Longer-term mobile ethnography projects offer deep, meaningful insights—but they require thoughtful planning to keep participants engaged across the full duration. 

Use the following guidance to ensure your project runs smoothly and stays engaging from start to finish.

Structure of your Project

We recommend careful consideration when structuring your project. 

Learn more about choosing the right approach for your project here: Designing your Task List

Keep Tasks Clear, Concise, and Varied

Thoughtful task design is key to sustained engagement:

Titles: Use attention-grabbing, action-oriented titles.

This allows participants to easily understand what a task is about from the Task List 'summary' view of the App. 

Instructions: Keep instructions brief and direct. Participants should know exactly what’s expected without wading through paragraphs.

Style: Vary the 'depth' of your tasks eg

• Light-touch (e.g. “Take a quick photo and write a short caption”)
• Reflective (e.g. “Take a moment to reflect and tell us all about…”)

Tone: Use natural, human language that invites honest, personal contributions.

Start Strong: Set the Pace Early

Even without a strict schedule, it’s essential to drive initial momentum. 

• Include a strong and engaging Introduction. 
• Encourage participants to complete the introduction task immediately, upon joining the study.

This early engagement helps build routine and lowers the risk of last-minute overload.

Bring the Human Touch

A personalised experience increases motivation, and can never be underestimated! 

This reinforces that a real person is paying attention and cares about what they share.

Embed an intro video

Let participants see and hear you. 

Explain who you are, what the research is about, and what you're hoping to learn.

Acknowledge participants individually

Comment on their first post, welcome them, and thank them sincerely.

Use Smart, Timely Reminders

Strategic Reminders keep your project top of mind:

Group Reminders are ideal for general prompts or task launches.

Individual Reminders can be tailored based on progress—e.g. following up after task 1 to nudge them toward task 2.

Always personalise where possible to show attentiveness and support.

Here's an overview of Managing Respondents

Incentives: Consider Staged Payments

While full incentives at project close are common, staged payments can sometimes be more effective in maintaining engagement. 

For example:

* A portion after each natural phase of your project or by month

* A final payment upon completion

This approach can:

* Encourage continuous participation

* Reduce drop-off midway through

* Signal appreciation for ongoing contributions

Note: If recruiting via an agency, confirm whether they support staged payments before planning this approach.

Summary

By combining structure, flexibility, clarity, and a human approach, you’ll create an engaging, responsive environment that supports consistent participation—no matter how long the project runs.

For further help designing your study or managing respondent engagement, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Indeemo team.