Demographic quotas allow you to control how many respondents from specific demographic groups can complete your survey. Quotas are set as percentages and are typically used to ensure representativeness or consistency, for example by gender, age, or region.
This article covers demographic quotas. For quotas on qualifying questions, see setting up qualifying questions.
How demographic quotas work
A demographic quota limits the proportion of respondents from a specific demographic group who can complete the survey.
For example, if you set a 50 percent quota for men and 50 percent for women, the survey will stop accepting respondents from one group once that quota is filled, even if other criteria are met.
Quotas are strict requirements and directly affect who can take part in the survey.
Setting up demographic quotas
To set demographic quotas, start by navigating to the Audience page of your survey draft.
First, select Add audience. You can either create a new audience from scratch or apply an existing preset, depending on your setup.
Once the audience is added, choose the country and language you want to survey. This determines which demographic filters and quota options are available.
Next, Add targeting to select the demographic filters you want to target, such as age, gender, or region. As you add filters, the available sample will update to reflect how many respondents match your criteria.
After selecting your demographics, turn Quotas on for the relevant demographic category. This enables quota controls for that filter.
Finally, enter the percentage values you want for each group. If you prefer an even split, select Distribute evenly and Attest will calculate the percentages for you automatically.
Once set, the quotas you’ve chosen will be reflected in the audience summary on the right-hand side of the page.
When to use demographic quotas
Demographic quotas are most useful when:
you need a nationally representative sample
you want consistent audience composition over time, such as in trackers
specific groups must be represented in fixed proportions
In other cases, quotas may not be necessary and can slow down survey completion.
Quotas and feasibility
Each quota adds an additional constraint. Using many quotas together, or combining quotas with narrow demographic filters or qualifying questions, can significantly reduce feasibility and slow fill times.
As a general guideline:
limit the number of demographic filters used
apply quotas only where they are necessary
check the available sample on the Audience page before launching
If feasibility looks low, consider simplifying quotas or broadening targeting.
Using Compass to help with quotas
Compass can help you decide:
whether demographic quotas are needed for your research goal
which demographics are most important to control
how to balance representativeness with feasibility
Compass can suggest and add quotas to your survey draft, but quota feasibility should always be reviewed on the Audience page before launch.
FAQ
Do quotas have to add up to 100 percent?
Do quotas have to add up to 100 percent?
Yes. Demographic quotas must total 100 percent. If they do not, the survey cannot be launched.
Can I change quotas after launching?
Can I change quotas after launching?
In some cases, quotas can be adjusted on live surveys. Managing quotas on live surveys is covered in a separate article.
Will quotas slow down my survey?
Will quotas slow down my survey?
They can. The more quotas you apply, the harder it is to find respondents who meet all criteria.
Should I always use quotas?
Should I always use quotas?
No. Quotas are useful when representativeness or consistency is required, but unnecessary quotas can reduce feasibility.