Incentives in surveys

survey design, unit nonresponse, response rates, sample composition, attrition

This FORS guide discusses the effect of incentives on survey completion/response rate, sample composition, and response quality. The guide particularly emphasizes the effects of different types of incentives – conditional vs. unconditional, monetary vs. non-monetary – for encouraging survey participation and reducing panel survey attrition in the Swiss context.

• When deciding for or against incentives, consider previous research, which suggests that incentives increase data quality in general population surveys in most survey modes.
• Different types of incentives are differently effective. In general, prepaid monetary incentives are recommended, but even small incentives can increase response rates.
• Think about delivery methods. Incentives should be easy to deliver and redeem for people.
• Think about your budget. Estimate a conservative and a liberal response rate (e.g., from surveys with similar characteristics). Then approximate potential expenses for incentives in your survey so that you do not inadvertently exceed your budget.
• Think about the appropriateness of the incentive for your target population. Do not offer incentives that are relatively valueless for your target population.
• Take different survey modes and survey designs into account to define the value of your incentives. For example, in large-scale face-to-face surveys, an unconditional monetary incentive of 10 CHF is currently considered an adequate incentive value in Switzerland.