With continued calls to modernize its measurement service from many in the radio industry, Nielsen gave a look behind the curtain at its approach to audio diary surveys in a Thursday webinar – including an expected launch for the highly-anticipated all-digital mSurvey diary.
The first step in the process was moving from paper screeners to an online application. Nielsen introduced the eScreener in January during the Spring audio diary survey. The company aims to engage “difficult-to-reach respondents,” who show a higher likelihood of participation in digital formats.
This shift not only improves demographic proportionality through technology but also reduces reliance on the US Postal Service for return mail. The eScreener facilitates immediate redemption of promised incentives and has shown promising results in testing, displaying a majority preference for the digital version despite lower response rates. Notably, older audiences still show a preference for paper screeners.
The rollout strategy included an initial wave targeting specific demographics like Black communities, young people, and renters with the eScreener, while other demographics continue with paper for the time being.
To further enhance respondent engagement, Nielsen has transitioned from paper money to digital incentives, such as eGift Cards redeemable at popular retailers like Amazon, Starbucks, Home Depot, and Walmart. Nearly 20% of participants opted for cash payments via digital platforms like Venmo or PayPal, which are disbursed as soon as the screener is completed.
Nielsen reports this strategy has not only streamlined incentive distribution but also achieved a high redemption rate, with 94% of participants redeeming their digital incentives and virtually no issues reported in the redemption process.
The analytics provider is also refining its sampling strategies to achieve a sample more representative of the population. Moving from a mix of 25% phone and 75% mail to 100% mail, the company aims to improve geographic control and reduce complexity in sample planning. This shift is crucial as it allows for better demographic proportionality and fewer dependencies on external vendors for functions like phone screening and address matching. The introduction of this service, called Address Based Sampling, is set to start with this year’s fall book.
Nielsen has begun implementing targeted reselects to enhance full ABS by asking previous diary-returning households to participate again. This strategy allows a quick selection of samples to address demographic or geographic shortfalls. Initial reselects have shown positive results, particularly in improving proportionality across all demographics.
Looking ahead, Nielsen teased plans to launch its long-awaited mobile survey – or mSurvey – with the Fall 2025 book. This mobile survey will record all radio listening over seven days and is intended to eventually replace paper diaries, marking a significant advancement in the methodology of audio data collection. More information is expected to come within the next week.
