Surveys are powerful tools that businesses rely on to learn the motivations of consumers and gain insight into their feelings towards brands. However, if the participants are responding arbitrarily, the survey instrument may need some attention in order to get the actionable data necessary to make accurate decisions. It is important to keep survey respondents engaged in order to ensure a positive experience for both parties involved. It can be difficult to predict the level of participation you will receive, but by following these simple tips below, you should see improved response rates, with more relevant data and better ROI on your project.
KEEP IT SHORT One of the most common reasons for respondent drop-out is survey fatigue. We conducted numerous research studies on this topic and found that close to 50% of survey respondents are okay spending an average of 5 minutes on a survey. However, only one-third did not show any sign of significant fatigue for completing surveys that are 10 minutes or longer. Make sure every question you’re asking has a purpose, so you don’t waste your respondents’ time.
COMMUNICATE Set clear expectations of your survey respondents. Progress bars can help the survey respondent to understand where they are in the survey and motivate them to complete it. If you do have to conduct a longer survey, communicate the details, such as why this research is important to you and your organization and how long it will take them.
LEARN ABOUT: Panel Respondents
TEST Ensure the survey is tested over and over again to make sure it is free of programming errors. Good programming that eliminates redundant questions can help the respondent in completing the survey faster and ultimately result in better data quality for your research.
BE ENGAGING Keep the survey interesting—this will keep your survey respondents from wandering while completing your survey. Add variety to keep the survey appealing and engaging to your participants. The use of sliders, emojis and other attractive visuals can make the survey taking experience more enjoyable. Rather than the single select yes or no survey question, which also does not gain as much information from your respondent, consider asking “how”. For example, instead of “Did you like our service?” ask “How did you find our services?”. Phrasing the question this way will provide you detailed data, and allow the respondent to have a voice.
Are you ready for your next survey project? We can help! Contact us at [email protected].
QuestionPro Audience is the leader in online and offline data collection with access to millions of pre-qualified respondents who participate in thousands of surveys daily. We provide our clients the necessary tools and expertise to conduct 360 degree survey solutions.
