampling

Over the past few years, there has been a significant uptick in the market research industry for insights outside North America and Western Europe.  This has led to a large demand by brands and full-service market research firms turning to sample companies to be able to provide respondents and insights on a global scale.  With this in mind, we have put together 8 tips for better global sampling: 

1. Ask Income Questions the Right Way

Income can be a sensitive subject in many areas around the globe, so you need to be cautious when you approach this subject.  You want to be sure you look at SEC targeting and look at a country’s statistics to get an idea of responses and be able to do quality checks.

2. Use Local Language

What if you had to take a survey in Japanese or French?  It would be tough, right?  You might not be able to give your true feelings because you might not fully understand questions or be able to word your responses correctly.  This is the same concept if you don’t survey a country in their local language.  To get the best results, survey in the local language.

3. Understand Internet Penetration

Internet penetration of a country is a key stat you should understand, especially if you are conducting online surveys.  A country may have a population of over 50 million, but if only 2% have Internet access, you are going to struggle to get enough respondents that meet your quotas.

4. Make your Survey Device Agnostic

Not all Internet access is the same.  Many countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America skipped the PC and laptop age of Internet access and jumped straight to mobile.  Because of this, if you launch a survey that is designed to be taken on a desktop, and field it in an area that has primarily mobile Internet usage, don’t be surprised by your poor results.  Design your surveys to be device agnostic – that way it will be optimized for whatever device your respondent takes it on.

5. Be Aware of Panel Vs. Census

Population breakdowns vary widely from market to market.  You want to be aware of your target market, as well as respondents in the country you are targeting.  Don’t set a hard quota for a large segment of your potential respondents who, if you took a step back and thought about the subject of your survey, are not a good fit for it. You don’t want 30% of your respondents to be over age 60 and responding to an infant diaper study.

6. Understand Taboo Subjects

Different cultures react differently to questions. A topic that could be fine in one culture can be insulting or taboo in another.  You want to understand the culture you are surveying and try to avoid the taboo subjects.  If you aren’t sure if your subject is taboo, speak to an expert. 

7. Understand Cost Variance

In developing markets, it takes more time and money to develop an online panel and a network of respondents.  Also, newer markets are more susceptible to fraud and bots, so there may be additional costs associated with trying to combat this.  That is why you shouldn’t expect that if you conducted a study in Western Europe for a $3.00 CPI that it will be the same or lower if you move to a less developed market.  

8. Keep Abreast of Current Events

You want to be aware of current events in your target market when you are planning to launch a survey.  Not only will it help you avoid a “non-local,” but it will also help you avoid costly missteps, like fielding a survey in Mexico about tourism the day after a major hurricane hits. 

If you want to learn more about how to get better global sample and how EMI can help you with your upcoming projects, click the button below to request a consultation.