When working with highly mobile populations, such as migrants and refugees, traditional data collection methods, such as in-person surveys, may not be sufficient. Moreover, the onset of COVID-19 and the global reduction in aid has made even more valuable the capacity to implement low-cost, remote surveys. With support from the Peace & Recovery Initiative and IPA Colombia, in 2021 the Immigration Policy Lab and Mercy Corps developed a novel, technology-assisted, and partially automated survey method using WhatsApp. To compare these new WhatsApp surveys to other low-cost data collection tools, including short message service (SMS) and Integrated Voice Response (IVR) tools, researchers conducted a randomized evaluation assessing response rates across the three methods. Results showed that WhatsApp surveys of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic had the highest response rates compared to SMS and IVR, due to higher initial engagement and higher survey completion rates.

With its low cost, high response rate, and potential for scalability, WhatsApp is a viable option for a replicable and publicly available survey platform for researchers across a range of contexts. From February 2020 to June 2021, researchers tested this platform in Lebanon during a panel survey of Syrian refugees. By conducting semi-structured interviews over encrypted WhatsApp calls, they were able to continue their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and build a better understanding of Syrian refugee return decision-making. Moreover, the researchers pointed out that the WhatsApp calls and voice messages were able to facilitate privacy for participants, as they did not need to travel or leave their homes for the survey. To learn more about privacy, consent, and sensitivity considerations surrounding the WhatsApp surveys, see their 2025 paper here.

For details on the studies referenced, please read the following summaries:

• The Colombia Study: Can New Communication Technologies Be Used To Conduct Rigorous Research Among Hard-To-Trace Populations? Evidence from Supporting Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia
• The Lebanon Study: Dynamics of Refugee Return to Syria from Lebanon

Also see the Immigration Policy Lab’s webinar introducing the WhatsApp survey method in the video below.

Related Links

• IPA Colombia Blog: WhatsApp Surveys: An Innovative and Low-Cost Solution for Remote Data Collection
• Technical Documentation and a How To Manual
• The Immigration Policy Lab Project Page: Low-cost, Automated WhatsApp Surveys