Video Impact on Survey Data

Earlier we wrote a post describing why embedded video, while an interesting feature and useful for several types of research, is not ideal for most companies. It adds a great deal of added time to each survey, can cause confusion if someone misses part of the video, requires an internet connection that is working properly with all of the right software, and is a poor choice for respondents whom English is not their first language. Today, we’ll look at some of the ways that you can improve your use of video so that if you do plan to add them into a survey, they are able to provide you with better results.

Cut it Up Many market researchers have the individual watch one long video that the respondent views before moving on to the questions. This may be the least effective method of providing this information, because if someone misses a part they may be forced to watch the entire thing from the beginning in order to find it. Another option is to cut it up into parts, so that if you’re introducing new features, for example, you introduce a feature quickly with one short video, have the respondent answer questions, and then move on to the next questions with another short video.

That will make it easier for them to re-watch a video without taking much of their time, and ensure that their memory is fresh on every topic. Provide Reminders If you do have them watch the videos in advance, make sure you have cues to remind them of what they watched, either with photos or with text. You’re not testing them on their memory, so anything that reminds them of what they’ve seen is useful.

Photos can be especially helpful if you are showcasing a new product or feature, but text will often suffice if you are curious about a specific need or you are measuring a type of satisfaction. Remember Alternative Languages One of the major problems with a video is that it is far more difficult for those with whom English is not their first language. On a standard survey, they can use a translate tool, or they can simply read and re-read the question in order to help them ensure they understand it if they are new(er) to the English language.

But if they are watching a video, they may not be able to follow along that quickly or understand the person speaking and the nuances of the language. You’ll need to account for this by either providing them with a translated video or giving them some type of translation text they can use to understand what they’re seeing. We’ll continue this in the next article.