Before you create a survey, you should undertake some online survey research. It is of vital importance that you do this for a number of reasons. Essentially, you have to understand why you are conducting a survey, what are your goals and what do you intend to do with the results of the survey? However, there is also an element of human psychology, which is another reason as to why you should conduct intensive online survey research before you roll it out. Let’s take a look at these separate issues.
The Psychological Issue
There are a number of people who love completing surveys because they hope it will reveal something about them. Others enjoy surveys because they are attracted by an incentive. However, the vast majority of people would prefer to avoid surveys. In fact, even those who claim to like it regularly find themselves bored in the middle of the questionnaire and leave. One thing that people find more annoying than anything else is having to answer questions that they have already answered before. By conducting good online survey research, you can check what data is already available that you can use, thereby not asking your respondents questions that they have already answered hundreds of times.
Conducting Appropriate Service
Conducting good online survey research will also help you to create better surveys. However, as stated, you must first understand why you are conducting a survey. For instance, if you want to check whether historical statistical data is still correct, you must conduct online survey research to see what the historical data actually is and how this was gathered.
Furthermore, being involved in good online survey research before rolling out your survey will allow you to better understand how surveys should be designed. Questions can be asked in a variety of different ways, including asking open questions or using rolling scales, to name but a few examples. When you design a survey, good online survey research will show you which questions should use which type of answering options. For instance, when querying your respondents about their age, it is generally a better idea to allow either an open answer, or to allow them to tick a category. Including a list ranging from 0 to 120 will look awful and immediately push potential respondents away.
Last but not least, by performing online survey research, you can check which survey provider you should go to in order to get the best possible service. There are numerous providers out there and your research will tell you which provider is best suited to your needs. For instance, you may simply want to use a very quick survey or poll, for which many providers could help you, including a number of free ones. However, if you have a large questionnaire to roll out and want quite in-depth analysis of results, you must find a provider that is experienced in doing this and that can provide you with the information you require in a manner that you are able to understand.