The Dos and Don'ts of Creating Online Surveys That Get Results

Online surveys are a powerful tool for gathering feedback and data from your audience, but creating an effective survey that gets results can be a challenge. To ensure that your survey is effective and provides you with valuable insights, it's important to follow the dos and don'ts of creating online surveys. In this article, we'll walk you through the dos and don'ts of creating online surveys that get results.

 

DOs:

Start with a clear goal

Before you start creating your survey, it's important to have a clear goal in mind. What do you want to achieve with your survey? What questions do you need to ask to achieve that goal? Starting with a clear goal will help you create a survey that is focused and effective.

Keep it short and simple

Online surveys should be short and simple. Keep your questions focused and avoid including unnecessary information or questions. Respondents are more likely to complete a survey that is short and easy to complete.

Test your survey

Before you send your survey to your audience, it's important to test it. Test your survey on a small group of people to make sure that your questions are clear and that your survey is easy to complete. Testing your survey will help you identify any issues before you send it out to your entire audience.

Provide incentives

Providing incentives, such as discounts or prizes, can increase response rates and encourage people to complete your survey. Make sure that your incentives are relevant to your audience and that they are provided in a fair and transparent way.

Keep it anonymous

Allowing respondents to complete your survey anonymously can increase response rates and encourage people to be more honest in their responses. If you need to collect personal information, make sure that you explain why you need that information and how you will use it.

DON'Ts:

Use jargon or technical language

Avoid using jargon or technical language in your survey questions. Your survey should be accessible and easy to understand for your entire audience. If you need to use technical language, make sure that you explain it clearly.

Use leading questions

Leading questions can influence respondents' answers and skew your results. Avoid using leading questions, which are questions that suggest a particular answer. Your questions should be neutral and allow respondents to provide their honest opinions.

Ask too many open-ended questions

Open-ended questions can be valuable for gathering detailed feedback, but asking too many of them can make your survey overwhelming and reduce response rates. Use open-ended questions strategically and make sure that they are relevant to your goals.

Assume knowledge or opinions

Don't assume that your audience has knowledge or opinions about a particular topic. If you need to ask a question that assumes knowledge, make sure that you provide context or explanation. Your questions should be clear and accessible to your entire audience.

Forget to thank your respondents

Once your survey is complete, make sure that you thank your respondents for taking the time to complete it. Showing appreciation for your respondents' time and effort can increase goodwill and encourage future participation.

In conclusion, creating effective online surveys requires careful planning and attention to detail. To create a survey that gets results, it's important to start with a clear goal, keep it short and simple, test your survey, provide incentives, and keep it anonymous. At the same time, it's important to avoid using jargon or technical language, using leading questions, asking too many open-ended questions, assuming knowledge or opinions, and forgetting to thank your respondents. By following these dos and don'ts, you can create an online survey that provides you with valuable insights and drives meaningful change in your business.