E³SUR

Willingness to participate in surveys has been steadily declining, while the costs of obtaining valid data continue to rise. Against this backdrop, E³SUR investigates efficient digital strategies for recruiting survey participants with the aim of reducing costs while simultaneously maintaining reach and data quality. The original idea for the project stems from three empirical studies conducted at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (HSRM), in which high costs per participant (€63.62 to €132.16) resulted from analog recruitment strategies. E³SUR seeks to test alternative recruitment strategies via social media (primarily Instagram and Facebook) with regard to reach, response (cost per click, CPC), and success rate (cost per participant, CPP), thereby extending the existing literature on social media recruitment.

The planned quasi-experimental design compares four conditions in a 2×2 between-subjects design: survey mode (single-stage vs. two-stage) and incentivization (with vs. without). In the single-stage condition, participants are directed straight from an advertisement to the survey, whereas the two-stage condition requires prior registration in order to increase commitment. Incentives are optionally provided in the form of a prize draw offering cash or shopping vouchers. The control group consists of the single-stage condition with incentive. Overall, four groups with 300 participants each will be formed.

Online recruitment is managed through targeted digital advertisements, with audiences segmented based on sociodemographic and psychographic characteristics. In terms of content, users of micromobility services are addressed once again in order to build on prior research experience. The survey length is limited to 10–15 minutes.

The results will first be discussed at scientific conferences (e.g. ISCTSC, EMAC) and then published in national and international journals. The goal is to develop a practical, cost-efficient recruitment tool that can also be transferred to other research questions. In this way, E³SUR contributes to the methodological development of empirical research at universities of applied sciences and at the same time addresses the growing challenge of rising survey costs.