Mobile Survey Results Pros & Cons

It's clear that smartphones are changing the way people complete online surveys. More people use smartphones and tablet PCs than ever before, and their usage allows companies to reach customers easier than ever. Smartphones are changing the way survey research is conducted, and continue to become a greater force in the industry.

Yet as always there are benefits and weaknesses about the increase in smartphone use for surveys that make them not ideal for every type of company, or for survey research in general. We'll explore some of these benefits and weaknesses in the this article.

Delivery Method – Companies are slowly utilizing a delivery method for online surveys that may be beneficial. iPhones, for example, have an instant notification system that can tell someone when a survey is available to them, and can re-notify them when a survey is nearing its completion. Customers can complete the survey at any spare moment, in a way that is easy for them, far less "spammy," and doesn't disrupt their life. Greater Access – Several studies have shown that people use their smartphones at all times of day.

In fact, as many as 43% of all smartphone users even check their phones when using the toilet. These people are not necessarily doing anything important – they're simply using their phone because it's accessible. This allows them ample time to complete a survey if they have an app or email program open no matter where they are – something that was not true before smartphone use.

Potentially Greater Reach – While smartphones certainly exclude a very large portion of the population, they also include a large portion of the population that often gets overlooked – especially young, college educated students that are far less likely to complete online surveys for the minimal rewards. When you combine smartphone surveys with traditional online surveys, you can potentially reach a sample that is far more representative of your population. Friendly Answering System – Smartphones also take less work to answer than most surveys do, because you can quickly click a button (or tap a screen) rather than move the mouse and scroll.

These are some very valuable benefits for the modern day researcher. Yet despite these benefits there are ample reasons to be concerned about several aspects of smartphone survey research. We'll explore some of these concerns in the next article, before sharing a few final thoughts on the topic.