How to create a survey 

The power and potential of surveys are limitless – if you know how to create them in the most effective manner. 

When it comes to creating a survey, break the task down into a series of steps, taking time and care to optimize each stage of the process.

Effective surveys set out to achieve a tangible outcome, with clearly defined parameters for success. Design (with regard to the order, form, question types,and weighting of your questions) will also play a key role in the way that your survey performs.

Here are our detailed recommendations for a successful survey strategy.

 

1. Obtain a clear objective for the survey 

This is an important first step. Make sure you have absolute clarity when it comes to what you’re looking to accomplish as the result of running your survey. Ask yourself:

• What problem are you trying to solve? The more specific you can be, the easier you will find crafting your questions.

• Who is your target audience? What has led you to focus on this particular segment? Would any other groups be able to help you get a broader context?

• Exactly what you will be able to achieve as a result of the information you gain from this survey? Again, the more specific you are here, the better your results will be!

2. Set parameters for success and validity of your survey

A survey must be well-constructed. Without taking time to decide what is needed to achieve validity, you won’t be able to place full trust in your results. Ask yourself questions such as:

• What’s the appropriate sample size you require to draw conclusions? 

  • How many respondents will you need to take part in the survey? 

  • If you fail to gain the kind of numbers needed here, your results may be unrepresentative and unreliable. 

• What will success look like? What measures will you have in place to ensure that 

  • Your survey reach as many people

  • Your survey is designed and completed in a manner that keeps it statistically valid?

  •  

3. Design your survey 

Once you’ve completed the first two steps of this process, you’ll have a good idea of the “why” and the “how” of your survey. Now, it’s time to get crafting your questions! 

Here’s a flow you might like to consider.

 

1. First, create a rough set of questions that you’d like answers to

Don’t limit yourself or overthink things. You’re creating a long list that can be whittled down and refined throughout the design process.

2. Now refer back to the earlier foundations you laid

Which of these questions serve the key objective of your survey? 
Note: It’s important to keep surveys as concise as possible, to encourage and achieve a high completion rate.

 

3. Next, start to refine your list of questions

Decide which constitutes your top research questions. These are the questions that get to the heart of the matter you are investigating and will help your survey fulfill its core objectives. As a result, they should be prioritized as you pull your survey into its final form.

 

4. Look again at how you’re phrasing your questions

Will they be open-ended or closed-ended? Would a mix of both forms of phrasing better suit the purposes of your survey? 
 

Open-ended questions enable the respondent to give a free-form answer, usually in the form of a few sentences of text.

For example:

In your own words, describe what you’re looking for in the perfect cup of coffee?

 

Closed-ended questions are more prescriptive, giving a set range of possible answers to select from. The respondent could be allowed to choose a single or multiple choice of answers from the given options.

For example:

Which of the following is most important to you when it comes to selecting the coffee you buy?

A. Strength  B. Aroma  C. Fair Trade Status  D. Packaging

 

5. Finally, think about whether your questions take a quantitative or qualitative approach

Let’s take a quick look at what’s meant by this:

 

Quantitative:

Either measuring or measured by the quantity of something, as opposed to its quality.)

Examples of quantitative questions include:

• How often do you drink tea at your place of work?

• How many times per week do you purchase tea from a cafe?

• Which cafe do you purchase tea from most regularly?

Qualitative:

Either measuring or measured by the quality (size, value, etc) of something, as opposed to its quality. They tend to be more subjective.

Examples of quantitative questions include:

• What’s your favorite brand of tea?

• What do you think about adding honey to tea?

• Do you add milk to your tea?

Neither form of questioning is ‘better’ or ‘more correct’ – most surveys will benefit from a blend of both qualitative and quantitative questioning, and the exact ratio will depend on your unique objectives.

 

4. Finally, test your survey

Ask a few subjects to complete the survey whilst being observed. Ask them to describe their interpretation of the questions, and take careful note of any stumbling blocks or elements of confusion.

This last step is a very beneficial way of adding the final polish to your survey by highlighting opportunities for improvement you may have overlooked.

Additional tips for successful survey design 

 

1. Be upfront about the purpose of your survey from the start

For example:

“Thanks for participating in this survey.

By completing this form, you’ll be helping the Parent and Teacher Association decide the best way to redesign the traffic flow at school each morning. This will lead to a faster drop-off times and fewer emissions by our children’s playground.”

2. Keep a neutral tone, no leading language

For example:

Instead of “Good Pup Dog food is loved by dogs of all ages - it sets tails wagging every time! How much does your dog love our product?”

Try something like this:

3. Try to avoid encouraging unconscious bias

Don’t let your customers get an impression of the answer you might prefer or be looking for!

For example:

Avoid very direct yes / no questions relating to a specific product.

I.e. Do you like coffee? Yes / No

Instead, try something broader that masks your area of interest: 

4. Make use of matrix format questions - but don’t overdo it!

Matrix questions can be a great way to gather a lot of data points in an appealing way.

They are typically easy to engage with and quick to fill out. However, be aware that overstretching this format can have the opposite of the desired effect!

For example, this looks manageable -

 

 

But this matrix is much less appealing!

5. Group questions and order them logically

Consider the flow for those completing the survey.

Finally, consider the experience of your survey respondents. If you’re looking for specific information, then build to it in a logical manner, ensuring that they’re thinking about their answers with the broader context.

For example

Instead of diving straight into your highly specific primary questions (for example, their family’s favorite desserts), lay the foundations of learning about their family, how often they eat together.)

This follows a more logical flow than immediately asking for their family’s preferred desserts and then jumping back to find out more about their family and their dining habits.

Helpful survey tools

There is a range of excellent survey platforms available to help you conduct surveys today.  here’s are some of the most helpful and popular online survey software.

 

1. Freshmarketer

In addition to providing a broad range of marketing automation, Freshmarketer helps you get a much better understanding of your customers  

The real benefit offered here is that of perfect timing. By triggering exit polls as visitors show signs of abandoning your website, your survey questions can be interjected at the most opportune moment, boosting your chances of a response, and giving you important clarity on your customers’ behavior.

Users also benefit from a clear and easy-to-master interface, which gives great control over the presentation, enabling perfectly branded surveys to be embedded into your website. Word clouds, bar charts, gauge charts, and more can all be used to help you get clarity on your visitors’ responses.

Learn more about Polls & Feedback