Here are 25 ways you can increase your survey response rates
- Shorten your survey. Keep the goal of your survey in mind when creating your questions. Don’t overload the survey with unnecessary questions.
- Send an email notification (or paper notification for paper surveys) notifying participants that they will be receiving your survey.
- Tell respondents what the purpose of the research is and how their feedback will be used.
Be considerate of respondents’ time. Let them know how long the survey will take to complete.- Show a progress bar. Respondents want to know how much longer the survey will take.
- Change the subject line in the email invitation.
- Change the ‘From’ name in the email invitation.
- Double check links are working correctly in the email invitation.
- Send 1 or 2 reminders to those that have not completed the survey.
- Optimize your surveys for all devices – desktop PCs to mobile devices.
- Check on the usability of your survey. Is it easy to access?
- Check on the question wording. Is each question easy to comprehend?
- Use survey logic such as randomization to show more relevant questions or relevant options within questions.
- Use piping logic to feed any answer, into any subsequent question or text area.
- Don’t ask questions that you already have answers to. If you must ask them, take the database of answers from the previously gathered information and set-up a database link to pre-populate the information into the survey questions.
- Don’t use jargon that respondents can’t understand.
- Consider using more interactive and engaging question styles like rating scales and sliders.
- Provide an open-ended question so respondents can share open comments.
- Don’t ask too many open-ended questions. They take longer to complete.
- Check the format and flow of the survey. Does the sequence of questions make sense?
- Increase the frequency of your surveys. Survey repetition gets your participants to recognize your brand.
- Decrease the frequency of your surveys. Too many surveys may deter your participants.
- Offer an incentive.
- Brand your survey. Participants want to see that the survey is coming from a reputable brand.
- Consider conducting your survey anonymously. Participants appreciate anonymity. They are freer to answer honestly.
Is there anything you would add to this list? Leave a comment below.
