Demographic Reach

The first key point to make about Internet research is the demographic reach. You may be forgiven for thinking that there are more people in the UK with access to the internet than a mobile phone. In fact, mobile ownership and usage outstrips Internet use significantly right across the board.

Mobile phones are an ageless and classless communications medium, indicated in groups such as the over 50s or low income families where mobile ownership is significantly higher than ownership of or a desire for internet access.

Generally it is a much smaller leap for a non-computer literate person to take up text messaging as a way of staying in touch with friends and family than email. Equally, email is much less popular in the under 16s than text messaging.

Time and Place

The Internet reaches many people in a relatively fast time, but if you want really fast turnaround SMS is the way to go. Most responses are returned within the first couple of hours, and some of our panel members have returned responses within 30 seconds of a survey starting.

SMS has a distinct advantage when it comes to location. We carry our mobile with us most of the time and it is easy to reach panel members when they are going about their normal daily activities. Text messages are seen as a non-intrusive form of communication so it is possible to contact members any time, any place, rather than relying on them being at home or waiting until they next log on to read their email.

It is also possible to make use of location dependace with the mobile. If a person needs to be in a particular environment, such as a supermarket when they take part in a survey this can be carried out simply and with out the need for interviewers or expensive equipment. We can even confirm the participant is in the correct location when they take part.

Cost

Generally, SMS Text based surveys are comparable in cost to good quality, targeted Internet based surveys. With our software there is no need to hire web developers or survey builders to put the online surveys together or to use complex online survey software. It is also time saving, allowing you to create a multi question, routed survey in just a few minutes.