1. Communication/Engagement Preferences Study
Jan Kihm | Market Research Coordinator
Renee Raduenz | Market Research Manager
October 4, 2018 (PE Call)
Preliminary Presentation

2. Purpose
This study is a follow-up to U of MN study: “Effective Social Media Engagement Options for MN’s Diversifying Population”
To understand level of interest in receiving and giving for specific content:
Planning/improvement efforts (e.g. long range and bicycle/ped)
Construction Projects (current, 1 year out, completed)
General Communication (e.g., questions, communication, jobs)
To determine preferred methods to give/receive for specific content

3. Background
Pilot survey conducted in 2017, using non- targeted Facebook and Twitter posts:
Generated responses from about n=200 respondents
Respondents were mostly white, Metro residents
Preliminary insights presented at PE Workshop
Goal set to increase the sample diversity in full study by:
Translating the survey
Using targeted ads
Broadening the geographic reach

4. Approach & Caveats Approximately n=2,000 respondents participated:
Most from Facebook (and handful from Twitter and Instagram)
Some from other sources (MnDOT , website, etc.)
Because of the sampling and data collection process:
Likely an inflated interest in certain methods/tools (electronic, online and social media formats)
With majority of population using social media and , content preferences may not be markedly different from other sources
Regardless, opportunity to investigate and expand on with other data collection and targeting methods

5. How well did it work?

6. Range of Respondents Overall response was reasonable
Not much luck increasing racial/ethnic diversity
Able to represent Metro and Greater MN
Fairly diverse in terms of other demographics

7. Reasonable initial response overall (at n=2000+) but difficult to get traction outside of English and Spanish speaking segments
Some response decline for each language
Fairly minor for English
Moderate for Spanish
Extreme for the Hmong and Somali (and very few started)
starting sample

8. English and Spanish language segments only groups large enough to analyze
Difficult to reach others and even more difficult to keep them
Hmong and Somali drop well below usable samples (n < 30)
NOTE: 43 Native American / Alaska Natives (self-classified at end of survey)
Survey Language
Started Survey
Answered District Question
Answer Content Grid Question*
Answered Survey Method Question
Completed Last Question
English
2186
1926
1714
1469
1463
Spanish
191
153
120 87 86
Hmong 27 10 5 4
Somali 54 29 14
Total
2458
2118
1853
1570
1563
Red cells are too small to analyze separately/generalize
*This question asked if they had any other topic area of interest (after the specific content types)
NOTE: Those who specified race classified as: white (1365), Hispanic, Latino or Spanish (92), American Indian or Alaska Native (43), Black or African-American(28), Asian (11), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (4) And Other (35)

9. Sample is diverse in many other ways (n shown is # who completed preference content grid)
Female (1126)
Male (426)
Other* (3)
26%
72%
D1 (134)
D2 (115)
D3 (110)
D4 (121)
Metro (815)
D6 (176)
D7 (244)
D8 (128)
Greater MN NET (1028)
Non-MN (10)
0.2%
(n shown is number who completed initial content preference grid)
*includes those who identify as neutral, non-conforming, non-binary, etc.)

10. RESULTS
Today . . .
Review overall interest in giving and receiving specific content
And, some key differences
Cover a summary of preferred methods for receiving information and giving input across content
And, one example of detailed preferences by content (if time permits)
End of the Month . . .
A detailed report will summarize findings for each area

11. Preferences for Types of Content

12. Content Categories Evaluated
Receive Information
Give Input
Not Interested
Planning & Improvements
Minnesota's long-range transportation planning (5+ years in the future) 1 2 3
Bicycle and pedestrian plans / improvements
Construction Projects
Construction that currently impacts your travel/commute
Construction happening in your community within a year from today
Completed construction/projects
General Topics
Expressing specific concerns (e.g., potholes, signage, broken signals, safety)
Asking general questions
MnDOT job opportunities

13. CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Lots of interest in receiving information and reasonable appetite for giving input (especially to ask questions and express concerns)
RECEIVE INFORMATION
GIVE INPUT
PLANNING /
IMPROVEMENTS
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Base: set to stable level based upon those who responded to last item (to make comparisons possible).
GENERAL TOPICS

14. Key Differences by Survey Language/Ethnicity (for English and Spanish Language and Native Americans (where n>30))
Spanish language survey respondents:
Most interested in receiving information on
Bicycle/Pedestrian Plans
Jobs
Native American respondents:
Most interested in receiving information on near term construction (similar to English language survey segment, overall)
English language survey respondents:
Most interested in:
Giving input on near term construction
Expressing concerns (similar to Spanish language)

15. Differences by Survey Language and Race/Ethnicity
Give Input
*Differences significant at the 90% confidence level
AND at least 15-percentage points difference

16. Differences by District
Interest in Receiving Information:
Metro District is hungriest for information on plans/improvements
Most interest in long range planning (similar to D1, D2 and D3 (and especially compared to D4))
Most interest in bicycle/pedestrian plans (significantly higher than D6 and D8)
District 3-4 are the most interested in information on jobs
Especially compared to D8
Interest in Giving input:
District-3 is most keen on giving input
Long range planning
Bicycle/pedestrian plans (but only significantly higher than D4)
Metro District and District 2 have most interest in expressing concerns

17. District Preferences

18. Differences by Demos Interest in Receiving Information:
Those >35 years of age more interested in long range plans
Those advanced degrees/coursework most interested in bicycle/pedestrian plans and improvements (and it declines as education levels drop)
Those years of age and/or without a college degree most interested in jobs
Interest in Giving input:
Interest in giving input decreases with age (across content)
But, those years of age most interested in being able to ask questions
Interest in giving input, in general, is higher among the college educated (especially compared to those with no post-secondary education)

19. Age Group Preferences by Topic

20. Education Group Preferences by Topic

21. Preferences for Methods for Receiving Information & Giving Input

22. Methods for Receiving Information (options listed in survey)
Website
Media
Social Media/ Technology
Direct 1:1 Contact
Traditional
Community Based
Local newspaper
Twin Cities newspaper
Radio
Television
Twitter
Facebook
Mobile app
Text
511 (current only)
LinkedIn (Job info only)
Contact MnDOT person
Hotline
Live chat
MnDOT Open House
Community Meeting/Event
US Mail
Career Fair (job info only)
Community Leader/Org
Poster in Neighborhood

23. Preferred Methods for Receiving Information
Mobile App
511
Texts TV
Website
Facebook
Core set for all content
LR Planning
Bicycle/Ped Plans
Construction in next year
Job Opportunities
Current Construction impacting travel
Completed projects
The additional sources are generalized across (and some other methods have similar levels of appeal for particular content areas)

24. Methods/Tools for Giving Input (options listed in survey)
METHODS FOR GIVING INPUT
Structured Survey (quant)
Written Contact
Social Media/ Technology
Live Contact
Qualitative Discussions (in-depth)
Other
Online survey
Phone survey
Paper Survey
Twitter
Facebook
Live Chat on Website
Specific MnDOT person
Information Desk or Hotline
MnDOT Open House
Focus Groups
Community Meetings
Online Focus Group
Community Leader/Org
Mobile App
Mail
Contact Form on Website

25. Preferred Methods for Giving Input
Mobile App
Open House
Online survey*
Web contact form
Facebook
Core set for all content
Bicycle/Ped Plans
Construction in next year
Current Construction
Completed Projects
Expressing Concerns
Asking Questions
Long Range Planning
*This survey was done online, so it makes sense that this format would be one of the preferred methods

26. Construction that Currently Impacts Travel/Commute
One example:
Detailed preferences for receiving information

27. Preferences for Methods of Receiving Information on Construction that Impacts Current Travel/Commute Ranked by Total Sample
Core set tops the list for all levels of interest
is ranked higher for “most preferred” (and some others shift order)

28. Choosing Combinations: Most Common vs. Broadest Reach
TURF Analysis = Total Unduplicated Reach & Frequency
Hypothetical Example
1st
3rd
2nd
Most Commonly Preferred
1st
3rd
4th
TURF: Broadest Reach
Another way to consider

29. What other combinations/methods should be considered?
Preferred Methods to Receive Information on Construction that Impacts Current Travel/Commute
The core set of methods reaches majority of those interested in receiving this type of information +
= 86% reach
What other combinations/methods should be considered?

30. Secondary Set of Preferred Methods to Receive Information on Construction that Impacts Current Travel/Commute
Best secondary set to overlay on top of the core
511
+ Texts
+ TV
+ Local Paper
+ Mobile App
[- TV (dropped))
+ TV (added back)
+ US Mail
Based upon “all methods” preference data

31. Key Differences in Preferred Methods to Receive Information about Construction that Impacts Current Travel by Survey Language
, Facebook and the MnDOT website top the list for both groups
English survey takers are more likely to prefer MnDOT website, Facebook, 511 and Texts
Spanish survey takers are more likely to prefer US mail and Posters in the neighborhood

32. Key Differences in Preferred Methods to Receive Information about Construction that Impacts Current Travel by District
MnDOT website, Facebook, 511 and in top-5 for all districts
Methods below are significantly higher for those with % shown than 3+ districts:
D1 > local paper, TV and info phone
D2 & D4 > local paper
D3 >
Metro > , mobile app, TV and TC paper
D6 > Facebook and TV
D7 not higher on any
D8 > mobile app and trusted community leader

33. Key Differences in Preferred Methods to Receive Information about Construction that Impacts Current Travel by Age
Core set of methods overall are in the top set for all age groups
Many sources decrease in appeal with age: 511, Facebook, neighborhood posters, radio and US mail
But not all - local newspaper and are more attractive to the extremes than the middle age
The options shown had significant differences across 3 or more age groups

34. Key Differences in Preferred Methods to Receive Information about Construction that Impacts Current Travel by Education
Core set of methods are in the top set for all education groups
Appeal of some sources increases as level of education increases: MnDOT website and Twin Cities newspapers
Appeal of US mail decreases as level of education increases (with the significant drop right after “high school or less”)
The options shown had significant differences across 3 or more education groups

35. Today’s Wrap Up
There is no one-size fits all process for communication and engagement:
Not everyone wants to know or do the same thing
Some methods work better for some segments than others
There is some consistency in preferences - some foundational methods (“givens”)
But only looking at the top set may result in missed opportunities
There are opportunities to do more:
Target content somewhat by segment
Increase the reach by adding customized methods into the mix
Expand on this work (to reach and understand others and test more specific executions)

36. Thank you!