US radio trade publication Radio Ink have gone behind the scenes with global audience insights, data and analytics measurement company Nielsen and found they are in the process of a survey measurement overhaul. Neilsen provides a lot of data to Australia, like this recent finding that Australian tertiary education institutions spent more than $175 million on advertising in the last year. How it measures audio, compared to Australia’s GfK and Xtra Insights surveys, is an interesting contrast.

Firstly Nielsen has moved from paper screeners to an online application, introducing the eScreener at the start of this year. This was done to reach people most likely to respond via a digital format as well as reducing reliance on the US Postal Service for return mail. When the eScreener was tested, while a majority preferred a digital version, actual response rates were lower with older audiences showing a preference for paper.

Nielsen offers money as an incentive to those asked to respond. Alongside the change to an online application, Nielsen is also transitioning from actual paper money to digital incentives like an eGift Cards. Around 20% of participants opted for a cash payment via a digital platform like PayPal, disbursed as soon as the screener is completed. 94% of participants redeemed their digital incentives and the streamline of that distribution significantly improved.

Nielsen also teased to Radio Ink a forthcoming mobile survey, called mSurvey, that will record all radio listening over seven days and is intended to eventually replace paper diaries, not entirely dissimilar to GfK’s Radio 360. mSurvey use should commence in 2025.