An online survey tool is simply valuable if you need to do market research. Being able to reach your target respondents through the Internet is helpful enough, since it cuts time, cost and effort. And with the aid of questionnaire samples and templates, formulating your research instrument becomes even easier.
But even if you’ll be using the help of a clever software, you still need to remember to apply the basics of doing a survey for the Internet audience to ensure that you achieve the objectives of your research.
First of all, you need to be sure you are clear about and focused on your study objectives. Make sure all your instruments and methods to be used are geared towards them. Along with this, you should be able to keep your eye on your target respondents. Aside from sending an e-mail to your stock list of respondents, you can also contact interest groups and various communities on the Web whose members you think are your ideal respondents. If you’ll be using an online survey tool, you may be able to easily distribute your questions to smartphone users, too.
Once you’ve identified who’ll be answering your questionnaire, focus on keeping your questions direct, concise and easy to understand. Templates would usually help you phrase your questions with their samples.
Also, people generally don’t like reading extensive instructions. A good Internet-based survey tool should help you have a questionnaire that is engaging and easy to read. Questions should be structured and presented clearly. For example, respondents on ranking type questions should be able to know which button corresponds to each number with just one look.
Surveys on the Web normally don’t have to have fancy images and effects, because many overdo them and just make the respondents distracted from the meaning and content of the questionnaire. Sometimes, they even influence their answers and skew your results. But an online survey tool should provide you with reasonable usage of graphics and design, which can improve not just the look, but also the clarity and control of your survey.
Your survey template should be able to help you place simple images to improve your questionnaire, such as placing your logo and changing the hues of the questionnaire to your company colors. But, more importantly, you should decide on how many questions you can show per page or how many columns to display.
Ideally, templates should also help you group your questions without difficulty. Putting related questions in groups will make a big difference in making your questionnaire look better and easier to understand.
You’ll surely find many other advantages of using an online survey tool. Make sure you get one that has the features that you need and maximize them. Finally, don’t forget to apply the basic guidelines of making clear and focused questionnaires, and you’ll definitely have an effective survey.
Free online survey tool with all the features you need for your questionnaire to be engaging and effective is available on the Web Survey Creator site. Visit them to try their sample templates for various purposes like market research, employee satisfaction, customer service, education and more.