At first glance, all website online survey software may seem similar with very little differences. For instance, some offer website analytics and various feedback collection methods (i.e. in-app surveys or email surveys); others are standalone solutions. You’ll also find some survey software platforms that are PC based, while others are hosted surveys with cloud-based applications.
However, the truth of the matter, the potential differences about survey software is vast, as are the benefits. When you're serious about surveying your visitors, you'll want to closely observe the differences between online site survey software. Here are seven tips for choosing a site the right survey tool for your business.
1. Survey Question Types
How comprehensive are the question types? All software should support things like:
• Interval rating
• Multiple choice
• True or False
• Open-ended comment boxes
However, how large of a text buffer do you get for comment boxes and are there any limits on the interval scale point number?
2. Survey Logic
Many survey tools offer the option of adding a follow-up question. This is based on your answer to the previous question. Some software enables skip logic or skip branching, which allows you to redirect the survey respondent to another page based on the response they provided.
3. Custom Logo
Unless you’re looking for anonymity, most likely you'll want to go with online survey software that allows you to replace the logo of the survey tool with your own logo. Most paid versions allow for this.
4. Advanced Targeting Options
Online surveys offer the best results when they provide you the opportunity to accurately select who sees your survey and when. This allows you to change and adjust the message to enhance the user's experience and therefore increase your response rate. Some helpful targeting options include:
• Website behavior (time spent on page, browsed pages, new returning visitors, % of scroll, etc.)
• Based on traffic sources (referrals, direct, search traffic, UTMs, etc.)
• Characteristics of users (languages, geography, cookies, devices) 5. Design Features Comprehensiveness
Are you able to customize the format of the output your respondents see? A nice feature is the shading of alternate questions. Can you add custom HTML or a logo? Are you forced to use the vendor's "ad" at the bottom of your screen?
6. Respondent User-Friendliness
To reduce respondent abandonment, you’ll want as few steps (i.e. questions) in your survey completion as possible. It’s also helpful to let the respondent know how many total questions the survey has or the average total time for completion. A progress bar displayed on each survey page is extremely helpful.
7. Administration Support
Will the survey software tool create random samples from a contact list? Will it inform you of the approximate sample size you'll require for a specific level of statistical accuracy? Will you have the ability to send out reminders to respondents who haven't completed your survey yet?
These are all different features you'll want to look for in your site survey software. Obviously, the more features a software has, the better your survey design.
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