What are the most effective ways to reach out to hard-to-reach populations for a survey?

I agree with many of the tactics people have suggested, but I really don’t like the term “hard to reach”. People aren’t hard to reach - you only need to go to the places and communities where they hang out to find these so called hard to reach people. I think the term more appropriately applies to researchers or designers who don’t make this effort.

Representativeness vs. representation is a key consideration. Here're 3 design issues: 1. Representativeness refers to the statistical context and representation focuses on visibility. For populations small in number, non-survey methods could provide greater representation, eg. qualitative & participatory methods (but not representativeness). Also consider mixed methods, i.e. quantitative + qualitative. 2. Hard-to-reach can also be hard to sample/contact/persuade. Even if you’ve had lived experience as part of the target population, your current reality may not reflect theirs so consult the literature + key informants. 3. Don't ask survey questions when you can extract the data from records. Reduce burden to get better reach & cooperation!

Consider that the groups are not hard to reach. It’s that your services are hard to access. Flip the lens. @nick miller @david Warren

Let's start by defining what we mean by "hard to reach." These could include niche groups, like artisanal cheesemakers or communities with limited internet access, such as rural areas. Factors like privacy concerns, distrust of online surveys or language barriers may also contribute to this difficulty. Recognizing these challenges is the first step towards developing effective outreach strategies.

Go to them. Literally meet them where they are. Make the effort. Consider technology access. Consider work schedules. Go to where these 'hard to reach' people are.

Totally agree Jo, I think the issue lays with the people doing the reaching .. we fail to reach by not building relationships and trust. Hard to reach is a term that we can hide behind. Build connections and routes into communities and enable people to have a voice and be seen for their knowledge, skills and assets.

I agree with Jo Carter's perspective on the term "hard to reach" - I think it is better to think about who is the hardest to hear from, or which individuals we would like to support better, and therefore Step 1 becomes more about identifying the problem you want to solve and whose needs you need to understand better in order to solve it. By identifying these people and/or communities, you can then design your research questions and approach to ensure that it works for them - not just for you as a researcher. This will also ensure the data you get back is relevant and usable.

🔴 Reaching out to hard-to-reach populations for a survey can be challenging but is essential for obtaining diverse and representative data. Here are some effective strategies: Partnerships with Community Organizations Use of Multiple Communication Channels Incentives and Rewards Culturally Tailored Materials Peer-to-Peer Recruitment Mobile-Friendly Surveys Face-to-Face Outreach Anonymity and Confidentiality Flexible Timing Continuous Engagement By implementing these strategies, you can enhance the effectiveness of your outreach efforts and increase participation rates among hard-to-reach populations for your survey.

Prior to embarking on survey design, it is essential to identify the hard-to-reach groups pertinent to your research question and rationale for their significance. Leveraging existing data sources like census data, reports, or studies can furnish valuable insights into the demographic and socio-economic profiles of your target population.

Use alternative, novel and appropriate survey data collection methods. Sometimes it’s the WAY you’re asking for information that is the problem. If you don’t know what ways would work for different groups, go and ask them. Just because a tick box form is best for you, doesn’t mean it’s best for them.

Now, when it comes to engaging these hard-to-reach populations, establishing trust and rapport is crucial. Traditional methods like online ads or random phone calls often don't resonate with them.

When choosing to launch a survey, it is important to consider which is the best way to make it engaging for the target demographic. eg: B2B respondents might prefer phone calls. Younger respondents might prefer gamified online surveys. Retail customers might prefer WhatsApp surveys. Engaging with the target demographic by considering engagement levels on the platform will lead to better quality responses.

Finding your target audience is the key. The requirements of the targeted audience and try to provide customized solutions (if applicable). A well researched market always has a better hand in excelling.

When you need to do research with hard-to-reach groups, one of the most important things you can do is carefully consider where you can find these respondents and what vehicle provides the greatest likelihood of reaching them. There is no "perfect" vehicle for conducting research, and, in some cases, you may need to use creative methods to find these respondents.

Try using referrals / references or networking events to reach out to specific respondents or key opinion accounts for the survey

This is where creative solutions become essential: Firstly, partnering with trusted organizations can make a significant difference. NGOs, community centers, or industry associations already have established relationships within these communities. By collaborating with them, you gain their endorsement and can encourage participation in your survey. Lastly, thinking offline can also be fruitful. Distributing flyers, putting up posters or conducting pop-up surveys at relevant events can reach segments of the population who may not be active online.

Partnering with community-based and faith-based organizations can be a great way to build trust. Partnership can involve resource sharing (e.g., providing volunteers for community events, sharing information and resources that are relevant to the community these organizations serve). In marketing materials, explain the purpose of the research and why the target population should care about it. Call out underrepresentation as a social issue that perpetuates inequity. Also, when designing marketing materials, consider including images that represent the target population. Use color schemes that are culturally appropriate. And consider translating materials if target population’s first language isn’t English.

That's an important part so as to get the best quality data, this could be done adding some smart humor or interesting content in the survey

Easiest way to build in trust and rapport is through incentives. Pay people or provide them rewards to connect with you. The second easiest way is to already have it. Work within your personal networks to identify potential targets and see if just buying them a coffee one day would open the doors for you.

Another way to build trust and rapport, is to bring in people who are closer to the population either in the form or contractors, or a team member, and get them to engage the audience, and conduct surveys and interviews.

In my experience services should be ‘easy to reach’ and not the other way around. Help people find what you are offering, in the way that they need it 😊

Target Public Gatherings: Identify places where the target population frequently gathers, such as community centers, local events, religious institutions, or recreational venues. Engaging with them in these settings increases the likelihood of reaching a larger number of individuals. second Utilize Community Networks: Tap into existing community networks and organizations that have established connections with the hard-to-reach population. Collaborate with community leaders, influencers, or local organizations to gain their support in promoting the survey and encourage participation.

Explore Other Avenues The online realm isn't the sole option available. Text-Based Surveys (SMS): SMS presents high accessibility with a commendable open rate. Keep the survey brief and suitable for mobile devices. Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Automated telephone surveys can be a budget-friendly choice, yet ensure clear directions and a user-friendly interface. Online Community Forums: For specialized groups, pertinent online forums or social media communities can serve as valuable connections. However, refrain from being overly intrusive – provide value initially, then gently introduce your survey.

En la actual tendencia de inteligencia artificial generativa, invitaría a apoyarse en este tipo de herramienta digital: puede ayudar a precisar el tono adecuado con el cual conviene dirigirse al grupo objetivo de la encuesta. Además, se pueden observar foros donde este grupo objetivo interactúe. Así se obtendrán insights valiosos en cuanto a tono y mensaje (forma y tipo de preguntas) para incluir en la encuesta. Y también muy importante: definir una hipótesis de investigación preliminarmente; así se podrán definir preguntas más concretas y útiles. Al final (tras aplicar la encuesta), debe confirmarse o rebatirse la hipótesis inicial.

Recuerda que cada encuesta puede responder a algún campo de aplicación: -Cliente: para saber hábitos de consumo, opiniones, posicionamiento de marca, perfiles demográficos. -Producto: para entender cómo lo usan; test comparativo, etc. -Mercado: estimación de precio final, potencial, estudio de canales de distribución, efectividad de equipo de ventas. -Publicidad: pre-test de campaña, estudios motivacionales, medios, etc. -Sociología y opinión pública: investigaciones sociológicas, políticas y sondeos electorales, movilidad y transporte, etc. Según el campo en el que apliques la encuesta, deberás tener en cuenta sus particularidades.