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What’s to Like? Facebook as a Tool for Survey Data Collection

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  • Daniel Schneider
  • Kristen Harknett

Abstract

In this article, we explore the use of Facebook targeted advertisements for the collection of survey data. We illustrate the potential of survey sampling and recruitment on Facebook through the example of building a large employee–employer linked data set as part of The Shift Project. We describe the workflow process of targeting, creating, and purchasing survey recruitment advertisements on Facebook. We address concerns about sample selectivity and apply poststratification weighting techniques to adjust for differences between our sample and that of “gold standard†data sources. We then compare univariate and multivariate relationships in the Shift data against the Current Population Survey and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Finally, we provide an example of the utility of the firm-level nature of the data by showing how firm-level gender composition is related to wages. We conclude by discussing some important remaining limitations of the Facebook approach, as well as highlighting some unique strengths of the Facebook targeted advertisement approach, including the ability for rapid data collection in response to research opportunities, rich and flexible sample targeting capabilities, and low cost, and we suggest broader applications of this technique.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Schneider & Kristen Harknett, 2022. "What’s to Like? Facebook as a Tool for Survey Data Collection," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 51(1), pages 108-140, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:somere:v:51:y:2022:i:1:p:108-140
    DOI: 10.1177/0049124119882477
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Colla, C.H. & Dow, W.H. & Dube, A. & Lovell, V., 2014. "Early effects of the San Francisco paid sick leave policy," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(12), pages 2453-2460.
    2. Kurtulus, Fidan Ana & Tomaskovic-Devey, Donald, 2012. "Do Women Top Managers Help Women Advance? A Panel Study Using EEO-1 Records," IZA Discussion Papers 6444, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Lane, Julia I. & Salmon, Laurie A. & Spletzer, James R., 2007. "Establishment Wage Differentials," Working Papers 403, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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    2. Amber D. Thompson & Rebecca L. Utz, 2025. "Online surveys: lessons learned in detecting and protecting against insincerity and bots," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 23-39, February.
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    5. Grimmer, Louise, 2022. "Lessons from the COVID19 pandemic: The case of retail and consumer service firms," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    6. Natasha V. Pilkauskas & Katherine Michelmore & Nicole Kovski & H. Luke Shaefer, 2024. "The expanded Child Tax Credit and economic wellbeing of low-income families," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 1-35, December.

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