Imagine you are running a net promoter score survey and your average survey response rate is under 1%. Can you confidently say that this 1% response rate is truly representative of the entire customer base?
Keep in mind that it takes a respondent significant effort to respond to a survey. Practical experience shows that those unhappy with your product or service are more likely to respond to your survey.
In low response rate scenarios, the likelihood that the unhappy customers make up for disproportionate percent of the total survey responses is high. This not only suppresses your true NPS, but also makes you allocate resources solving a problem that might not actually exist for most of your customers.
A survey response rate is the percentage of people who respond to your survey out of the total number of people who received it. A good survey response rate is essential because it ensures that you have a representative sample of your target audience, which means you can rely on the data collected to make informed decisions.
Low response rates, on the other hand, can lead to inaccurate data, sampling bias, and non-response bias. This can be detrimental to your business as it can lead to poor decision-making, inaccurate insights, and poor customer experience.
In this blog post, we will discuss the factors that affect survey response rates, the average survey response rates in the US, and how you can improve your survey response rates to get more accurate data and better insights.
How To Calculate Survey Response Rate?
A survey response rate is the percentage of people who respond to your survey out of the total number of people who received it. It is calculated by dividing the number of completed surveys by the total number of surveys distributed, multiplied by 100.
For example, if you distributed 100 surveys and received 50 completed surveys, your survey response rate would be 50%.
Measuring survey response rate is important because it gives you an idea of the representativeness of your sample. If you have a low survey response rate, it may mean that your sample is not representative of your target audience, which can lead to inaccurate data and poor decision-making.
6 Types of Survey Response Rates
There are several different kinds of survey response rates that are commonly used to measure the success of a survey. These include the following:
Overall response rate:
The overall response rate is the proportion of people who completed the survey divided by the total number of people who were invited to participate in the survey. This includes people who started the survey but did not finish, as well as those who completed the survey.
Completion rate:
The completion rate is the proportion of people who started the survey and completed it, divided by the total number of people who started the survey. This measure is often used to assess the quality of the survey questions and design.
Partial response rate:
The partial response rate is the proportion of people who started the survey but did not complete it, divided by the total number of people who started the survey. This measure can provide insights into the reasons why people did not complete the survey.
Online survey response rate:
The online survey response rate is the proportion of people who completed an online survey, divided by the total number of people who were invited to participate in the survey. This measure is specifically for surveys that are conducted online.
Average survey response rate:
The average survey response rate is the mean response rate across multiple surveys. This measure can provide a benchmark for comparing the success of different surveys.
Acceptable survey response rate:
The acceptable response rate is the minimum response rate that is considered to be acceptable for a particular survey. This will vary depending on the context and purpose of the survey, but generally, response rates below 20% are considered to be very low.
To calculate these survey response rates, you will need to track the number of people who were invited to participate in the survey, the number of people who started the survey, and the number of people who completed the survey. These figures can be used to calculate the different response rates outlined above.
It’s important to note that response rates can be affected by a variety of factors, including the survey design, distribution channels, and the target audience, so it’s important to interpret the results in the context of these factors. Let’s look at these factors in some detail.
5 Factors That Influence Survey Response Rates
Several factors can affect survey response rates, including sampling bias, non-response bias, survey type, survey length and complexity, timing of survey distribution, and incentives and rewards.
1. Sampling bias:
Sampling bias occurs when the sample you collect is not representative of your target audience. This can happen when you survey only a specific group of people, such as your existing customers, and not the wider population.
2. Non-response bias:
Non-response bias occurs when the people who do not respond to your survey are systematically different from those who do respond. This can happen when your survey is distributed at a time when your target audience is busy or when the survey is too long and complex. For example, online surveys generally have lower response rates than in-person surveys, as people are more likely to respond to surveys when they are presented with them in person.
3.Length of a survey:
The length and complexity of the survey can also affect response rates. Long and complex surveys are more likely to be abandoned or ignored, leading to lower response rates and survey completion rate.
4.Survey timing
Timing of survey distribution is also essential in determining response rates. Surveys distributed during busy periods or holidays may have lower response rates than those distributed during quieter periods.
5. Survey rewards
Incentives and rewards can also play a role in improving response rates. Offering incentives such as discounts or free products can motivate people to respond to surveys.
Average online survey response rates in the US
The average multi-question survey response rate in the US varies depending on the survey type and distribution method. In-person surveys generally have higher response rates than online surveys. Online surveys, on the other hand, have lower response rates, with an average response rate of around 1% to 15%.
The typical response rate for customer satisfaction surveys is around 10% to 15% in case of business-to-business audiences but can be under 1% in business-to-consumer ones.
It’s essential to understand what a good survey response rate is. A good survey response rate is typically considered to be around 25- 30% or higher, but this can vary depending on the survey type and distribution method.
For example, an in-person survey with a sample size of 50 people and a response rate of 30% would be considered a low survey response rate. However, an online survey with a sample size of 500 people and a response rate of 10% would be considered good.
It’s also important to note that the response rate is not the only factor to consider when evaluating the quality of survey data. Other factors such as sampling bias and non-response bias should also be taken into account.
Why is low online survey response rate a problem?
Low online survey response rate can affect the quality and reliability of the data collected. When a survey has a low response rate, it means that a relatively small proportion of the target audience actually complete the survey. This can introduce a number of potential problems.
Firstly, a low response rate can lead to sampling bias. This occurs when the people who respond to the survey are not representative of the target audience as a whole. For example, if a survey about a new product is only taken by people who are brand loyal, the results may be skewed and not reflective of the opinions of the broader target audience.
Secondly, a low response rate can also lead to non-response bias. This occurs when the people who do not respond to the survey have different opinions or characteristics than those who do. This can make it difficult to draw accurate conclusions from the survey data. The results may not be representative of the target audience as a whole.
Thirdly, a low response rate can also reduce the statistical power of the survey, which is the ability of the data to detect meaningful differences between groups. If the sample size is too small, the survey results may not be reliable or robust enough to draw meaningful conclusions.
A low response rate can also reduce the overall usefulness of the survey. The data may not provide enough information to make informed decisions or take meaningful action. If the survey is used to guide product development strategies, a low response rate may make it difficult to accurately identify the needs and preferences of the target audience.
So what can one do about it? Let’s look at some strategies to improve online survey response rates.
How to Increase Survey Response Rates? 7 Ways
Improving your survey response rate is essential to ensure that you have accurate data and insights. Here are some tips on how to improve your survey response rates:
1. Choose the right distribution channels:
Choosing the right channels to distribute your survey can have a significant impact on your response rates. Consider using multiple channels, such as email, SMS, WhatsApp messenger and Facebook messenger, website chatbots and in-app feedback methods, to reach a wider audience.
2. Keep the questions short and simple:
Long and complex questionnaires can be off-putting for respondents, leading to lower response rates. Keep your survey short and simple, focusing on the essential questions.
3. Build multilingual question templates:
Multilingual surveys can improve survey response rates in several ways:
A. Increase accessibility-
Multilingual surveys make it easier for non-native speakers to understand the questions and provide responses in their preferred language. This increases the accessibility of the survey and encourages more people to participate.
B. Reduce language barriers-
Language barriers can be a significant obstacle to survey response rates. By offering a multilingual survey, you reduce these barriers and make it easier for respondents to provide accurate and meaningful responses.
C. Show inclusivity-
By offering a multilingual survey, you show that you value the opinions of people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This can help to build trust and goodwill with respondents, leading to higher response rates.
D. Reach a wider audience-
Offering a multilingual survey can help you reach a wider audience, particularly in regions where multiple languages are spoken. This can lead to more diverse and representative responses, which can improve the quality of your data.
4. Offer survey rewards:
Offering incentives such as discounts, free products, or sweepstakes can motivate people to respond to your customer feedback questions.
The type of incentive that works best for surveys can depend on several factors- target audience, the length of the survey, and the purpose of the survey. However, some incentives that are commonly used and have been shown to be effective in increasing response rates include:
A. Monetary incentives-
Offering a cash incentive, such as a gift card or cash prize, can be an effective way to motivate respondents to complete a survey. Studies have shown that monetary incentives are particularly effective for longer surveys or those that require more effort from the respondent.
B. Non-monetary incentives-
Non-monetary incentives, such as a chance to win a prize or a free sample, can also be effective. These incentives are often used in marketing research surveys and can help to increase response rates.
C. Personalized feedback-
Some surveys offer personalized feedback to respondents based on their responses. For example, a health survey might offer personalized recommendations based on the respondent’s health status. This type of incentive can be effective for surveys where the respondent is interested in learning more about themselves.
D. Social incentives-
Social incentives, such as recognition or status, can also be effective. For example, a survey that asks for input on a new product or service might offer respondents the chance to be featured on the company’s website or social media pages.
E. Donation to charity-
Some surveys offer to donate a certain amount of money to a charity for each completed survey. This type of incentive can be effective for surveys where the respondent is interested in supporting a cause.
It’s important to note that incentives should be used carefully, as they can potentially bias the results of the survey. For example, offering a large monetary incentive may attract people who are primarily interested in the incentive rather than those who have a genuine interest in the topic of the survey.
5. Make the survey personal and conversational:
Customers hate filling impersonal, boring, and tedious forms. Personalizing your survey and making them more conversational can make it more engaging and increase survey responses. Address survey respondents by their name, and tailor the survey questions to their interests and preferences. You can use our AI based survey creation tool to help you build one in no time.
6. Send gentle reminders:
Sending reminders to people who have not yet responded to your survey can increase response rates. However, be careful not to send too many reminders, as this can be annoying to respondents.
7. Test your templates:
Testing your question templates with a small sample of people can help identify any issues or areas for improvement. This can help you refine your survey and increase response rates.
Remember, the quality of the data you collect from your survey directly affects the insights you gain and the actions you take based on those insights. Therefore, it’s important to put in the effort to optimize your survey response rate.
Optimize Channel Strategy To Increase Survey Response Rates
Choosing the right channels to distribute and execute your survey is a crucial step to ensure that it reaches the right audience. In recent years, many new channels have emerged that offer unique advantages when it comes to survey distribution and survey completion.
One needs to distinguish between channels during survey distribution and survey completion. Online surveys have traditionally been distributed as links that are distributed by embedding them in an email, SMS/ text message, or a website button. These links, when clicked, open a browser window where the survey is then completed. This context switch from the medium of distribution (AMP email surveys etc) and medium of completion (browser) leads to significant drop-off in the survey’s response rate.
Modern survey platforms like Merren work on strategies to use modern communication channels that merge the distribution and completion, thus avoiding the context switch
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular channels that reduce the friction in survey response process:
Get customer satisfaction metrics of NPS and CSAT with WhatsApp:
With over 2.2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that can be used to not just to distribute surveys but actually complete the feedback forms within the medium. WhatsApp allows you to send and receive text and rich media responses, making it an ideal medium to capture responses on customer satisfaction metrics of NPS, CSAT and CES scores.
Surveys can be pushed directly to WhatsApp as conversations and avoid the issue of context switch. The open rate of WhatsApp messages is very high and hence the likelihood of getting a good response rate is high. Moreover, WhatsApp users tend to use the app for more than 38 mins a day on average. This means that they are very familiar. This leads to a high survey completion rate also.
In countries with a high WhatsApp penetration, WhatsApp sees up to a 10x increase in average survey response rate compared to email surveys. Create your own WhatsApp survey using Merren tools.
People find it easier to respond on Facebook Messenger:
With over 1.3 billion monthly active users, Facebook Messenger is another popular messaging app that can be used to distribute surveys. Facebook Messenger also allows you to send personalized messages and reminders to your target audience. Facebook enjoys high open rate and familiarity leading to high survey response rate and survey completion rate. Create your own Facebook polls and Facebook messenger surveys using Merren.
AMP emails offer an interactive experience:
AMP/HTML emails are designed to offer an interactive and engaging experience to users. This can make them an effective channel for surveys.
Currently, the feedback form distributed through emails contains a link to an online survey. When this link is clicked, the respondent leaves their inbox and is taken to a browser window where the survey loads. This context switch disrupts the respondents workflow (they were in their inbox for a reason). This becomes a source of friction for survey response. However, AMP technology allows the respondent to respond to feedback forms within the email without leaving the inbox overcoming the friction caused by the context switch.
Chatbots can handle complex customer data:
Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular as a way to interact with customers. They can be used to collect feedback through conversational surveys, making them a great channel for improving response rates. If your respondent is on your website, it makes sense to ask them a question using a chatbot while they are there rather than sending an email with a feedback questionnaire request later. This strategy is often employed to check the satisfaction of the customer with the information found on the website and significantly boasts the response rate for such customer feedback. Build your own Chat bot surveys using Merren tools.
Collect feedback from users with in-app rating systems:
In-app surveys are surveys that are integrated into a mobile app. They can be used to collect feedback from users while they are using your app, making them an effective channel to improve response rates. In-app surveys are a powerful way to understand the user experience with the mobile application
When choosing channels to distribute your feedback questionnaire, consider the preferences of your target audience and the nature of your survey. For example, if you’re targeting a younger audience, using WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger might be more effective than email. Similarly, if you’re collecting feedback on a mobile app, in-app surveys might be the most effective channel.
In addition to choosing the right channels, it’s important to keep your survey short and simple. Long and complex surveys can be off-putting to respondents, leading to lower response rates. Focus on the essential questions and make sure the feedback form can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.
Conclusion
A good survey response rate is essential to ensure that you have accurate data and insights. Choosing the right channels, keeping the feedback form short and simple, offering incentives, personalizing the survey, sending reminders, and testing the questionnaires can all help improve response rates. By following these tips, you can collect representative data and insights to make informed decisions for your business.
If you would love to augment your business with Merren features, we offer a free 14 day trial before any commitment. No credit card required during sign up. Our features are compatible with businesses of any size.
