Virtual Incentives has set out four practical considerations for market researchers offering survey incentives: the full cost of fulfilment, reward size, the number of rewards available and clear participation terms. The September 2013 guidance was developed with input from Survey Gizmo and Constant Contact.

The article places the relationship with respondents ahead of the incentive itself. It argues that interest in the subject and a belief that feedback will have an effect can provide reasons to participate, with a reward supporting that relationship. Examples include small cash amounts, gifts, gift certificates and relevant coupons or discounts.

Budgeting should include the work around the reward as well as its face value. Virtual Incentives identifies preparation, packaging, distribution and staff time as costs that can affect the resources needed to run the survey.

The guide recommends keeping incentives proportionate to the task. It cautions that a particularly attractive reward may draw people with little connection to the research topic, while expectations around a significant incentive may affect the way a respondent answers. These are considerations for designing the research, rather than evidence of a measured effect in a particular survey.

If rewards are limited in number, the article recommends monitoring participation so the survey can close when that limit is reached. It also calls for clearly stated conditions explaining what a participant must do to earn the reward.

Together, the recommendations connect respondent communication with operational controls. The researcher needs to know what the incentive costs, who can earn it and how the promised rewards will be delivered before collecting responses.