Relevance & Research Question: Online panels had once revolutionized the research industry. Particularly with the rise of social media, however, they have been increasingly criticized. Declining response rates and the so called ‘panel effect’ have resulted in a general mistrust in the quality and overall business of online panels. In our presentation we aim to scrutinize new forms of recruitment and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses for future market research projects.
Methods & Data: The presentation gives an overview of various recruitment strategies discussed in marketing, market research and innovation-related literature. It then introduces an online survey from the sporting goods industry. In the preparation of this study, the executing company consciously decided to explore new ways of recruitment. Rather than relying on traditional panel recruitment a multitude of channels (e.g. social media, existing customers) was used to invite participants.
Results: In total, 950 individuals participated in the survey. Their high involvement is indicated e.g. by an average of over 30 minutes they spent with the survey. While all channels helped to recruit participants, some proved to be more efficient than others. Different channels also attracted individuals with different participation motives and patterns. For instance, while for individuals invited via social media the possibility to engage in an appealing research task is the main driver, participants with a professional background rather strive for better products. In addition, different user groups score higher on personal characteristics such as creativity or opinion leadership than others.
Added Value: While recruitment via ‘new’ channels is often tied to significant efforts, its main advantage is that the company can get in touch with highly involved and creative individuals. Participants are no longer anonymous but can be repeatedly invited to research project. In the long run, a company can establish a user community – a valuable asset as it becomes more and more difficult to attract participants. The higher engagement of participants also has implications for the projects themselves. New trends such as ‘Gamification’ which make market research more interactive and playful, aim to offer participants the appealing experience they strive for.