Crafting better surveys: Combatting bots, boosting engagement, and meeting the future

At Bellomy, we love blending tech with market research, and when it comes to creating our own research tools to get the best results, we pack a punch. 

We know that ensuring data quality is crucial, and part of that involves dealing with two big problems that have been on the minds of a lot of our clients. First, there’s the issue of bots messing with the data. Second, we need to make sure that real people who take the surveys have a good experience and give us their honest opinions.

So, let's dive in and see what we're doing at Bellomy to keep surveys bot-free and make them fun and engaging for real people.

Combatting survey bots and cheating 

Dealing with bots and cheaters in surveys can feel like fighting an invisible enemy, but by combining tech tools and human oversight, we're confident that our surveys are as bot-free and accurate as they can be. Here's how we keep our surveys clean and the data trustworthy.

Technical controls

First things first — we use several smart-tech tricks to keep bots at bay.

• Digital fingerprinting: This helps us recognize when someone tries to take the survey more than once using the same device.
• Unique identifiers: We assign a unique ID to each respondent. These IDs do not follow a predictable pattern, making it tough for bots to sneak back in.
• Page ID controls: These control the order and access of survey pages, stopping basic bot attacks trying to breeze through.
• Captchas: We throw these in when needed because, let's face it, they're still pretty effective at catching bots.

Data quality monitoring

We're all about catching stuff that doesn’t look right. Here are a few ways we do that.

• Response-time database: We've got a massive database that tracks how long various types of questions and pages usually take to answer. If someone speeds through or drags their feet, we take notice.
• Trip-wire questions: Simple but effective questions, like asking for a birth year in one spot and an age range in another, can trip up both bots and inattentive humans.
• Statistical reviews: Our pros go over the data looking for weird patterns or answers that don’t fit. Shady responses get flagged for a closer look.
• Verbatim monitoring: By keeping an eye on open-ended responses, we spot those oddball entries that don't make sense or look a lot like an AI wrote them.

Custom and human controls

• Technology is great, but sometimes you need the human touch and old-fashioned oversight.
• Custom panels: For some clients, we build special panels with extra security checks. These might include additional info that we can cross-check against client data.
• Trusted partners: We work closely with vetted sample providers and keep an eye on them to make sure the sample quality stays high.
• Manual review and validation: When things look fishy, we don’t just rely on automation. Our team can manually review responses and even contact respondents in sensitive studies to validate their participation.
• Bot detection systems: Sometimes we integrate a trusted third-party system for an extra layer of bot defense.

Boosting survey engagement by enhancing the respondent experience 

One of the most notable things about Bellomy is that we don’t do cookie-cutter surveys. We understand that each client is different, and we customize surveys accordingly while also working hard to ensure that the folks taking our surveys have a positive experience. This not only keeps survey-takers engaged but also ensures that the insights we gather are top-notch.

Building trust

Building and maintaining trust is primary for us. We want participants to feel safe and valued, knowing their privacy is protected and we prioritize ethical research in all our efforts. We accomplish this in several ways. 

• Intentional language: From the email invitation to the user-friendly landing page, our goal is to communicate that respondents are in good hands. 
• Brand compliance: Our surveys feature the client’s branding so they look familiar and trustworthy to respondents.
• Data privacy: We make sure our data privacy controls are clear and easy to understand — no sneaky business.

Variety of access options

We go above and beyond to meet respondents where they are. That means integrating surveys into real-time experiences and offering a variety of ways — from traditional and straightforward to more interactive approaches — for people to share their thoughts. 

• Mobile-first design: Because so many people take these surveys on their phones, we use mobile-first design to keep things smooth and easy. 
• In-website integration: Imagine being able to fill out a survey right on a website you’re already using — it’s smooth and seamless.
• In-app experiences: For mobile apps, we design surveys that fit right into the app. That means no jumping out to a different platform — it's all right there.
• Interactive questions: For a bit more fun, we include drag-and-drop or swipe options. These keep people engaged and make the survey feel less like a chore.
• Video capture: When it fits, we use video-based surveys. Not only do these add a personal touch, but they also give richer insights because we can see and hear the person’s reactions.

Enriching open-ends with AI

We’re big fans of using AI to make things better. It’s like having a super-smart assistant who helps us and our clients get the most out of every survey. And thanks to our advanced AI analytics suite, we can easily handle and make sense of a wide variety of open-ended data. 

• AI interviews: We even have some pretty amazing AI tools that can conduct in-depth interviews, kind of like talking to a human, but faster.
• Auto-prompting for details: If someone leaves an open-ended response, our AI can ask follow-up questions in real-time, digging deeper into what they mean.
• Short but sweet surveys: Sometimes, less is more. Short surveys filled with open-ended questions can be really effective. Our AI tools can quickly analyze these responses for nuanced insights like themes, sentiment, and key topics.

Personalization through AI is the future of surveys

I have a personal belief that "the survey may die, but questionnaires will live on." With advancements in AI and our own innovative tools, a future of personalized, AI-driven questioning is closer than ever. This is something I’m really excited about — and I think the result will be engaged respondents, richer data, and happier researchers and clients. Here’s some of what I think the future will include.  

• AI-driven surveys: In the future, we see AI taking the reins. Picture this: Instead of everyone getting the same 20-question survey, AI could tailor the experience for each person. One person might get a traditional survey, another a quick chat, another a couple of focused questions, and someone else a more interactive activity. The decision as to which experience to deliver will be decided by an AI trained on individualized preferences, using probabilistic and deterministic controls (e.g. direct respondent selection) to achieve this specialization.
• Micro-targeting: By understanding the respondent’s preferences and behavior, we can customize the survey on the fly, keeping people engaged and getting more honest and thoughtful answers.
• AI handling the heavy lifting: Researchers won’t have to worry about all the nitty-gritty details like testing every skip pattern. Instead, they can focus on what really matters – the insights.

At Bellomy, we're all about mixing solid tech with top-notch market research for tailored approaches that precisely address your challenges. We take a multifaceted approach to fight off bots and cheating, and we focus on a positive respondent experience to ensure the highest-quality data for our clients. Looking ahead, we’re excited for a future where AI and personalized experiences make surveys even more effective. Here's to a future of better surveys and even better data!

Matt Gullett is Bellomy’s SVP of Insights Technology. An employee of more than 20 years, he loves thinking and writing about AI.

Have a challenge? We're here to help.

Bellomy is committed to innovative, ethical survey research that delivers high-quality insights. We're ready to help you meet your market research needs with our advanced tools and personalized approach. Get in touch at bellomy.com/consultation.