Online Panels - Are They Good

Several years ago, most surveys are carried out through the use of telephone. This conventional method has been surprisingly surmounted with online panel surveys due to several factors The former is quite costly and the respondents’ contact rates are low since these calls are often masquerade as “survey calls, a factor that makes it a good candidate for higher call screening. On the other hand, the use of panels is less expensive. Furthermore, it is also less disturbing compared to unwanted phone calls.      

Over the past few years, questions are raised in regard to the quality of these online panels. Is it reliable? Can we obtain representative data? Does it really work? Well, these are just few of the many questions that have led a certain research foundation to run a high cost profound study. Advertising Research has recently released findings on this matter based on a two-wave survey fielded over seventeen panels online.   

• Web panels consist of people that can represent a broader spectrum of the general public.
• Majority of those who participate on web surveys provide reliable and relevant details.
• Panels based on the web are not the same.

In view on the third finding, careful weighing of the data to amend the differences in terms of the respondent’s personal info such as gender, income, age, or education may help but cannot get rid of the imbalance. This finding emphasizes the need for panel firms to work especially those with aggressive practices in terms of panel management as well as those who make extra effort in recruiting cross sections of the general public.    

Presently, most survey firms are based online and are conducted there as well.  But what’s really an online panel?  It is composed of people that are bounded with one basic aim - to provide honest and relevant opinion on the subject that is being surveyed. And to be able to accomplish the survey task, the participants make use of the internet platform.  While telephone survey method contacts people randomly and ask for their participation, web panels extend out to pre-screened random sample of respondents through email and are asked to participate on their most convenient time.     

Aside from firms and clients who keep their own lists of prospects who will be invited for survey participation, there are specialized online panels firms that recruit individuals, establish and maintain relationship with hundreds and millions of panelists.  These firms build up samples that will possibly match the demographics of a particular population.