| The world of market research data is often | | | | through more than one panel, it could be a |
| driven by panels. Panels are pre-recruited groups | | | | possibility that a specific person could take a |
| of people willing to take part in marketing | | | | survey twice, however Toluna has validating |
| research events which can be in the form of | | | | checkpoints to ensure that they identify these |
| focus groups, surveys. Surveys can be divided in | | | | sample respondents and delete the duplicate |
| to online surveys, face-to-face interview, | | | | response. |
| telephone interview, and written questionnaire etc | | | | A majority of online panelists provide valid and |
| or usability tests. Panel members can be | | | | quality data. |
| comprised of a varied range they might be | | | | A large number of researchers believe online |
| current customers or prospective customers, | | | | surveys produce high quality data, and that |
| sales leads, or they can also be members of a | | | | panelists give thoughtful and true responses. It is |
| defined target section a company wishes to | | | | also believed the only aspect impacting the survey |
| research. | | | | data and quality is the variable that the |
| Members of market research panels generally | | | | researcher's control in terms of survey length |
| may be given incentives in the form of cash or | | | | however this can also be considered a necessary |
| gifts or points which can be later redeemed under | | | | evil as research has shown for many years that |
| various other offers for rewarding their | | | | quality of data from either phone or online |
| participation in the panel. There are different | | | | surveys declines drastically if the length of the |
| types of panels out of which Online Panels are | | | | survey is too long. |
| one of the most effective ones with fast | | | | It is also seen that there are certain types of |
| turnarounds in terms of data collection. Online | | | | panelists who give higher quality in terms of data |
| Panels are groups of people, with access to the | | | | than others and these tend to include older |
| Internet, who agree to participate in surveys. | | | | panelists whose age bracket is typically from 50 |
| Online Panels are a great way to conduct | | | | to 65, these respondents/panelists generally have |
| Internet-based research because panels provide | | | | positive attitudes towards survey.Having panelists |
| high-quality data due to the fact that participants | | | | who are eager and who like taking surveys |
| are willing, interested, and motivated. | | | | results in getting better data. |
| Online panelists represent a wide section of the | | | | All online panels are not the same- Need and use |
| population. | | | | of specialist research panels. |
| In the past there have been issues concerning | | | | Not all but some Online panels specialize in |
| that the panelists being a limited group of | | | | maintaining and supplying specific types of |
| professional survey takers who join as many | | | | respondents and they call them Specialist Panel, |
| online panels as possible and to take as many | | | | Toluna has 16 specialist research panels, reaching |
| surveys as possible. As a researcher one wants | | | | unique sections striving to deliver quality in terms |
| to be sure that the people who answer or take | | | | of survey research data. These panelists can |
| the survey questions represent a broad | | | | comprise of niche sections such as physicians |
| population, and not an insignificant group of people | | | | (both General and Specialists), IT professionals |
| who take surveys as their mainstay of | | | | who act as the decision makers in their |
| employment. | | | | respective fields, or consumers with a high net |
| Toluna (world's largest online market research | | | | worth value. Some of the Specialist panels that |
| panel and online survey software provider to the | | | | Toluna has are Mobile online research panel target |
| global market research industry) shows that | | | | by handset, networks, monthly spend and more, |
| panelists are actually a representation of a broad | | | | Online automotive market research panel |
| cross section of the population, including all | | | | providing access to car owners with specific cars |
| demographic sections and regions of the country. | | | | or components, Online financial services market |
| Some of the key strength areas of an online | | | | research panel. targets by credit cards used, |
| panel are: | | | | insurance and loans taken. |
| | | | Toluna is a panel company who have aggressive |
| 1. Nearly all panelists are diligent, thoughtful, and | | | | best practices when it comes to panel |
| careful about representing their opinions and | | | | management, they also work hard to recruit |
| behaviors, including those who belong to more | | | | cross sections of the population to represent |
| than one panel. | | | | every section of the population. Companies use |
| 2. There are approximately five and a half million | | | | Toluna's global panel of 3.7 million active |
| unique respondents available via panels for | | | | consumers and b2b professionals, to conduct |
| surveys in the U.S. | | | | market research surveys. |
| But one might think that if the sample is sourced | | | | |