Using Informational Video to Elicit Participation in Online Survey Research: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Does integration of informational video in online survey invitations represent an effective mean for eliciting survey participation? Using a preregistered randomized controlled trial (n = 28,510), this article examines the survey response effects of embedding a link to an informational video in an email inviting people to participate in an online survey. We test the effects of two videos (low-cost and high-cost). Relative to a control group receiving a simple survey invitation letter, neither video have substantial effects on survey response rates, survey initiation time, or survey completion time. Video view counts indicate a likely explanation: Respondents may tend to decide whether to participate already upon reading the email invitation letter. Access to informational video does not make a substantial difference.