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What makes survey participation feel worth it

Source reportMethodology

Overview

Respondents want clearer reasons to participate honestly, but good participation also depends on whether survey-related tasks feel accessible and worth the effort.

About 80% say the market research industry should explain why people should participate honestly in surveys. At the same time, digital-document problems and incentive preferences point to practical participation barriers.

Stacked breakdown

80% say the market research industry should explain why honest participation matters.

Should the market research industry tell you why you should participate honestly in surveys?

Yes
79.8%
No
15.3%
I don't know what the market research industry is
4.8%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

B

View source data

Adults want the purpose of honest participation explained

About 80% say the market research industry should tell people why they should participate honestly in surveys.

Only 15% say no, and 5% say they do not know what the market research industry is.

Topline

35% report documents that did not open or display correctly.

Have you experienced any of the following difficulties when trying to make documents accessible?

  • Yes - it didn't open or display correctly on my phone or computer 34.5%
  • Yes - it wouldn't let me or something went wrong 23.8%
  • No - I haven't had trouble with digital documents 23.6%
  • Yes - the text was too or hard to read 18.0%
  • No - I haven't tried to make a document accessible 16.8%
  • Yes - it didn't work well with tools I use, like a screen reader 11.0%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

B

View source data

Digital-document barriers are common

The most common accessibility difficulty is a document that did not open or display correctly on a phone or computer, selected by 35%.

When people last had trouble using a digital document, 30% tried to find another way, 25% pushed through despite frustration, and 11% gave up and did not complete it.

Topline

47% would most likely choose PayPal as a survey incentive.

If you were offered an incentive for participating in a survey such as this one, what type of incentive would you most likely choose?

  • PayPal 46.5%
  • Amazon Gift card 19.9%
  • Venmo 14.2%
  • Virtual Visa or Mastercard 10.1%
  • Bank transfer 6.7%
  • Other Gift card 2.1%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

B

View source data

Incentive preferences become sharper for higher-effort asks

For survey participation, PayPal is the most preferred incentive type at 47%, followed by Amazon gift cards at 20% and Venmo at 14%.

For taking home photos during a survey, 33% say they would need more than $50 to be motivated, and 9% would not consider it for any incentive.

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Population
United States adults
Field dates
2025-08-01 → 2025-08-06
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.2%
Module
B
Sponsor
Verasight
Weight variable
weight
Weighting targets
age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

Sources

[5]
  • 01
    Should the market research industry tell you why you should participate honestly in surveys?Anchors the topic in a direct measure of desired respondent communication.reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-quirks-omnibus-survey
  • 02
    Have you experienced any of the following difficulties when trying to make documents accessible?Shows practical difficulties when adults try to make documents accessible.reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-quirks-omnibus-survey
  • 03
    What did you do the last time you had trouble using a digital document?Shows how people respond when digital documents create friction.reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-quirks-omnibus-survey
  • 04
    If you were offered an incentive for participating in a survey such as this one, what type of incentive would you most likely choose?Adds preferred incentive type for ordinary survey participation.reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-quirks-omnibus-survey
  • 05
    If you were asked to take 1 or more pictures of your home during a survey, such as a pantry or laundry room, what level of incentive would motivate you to do so?Adds the higher incentive threshold for a more involved survey task.reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-quirks-omnibus-survey

Citation

Verasight Quirks Omnibus Survey, fielded August 1-6, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.2%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-quirks-omnibus-survey#should-the-market-research-industry-tell-you-why-you-should-participate-honestly-in-surveys

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.