5 Shortfalls of Do It Yourself Surveys
The industry average response rate for online surveys has reduced from up to 30% to almost below 20%. Do-it-yourself Online surveys are one of the biggest reasons response rates are so low.
Most people who write or build their own online surveys have never written a questionnaire before. When respondents answer the survey, the questions may not seem relevant or are worded in a way that doesn't immediately make sense. The overall response rate is lower than 20% and there is a large number of incomplete surveys. The results that are collected are hard to decipher into actionable decisions.
These are the common shortfalls of A Do-It-Yourself Survey.
1. Length of the survey
The length of a survey can determine the overall completion and response rates. A survey that takes over 10 minutes to complete is more likely to have a lower response rate and larger abandonment rate.
The length of a survey is reliant on the different types of questions you ask. Pre-populating questions throughout the survey as well as employing Advanced Question Logic can increase the relevancy of each question to the respondent. If all questions are both essential and relevant, the respondent is more likely to engage and complete the survey.
Getsmart recommends keeping the survey between 15 - 20 questions, this should keep the survey completion time between 5 and 10 minutes.
2. Multiple question types & question design
The use of only one question type can create downfalls. Utilising multiple types, you can engage the respondent and increase your completion rate.
From my previous blog, you will be aware of the different types of Survey questions available. From Multiple choice, to rating questions to simple open ended verbatim questions.
There are some design features to avoid when designing these questions.
- Leading questions:
€The local newspaper recently ranked us 5 stars for customer service. How satisfied are you with your experience?€
- Double Barrelled Questions:
€How satisfied were you with the performance and the value for money?€
The answer given is unclear about which the respondent is referring to, so the data collected is not actionable.
- The lack of a €None of the Above€ or €Don't Know€
Denying respondents of a choice to say I don't know, or this doesn't apply to me, means that the data you receive could be incorrect or answered with a guess.
3. Valuable data and Satisficing
Satisficing is when survey/questionnaire respondent chooses the answer they think the surveyor will appreciate the most. It is often a sign that the survey is too long or there are too many questions that the respondent finds no value in answering.
Collecting valuable data is the whole point to collecting feedback, as this is where you base your intelligent decisions. To reduce the collection of invaluable data, follow up on a previous blog here for some of getsmart top tips.
4. A lack of features within a survey that can increase response rates
Advanced Question Logic like skip and branch logic can greatly increase the response rate of a survey. Skip or Branch logic is when a series of questions are only asked if a particular answer was given in a previous question. This reduces the size of the survey overall and increases the value to the respondent.
Skip Logic is hard to set up from the outset, as you are never quite sure which questions can be skipped or missed.
Prepopulated data is when fields like dates, demographics or transaction history are automatically entered into fields so the respondent does not waste time filling these out over and over again.
5. A lack of features outside a survey that can increase response rates
There are many ways to increase response rates before the respondent has even viewed the survey.
The main features can be the email invitation, the integration of an incentive like a prize draw, the circumstances under which the respondent received the survey and the overall personalisation and value perceived of the survey.
Most people who write or build their own online surveys have never written a questionnaire before. When respondents answer the survey, the questions may not seem relevant or are worded in a way that doesn't immediately make sense. The overall response rate is lower than 20% and there is a large number of incomplete surveys. The results that are collected are hard to decipher into actionable decisions.
These are the common shortfalls of A Do-It-Yourself Survey.
1. Length of the survey
The length of a survey can determine the overall completion and response rates. A survey that takes over 10 minutes to complete is more likely to have a lower response rate and larger abandonment rate.
The length of a survey is reliant on the different types of questions you ask. Pre-populating questions throughout the survey as well as employing Advanced Question Logic can increase the relevancy of each question to the respondent. If all questions are both essential and relevant, the respondent is more likely to engage and complete the survey.
Getsmart recommends keeping the survey between 15 - 20 questions, this should keep the survey completion time between 5 and 10 minutes.
2. Multiple question types & question design
The use of only one question type can create downfalls. Utilising multiple types, you can engage the respondent and increase your completion rate.
From my previous blog, you will be aware of the different types of Survey questions available. From Multiple choice, to rating questions to simple open ended verbatim questions.
There are some design features to avoid when designing these questions.
- Leading questions:
€The local newspaper recently ranked us 5 stars for customer service. How satisfied are you with your experience?€
- Double Barrelled Questions:
€How satisfied were you with the performance and the value for money?€
The answer given is unclear about which the respondent is referring to, so the data collected is not actionable.
- The lack of a €None of the Above€ or €Don't Know€
Denying respondents of a choice to say I don't know, or this doesn't apply to me, means that the data you receive could be incorrect or answered with a guess.
3. Valuable data and Satisficing
Satisficing is when survey/questionnaire respondent chooses the answer they think the surveyor will appreciate the most. It is often a sign that the survey is too long or there are too many questions that the respondent finds no value in answering.
Collecting valuable data is the whole point to collecting feedback, as this is where you base your intelligent decisions. To reduce the collection of invaluable data, follow up on a previous blog here for some of getsmart top tips.
4. A lack of features within a survey that can increase response rates
Advanced Question Logic like skip and branch logic can greatly increase the response rate of a survey. Skip or Branch logic is when a series of questions are only asked if a particular answer was given in a previous question. This reduces the size of the survey overall and increases the value to the respondent.
Skip Logic is hard to set up from the outset, as you are never quite sure which questions can be skipped or missed.
Prepopulated data is when fields like dates, demographics or transaction history are automatically entered into fields so the respondent does not waste time filling these out over and over again.
5. A lack of features outside a survey that can increase response rates
There are many ways to increase response rates before the respondent has even viewed the survey.
The main features can be the email invitation, the integration of an incentive like a prize draw, the circumstances under which the respondent received the survey and the overall personalisation and value perceived of the survey.
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