I Don’t Trust Online Survey Results

David Korobkin | Friday July 24th 2009

Dealing with today’s marketing budget cuts; research is often the first to go. This forces strategists like me, to extrapolate conclusions from scraps of data we find online.

Some companies are turning to Online Survey Firms who recruit participants to complete a given number of surveys by offering incentives. Crap in, crap out.

I am unable to find empirical data proving or disproving my position on online survey results. I am hoping that you will be able to enlighten me and cause me to change my thinking.

I believe that online surveys are the best invention to date for improving one’s self esteem.

Most if not all computer users have heard the rumors about Big Brother and the web.

They believe that Google knows the name of the owner of all computers and is collecting data by collecting their search queries.  It is happening now. A significant feature of Web 3.0 is the ability to collect and use of such data. “We want to be able to provide the most appropriate results based upon your search history.”

So when an online survey asks for your household’s income category, why click $25,000 to $30,000? Why not click $75,000 to $80,000? Don’t you feel better about yourself already?

Even if they are not that paranoid and signed up for an incentivized survey program, they have provided the survey firm with their name and contact information. They must wonder how their answers will be used and shared. Either consciously or subconsciously they believe that they have the ability to upgrade their demographic profile. It may even help them to land a better job.

So naturally they answer questions in a manner consistent with their fantasy self image. They will select the answers in a manner to best represent their new demographic profile or to achieve their individual (and unpredictable) agenda.

Your thoughts?