5 Things You Need to Know about Global Sampling

The year is now 2022, and it’s no longer “nice to have,” but necessary to be able to uncover insights in countries beyond North America and Western Europe. As organizations look to gain insights into new markets, there are some key factors you need to know when it comes to your global sampling.

1. Internet Usage & Availability is Different

Not every country is like North America or Western Europe, where not only is internet usage high, but accessible via multiple device types, from computers to tablets to mobile phones. More and more countries are skipping the desktop step of internet usage and are jumping straight to mobile as the dominant method of internet access. From low internet penetration to accessing the internet through VPNs or other avenues, you have to keep variances in internet usage and access top of mind when you are trying to understand the number of completes you may get and how best to reach your target audience.

2. Make it Device Agnostic

Survey design has a direct impact on how people use the internet. In areas such as MENA, pockets of Latin America, Asia, and Europe where internet access is done primarily through mobile device, it’s important that your survey design reflect that. To ensure the best results, your survey design should be device agnostic so that no matter what device it is taken on, your respondents will have a good survey experience.

3. Ask Questions the Right Way

When sampling globally, you need to know how to ask questions, and sometimes, if you should ask them at all. This is because different cultures react differently to certain topics or questions. Asking about income in some cultures may be totally fine, others may interpret your question as asking about family income, and still others may be too uncomfortable with the question and drop out. This is why you need to understand how your target audience may react to your questions or the topics you are trying to uncover insights on.

4. Keep up on Current Events

It’s critical to understand current events in the locale you are looking to conduct research. Staying up to date can help in multiple ways. First, you can avoid a “non-local” bias where you may get a bias in your data because you don’t have a full understanding of the culture and its inner workings. The second benefit is that you will know what’s going on in the area you’re targeting at the time of fielding which can help you avoid any potential problems or concerns like launching a study right after a natural disaster, holiday, etc.

5. Use Local Language

Have you ever tried to answer a question not in your native tongue? It’s hard to get your thoughts and feelings across correctly. That’s why you should have your questions written in the local language of your target audience. This will ensure you can ask questions the most accurate way and respondents can give their feedback without any potential confusion due to language. Translating studies is usually fairly easy and shows the respondent you appreciate and value their response.

If you want to learn more about how EMI can help with your next global study, click the link below for a free consultation. And for more tips and best practices, check out our Global Sampling with EMI series on our updated YouTube channel!