Omnibus Studies

Our approach to PR polling makes it simple and affordable to use omnibus surveys for mediaworthy data. Wakefield's telephone and online omnibus surveys are in the field every night of the week, which means that we can work within almost any timeline.

Omnibus surveys often serve as a cost-effective "Pulse Poll" option for companies looking to gather a quick, representative read on issues, events, or brands. However, many of Wakefield's clients use them for public relations outreach.

Below, Wakefield's Editorial Panel of former journalists, PR executives, and classically-trained researchers have compiled answers to frequently asked questions about using omnibus polls for public relations outreach.

What is an omnibus survey?

Omnibus surveys are shared-cost surveys, which makes them a cost-effective way to conduct research. They are priced on a per-question basis. Unlike most firms, Wakefield does not require a minimum number of questions to participate in our omnibus survey.

Which is better - online or telephone omnibus surveys?

Each are good options, and we field both types every day of the week. However for many projects, we recommend maximizing your budget dollars by fielding your questions online. Most top-tier media organizations cover online polls so long as they are nationally representative. The AP is the only outlet that can be hesitant to do so. Unless the survey audience or the subject matter lends itself to one methodology over another (for example, we rarely interview college students by telephone and almost never interview seniors online) then we typically recommend the most cost-effective option to our PR Polling clients.

What does it mean for a survey to be "nationally representative" and why is it important?

Simply put, a nationally representative US survey is one that accurately illustrates what Americans think, as a whole. In order to assert fairly that "a major of Americans agree that X is true." your survey results must be scientific and representative of US public opinion.

Wakefield sets quotas for vital demographics such as age, gender, region, ethnicity, income and others to ensure that our survey population scientifically mirrors the demographic make-up of the country. This is absolutely crucial for having credible, scientific, and newsworthy results that the media will accept. Unfortunately, this is a step that many research firms skip in order to cut costs. Studies intended for release to the media should NEVER skip this vital step.

Can I use an omnibus survey to study specific audiences, such as moms or small business owners?

Simply put – yes you can. Since our omnibus surveys the general population, it is often an effective way to interview certain targeted audiences, assuming they make up a large segment of the overall population. Please contact us to find out if an omnibus survey is the best approach for you.

How many interviews do I need to conduct to have a survey that the media will find credible?

General population omnibus studies must typically be conducted among 1,000 nationally representative Americans over the age of 18. This is the sample size regularly used by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and every other top-tier media organization. For more targeted audiences, we can often field fewer than 1,000 respondents since we are representing the opinions of a smaller universe. For example, the media will typically accept research findings about the opinions of US women that are based on a survey sample of 500.

How can I make sure the media will find my survey credible?

Credible, mediaworthy PR polling stems from how a survey is conducted – specifically the technical aspects of the poll. Many public relations executives incorrectly assume that a large sample size is all that's required to produce credible poll results. While sample size is an important factor, quality polling for PR is based on many other factors too. Top-tier editors and producers need to know that the survey questions are written in a way that does not lead respondents to one answer over another. They need to know that demographic quotas were established and that a decision-grade survey sample was used. They also need to know that the recruitment and interviewing methodology was appropriate given the survey audience. Wakefield's media and research experts will always take this into consideration when making a recommendation, and then present you with the best research options.

How can I make sure the media will find my survey compelling?

It is not enough simply to have quirky or creative survey questions. While these types of tactics can make for great newshooks, they must be combined with more substantial data-points in order to garner the message-rich media impressions that brands expect. The proper combination of these different question types is often what makes difference between a quick brand mention and a feature story. Wakefield's Editorial Panel of former journalists and PR executives are the best in the industry at crafting questionnaires that have the proper mix of creative and compelling questions.

Public opinion surveys are particularly well-suited for problem / solution scenarios in which the survey data is used to identify a problem for which the brand is one of the key solutions. Our team of research experts leverage their extensive knowledge of public opinion to identify these opportunities for your brand and build them into your questionnaire.

Finally, just like a newsworthy pitch, the most compelling surveys are those that organically connect your brand to the news. In some cases, this means bridging through current events, or to calendar events. In other situations, it involves identifying lifestyle trends and leveraging those angles. Wakefield's Editorial Panel of former journalists and PR executives can provide actionable recommendations for how to utilize research to create a bridge between the media and your brand.