Socio demographic are social characteristics of a population such as age, gender, education, marital status, employment income, household, religious affiliation, and migration background, among others. These surveys are used in research to help determine aspects such as the social-economic status of a population by combining one’s level of education and income, among others. Below we explore the purpose of social demographic surveys and how to get people to answer them.
Social Demographics surveys are Quantifiable
Social demographic can be measured and quantified, unlike other factors that can only be generalized by observing a certain trend in the survey results. After the survey, you can only have one age, married or not married, a graduate or not. This makes it easy to collect not only information but also quantify it.
Ensures You are Engaging the Right Population
Research requires a population sample that represents the rest of the group. Socio demographics surveys ensure you are surveying the ideal respondents. By evaluating the answers, you can easily tell if you are surveying the correct group of people. You also need to know how this sample is distributed to help you determine whether the results can be generalized to represent the whole population. The larger the sample size, the more accurate the data.
Makes Audience Categorization Possible Giving More Accurate Information
Social demographics help categorize the audience into different subgroups. This helps in grouping similar categories together for a better understanding of the target group. Such groupings make it easier to determine whether each sub-group in the target audience is represented in the data collection process. You can, for instance, categorize youths aged 20-30, then from the group have another category of those with a college degree.
Helps Understand Respondents Better
Most social demographic surveys are done anonymously for confidentiality purposes. This does not hinder the person collecting the data from having a clear idea of who answered the questions. Since they can extract this information as per the information filled on the social demographics section by the respondent.
It’s Easy Target a Certain Demographic
Social demographics make it easy to target a specific group of people since the information can be measured. You can easily get the number of youths who are between 20 -25, for instance. If you want to target a specific group with a certain product, program, or information, it’s easy to get the numbers and make an informed decision.
How to Get People Answer Social Demographic Surveys
Most people avoid these questions since they find them uncomfortable. In some countries, it’s rude to ask someone’s income level. That’s why you should carefully select the survey questions depending on the respondents. Other tips include:
Ask Relevant Questions Only
Only ask social demographic questions that are relevant and necessary to your research. Generally, people don’t like answering personal questions. Other aspects such as race and gender are considered sensitive. This is mainly as a result of the stereotype threat. Where people in a negatively stereotyped group experience anxiety answering some questions in a survey. Since it seems like they are confirming the negative stereotype. Asking sophomore students their level of income may not be necessary since they may not be earning.
Add the Questions at the beginning of the Survey
Placing socio demographic questions at the beginning of the survey increases the response rate. Respondents are more likely to lose interest after answering a few questions, and some may even drop out. This means they may not answer the demographic questions if they are placed at the end.
Social demographic surveys give more accurate information about a population. They are more specific, quantifiable, and measurable. However, it’s important to consider the kind of population you are engaging with before deciding what questions to add to such surveys.
