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Survey Tips

Find & Compare Free Online Survey Tools To Make Surveying Easier!

Online surveys are a practical way to gather customer feedback and gauge satisfaction. Manually designing an extensive survey is a tedious process, but with the vast number of tools available, creating an online questionnaire and sending it out takes merely a few minutes. However, selecting the proper one can be challenging and get overwhelming. So, our team compiled a list of the top-tier free online survey tools to help you pick the right one. Let’s dive in!

Why Should You Use Online Survey Tools?

You can use online survey tools for market research, customer feedback, employee satisfaction surveys, and more. For instance, customer and employee satisfaction are vital for the longevity and success of businesses.

Free online survey tools allow users to create surveys and polls quickly and easily, as well as conduct and analyze them. They provide features like question types (open-ended, multiple choice), customizable templates, data analysis tools, branching logic (skip questions based on previous answers), reporting capabilities, etc.

You may also find additional features like the option to embed surveys into your blog or website or custom branding options.

Note that a number of tools have a limited number of responses you can receive or questions you can ask per survey. So, ensure you thoroughly read all the details before signing up for any service to know what you’re getting into.

What To Consider During Your Search

If you’re opting for online survey tools, here are some things you need to look out for:

Cost: Is the tool free or paid?
Features: What features does it offer (like custom branding, branching, etc.)?
Ease of use: How user-friendly is the interface?
Support and documentation: Is a help center or customer support available if needed?
Data security and privacy: Does the tool have sufficient security measures to protect the data?
Integrations and exports: Is it possible to integrate the survey results with other tools and export them into different formats (like Excel, CSV, etc.)?

Top Online Survey Tools Available at No Cost

Our team did extensive research and carefully selected the ten most reliable survey tools available on the web. Check them out below!

1. SurveyTown – The Best Choice

Keeping track of customer satisfaction is easy with SurveyTown’s customizable CSAT, NPS, and CES surveys.

You can send a completely customized survey via email, share the link on your website, and send real-time alerts to customer service personnel for any negative feedback. Graphs and reports make it simple to view feedback responses. You can also export or retrieve response data from the API. The survey organization part is easy, with tags for categories or keywords.

The free plan includes unlimited surveys with 10 questions per survey, and you can survey up to 100 contacts per month.

2. SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is a free survey tool that offers many features and customization options.

You can conduct surveys for employees, customers, or target markets and polls. Whether you’re looking at event planning, patient surveys, or education and academia surveys, this is a valuable tool.

The free plan includes the basic features, and you can send unlimited surveys with up to 10 questions and 40 responses per survey.

3. Google Forms

With an easy-to-use interface, Google Forms is a good option for creating and sharing online surveys and forms and analyzing real-time responses.

Creating an online survey form is as easy as creating a document. You can select from different question types, customize values, drag-and-drop, and re-order questions.

Reflect your organization’s branding with your choice of images, fonts, and colors in completely customized surveys.

Automatic summaries (charts with real-time response data updates) help analyze responses. You can build questions and analyze results together as a team by adding collaborators, just like Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides.

4. Typeform

To create forms, surveys, and quizzes that people will enjoy answering, Typeform offers a modern design and intuitive user experience, making it easy to create engaging surveys.

Use built-in photo and video libraries for breathing life into your questions and reflecting your brand’s best with custom themes and layouts. You’ll be able to monitor the responses and completion rates, share the reports, and even do an in-depth analysis with a data transfer to your preferred tools.

5. Zoho Survey

Designing an excellent survey is easy with Zoho Survey, featuring powerful analytic capabilities, allowing users to customize their surveys with images, videos, and more.

The customizable themes help adapt the look and feel of your survey to suit your brand and style. On the other hand, customizable reports allow you to monitor the response trends to make informed decisions. You can create surveys to fit every screen size and choose your demographic preference to buy responses if you lack an audience.

With the free plan, you’ll have an unlimited number of surveys, each with 10 questions and 100 responses.

6. Sogolytics

This online survey tool (earlier known as SoGoSurvey) helps create professional surveys in minutes.

A range of tools is available for every business purpose – branching logic, custom branding, skip logic, and more, with the support of a team of design, research, and analytics experts.

You can opt for solutions by function (like HR, market research, event planning, etc.) or by industry (like healthcare, government, technology, etc.)

7. QuestionPro

A comprehensive survey platform with real-time reporting capabilities and data export options, QuestionPro has survey software for all – from beginners to enterprises and market research tools for professionals.

The robust analytics and shareable real-time dashboards help simplify and refine your survey response data. Other features include multi-lingual surveys, shareable reports, professional templates, and 24/7 global support.

Their free plan includes unlimited surveys with 100 questions and 300 responses per survey.

8. Alchemer

Suitable for organizations of any size, Alchemer (SurveyGizmo) helps create surveys and manage customer feedback effectively to transform the market-, customer-, and employee engagement.

Finding suitable customers, convincing them to join you, and maintaining customer loyalty is made easy with Alchemer. You can opt for solutions based on use cases or industries and create polls or questionnaires with the many survey tools.

9. SurveyPlanet

With SurveyPlanet, you can create a survey for almost anything and use great templates and themes for hundreds of applications.

From market research, customer satisfaction, and brand development to exit interviews and teacher evaluations, this platform helps create a survey for all. It offers unlimited surveys with unlimited questions and responses per survey for free, with additional features included in the paid plans.

10. Crowdsignal

Crowdsignal is all about finding the signals in the noise with simple and fast surveys and polls.

You can select from the pre-made themes or completely customize one from scratch and share your questions on Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, or via email. It’s easy to export your survey and poll results to apps like Excel and Google Sheets.

The free plan includes unlimited questions, surveys, polls, and ratings and collects up to 2,500 responses.

Final Thoughts & Tips

In conclusion, free online survey tools offer a great opportunity for anyone to engage in surveying and data collection. With these tools, users can create and distribute questionnaires with ease while also having the ability to collect and analyze the resulting data.

One of the most significant benefits of these tools is the opportunity to learn and develop skills in surveying and data analysis. Individuals can take advantage of various training programs and resources provided by the tool creators to help them learn how to use software effectively.

In summary, free online survey tools are perfect for anyone looking to conduct a study, collect data, or learn about surveying and data analysis. While there are many options, SurveyTown has features and resources that make for easy and efficient online surveys.

General

Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire: Assess Your Patients’ Satisfaction With Our Survey Form!

Patient experience is a vital part of success for healthcare providers, and a patient satisfaction questionnaire allows the institutions to understand the level of care they provide and address any shortcomings.

From the comfort of hospitalized patients to your practice, these questionnaires help discover any hidden issues that need addressing. Read on to learn more about patient satisfaction survey questionnaires.

What Is a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire?

A patient satisfaction survey is designed to collect patient feedback, measuring how well a healthcare provider or facility meets their needs. These can identify the areas of improvement and track progress over time.

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is the most widely used patient satisfaction form in the United States. HCAHPS scores are publicly reported and used to compare hospitals.

How To Conduct It

Take the following steps to conduct a successful patient satisfaction questionnaire:

Identify your objectives, including potential problem areas in your practice.
Create your survey—refer to the tips in the following section.
Select an appropriate data collection method. It could be in-person, online, over the phone, or through the mail.
Evaluate the results and gather all the stakeholders. Brainstorm for possible changes to address the concerns.
Implement the changes in consultation with the staff. Create a list of intended changes with a realistic timeline.

Tips on Creating a Good Patient Satisfaction Survey

For drafting a good patient satisfaction questionnaire, it’s essential to keep it short and simple. Here are other things to consider:

Avoid questions requiring a yes or no response. It’s challenging to obtain accurate statistical data from such questions.
Use consistent scales (a four-point scale, Likert scale, ten-point scale, etc.)
Include an open-ended question and a general comments section at the end of the questionnaire.
Keep the survey process anonymous. Patients will likely answer the survey honestly if their identity remains protected.
Collect demographic data at the end of the survey (like the patient’s health plan) to track how satisfaction scores vary among certain groups of patients.
Avoid vague, biased, or leading questions and ones that incorporate two or more queries.

Ensure the context of the patient satisfaction survey is patient-centric, and embrace quality improvement as the primary goal.

Example Questions

Here are some example questions that can be a part of a well-developed patient satisfaction survey:

How did you find the experience of booking an appointment?
How likely are you to recommend our medical facility to your friends and family?
How long did you have to wait to meet the doctor?
How would you rate the overall care provided by our medical personnel?
Was our staff empathetic to your needs?
Were you informed about the side effects and symptoms of the prescribed medicines?

How To Use the Survey Results

Health insurance companies and the government rely on patient satisfaction measures to evaluate healthcare provider performance. So, the results of patient surveys play a crucial role in this purpose.

You don’t have to act on every suggestion your patients give you; instead, prioritize the key issues causing dissatisfaction and work out effective solutions.

For example, a common concern of patients is the waiting time for consultation. Consider the “time-analysis worksheet” to track a patient’s visit, time of entering the examination room, and so on. It allows physicians and staff to identify any possible sources of delays.

Tip: Remember to follow up with customers with negative experiences to discover the areas that need the most improvement. Surveying without any follow-up may intensify users’ dissatisfaction and worsen frustration among healthcare providers.

Conclusion

Patient satisfaction is a crucial metric for hospitals and other healthcare organizations. With a well-developed questionnaire, it’s easy to measure patient satisfaction and solve potential issues.

Every patient’s opinion is a significant source of information to help improve healthcare services, whether a private consultation, a clinic, a medical center, or a health and beauty center.

So, don’t hesitate to use SuveyTown to create, conduct, and present surveys easily!

Survey Tips

How To Sell Survey Data: Unlock the Power of Your Survey Results—Start Selling Now!

Survey data can be quite valuable to companies and organizations who use it to make decisions about their services, products, and strategies. However, monetizing survey results and research insights can be challenging. For this reason, the Survey Town team created a brief yet comprehensive guide to help you learn how to sell survey data. You’ll find information about preparing your data, finding the right customers for any survey, and a few helpful tips. Let’s dive in!

Prepare Your Data for Sale

After collecting survey data, be sure to do the following:

Ensure the data is accurate and relevant—learn how to avoid errors in data collection.
Create a professional and eye-catching presentation of survey results—add tables, graphs, and charts.
Identify potential buyers—learn more about it in the next section.

Where To Sell Survey Data

The next step is reaching out to individuals and organizations who may be interested in purchasing the survey data. We also suggest you use social media and other marketing channels to promote the availability of your surveys and find the buyer quickly. You can either sell the study as is or share insights you gained by analyzing the data.

Here are the different ways you can sell survey data.

1. Sell Your Data Directly

The most straightforward method is selling your data directly to another organization after a private interaction with the interested party.

You have to either do some research to find a potential buyer or already have a relationship with an organization that might want to buy your data.

2. Join a Private Marketplace

A private marketplace is where companies exchange data. You can join a data marketplace to sell your results to buyers in transparent transactions.

Most of these marketplaces have a steady stream of buyers readily available, regularly looking to buy survey data for market research or other purposes.

3. Sell It to a Data Aggregator

The third option is to sell your results to a data aggregator or a similar company, which sells data to organizations that require it.

While it’s easier to do it through a third party, note that you may not have control over the transactions or even get a favorable price. So, just to be safe, do sufficient research to ensure you’ll be working with a reputable company.

Example of survey data; Source: www.precisionfarmingdealer.com

Conclusion

With the increasing demand for market research, selling survey data can be a profitable business opportunity.

Ensure the survey results are relevant, segmented, and anonymized (if necessary) before you attempt to sell them. Then, agree on a fair price, and remember to follow up with the buyer after the sale to ensure they are satisfied.

Also, if you need help creating a survey, collecting the data, or presenting the results, don’t hesitate to use Survey Town!

Survey Tips

How To Present Survey Results—Analyze and Visualize Data Easily!

The best way to understand survey data is to visualize it. So, after collecting and analyzing results, it’s crucial to present them in a clear, concise, and visually appealing way. In this article, we’ll discuss the best practices for creating a successful visualization of research data.

Keep reading to discover the top ways to present survey results, helpful tips on doing it right, and the best online tool that can present all the data for you.

Presenting Survey Results

The best way to present survey results to help explain your data is to use visuals (graphs, charts, etc.) You should organize the presentation in a way that’s easy to follow and understand, with unbiased and objective results. Find your options below.

1. Graphs and Charts

If you’re looking for the most visually appealing ways to present survey results, graphs and charts are good options. These make a quick and easy-to-understand graphic.

Here are some of the commonly used types of graphs and charts:

Pie chart: A popular chart type, it shows the breakup into sections, with the sum of all slices being 100%.
Venn diagram: Uses overlapping shapes (often circles) to illustrate the logical relationships between different sets.
Line graph: Displays how one or more variables or results change over time by tracking the ups and downs of the data.
Bar graph: Simple to create and easy to interpret, it’s the most commonly used type to track changes over time or compare things between different groups.

2. Infographics

Using infographics alongside graphs and charts adds a creative twist and enhances the message instead of distracting from the data.

The eye-catching graphic visual representations will make survey results more impactful and visually pleasing, which will leave an unforgettable impression on the audience.

3. Data Table

Tables are an efficient way to display numerical data easily. Software like Excel or SPSS helps create tables, and you can even remove unnecessary information to focus on the data intended to be shared with a specific audience.

Similarly, spreadsheets like Excel might not be visually appealing, but they are an excellent option for organizing large amounts of data for a survey results report.

4. Video Infographics

Using animation for an informational video, like in videos or animated infographics, is an excellent strategy for presenting survey results.

With sound, animation, and colorfully displayed statistics, you’re bound to keep your audience engaged. It’s an effective communication tool to convey complex and concrete information effortlessly.

5. Presentations

Combining visuals with the text through a presentation is a practical way to present survey results in an understandable way.

Not only does a presentation allow you to present the early stages of your survey, but it’s also good for showing your questions, hypotheses, and analysis methods.

What To Keep in Mind When Presenting Results

When presenting survey results, be sure to do the following.

Explain technical terms your audience might not be familiar with.
Put the results in context, comparing them to other surveys or data sets.
Highlight the most critical findings from the survey.
Be clear about the meaning of the results and the way you obtained them.

The most important thing to remember when presenting survey results is that correlation doesn’t equal causation. It implies that just because two things are related doesn’t mean that one caused the other.

You must also be aware of potential biases in your sample when presenting survey results. For example, self-selection bias occurs when people who feel strongly about a topic are more likely to respond to a survey related to it.

Visualize Your Data With SurveyTown

SurveyTown is your one-stop solution for surveys. Not only does it help create any survey (even completely custom ones), but it also creates real-time survey reports to help see your ratings.

The software will collect all the responses to your survey and present the results in beautiful charts and graphs. From seeing the number of responses to viewing your aggregated statistics on responses in charts, SurveyTown simplifies the process of analyzing and presenting the survey results.

You can also use the APIs to export data, retrieve response data, or integrate your survey data into other applications.

Final Thoughts

As is evident, your work doesn’t stop at merely collecting and analyzing survey data. It’s equally important to present it the right way so that your audience understands the outcome of your survey clearly.

While you can try to create graphs, charts, infographics, tables, or presentations, SurveyTown can help simplify your work by doing all the visualization for you. Check out our pricing plans here!

General

Types of Market Research: Discover How Each Type Can Help You

Market research is a key process for businesses looking for a way to better understand their customers, competitors, or market trends. However, with so many different types of market research, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, it may be challenging to select the appropriate one for your business.

In this article, we’ll explore the main types, list their advantages and disadvantages, and help you choose the right one. All the info and tips will undoubtedly help you conduct your research and design an effective marketing strategy.

The 4 Main Market Research Types

There are four main types of market research: primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative. Let’s learn the essentials of each.

1. Primary Research

The primary market research approach refers to data collected firsthand (directly or through a third party) from customers, competitors, or other stakeholders.

It’s also known as field research.

Examples of primary research methods include surveys, focus groups, interviews, experiments, and ethnographic or observational research.

The collected data can be qualitative (non-numerical) or quantitative (numerical) for experimental results (for a problem that isn’t clearly defined yet) or conclusive results (to solve a problem identified through exploratory research).

Benefits:

The information/data is relevant and up-to-date.
The data collector retains the data ownership.
Most primary research methods address the individual market instead of the mass market.

Drawbacks:

Most of these methods are time-consuming.
It involves the possibility of bias.

2. Secondary Research

This research involves second-hand data that someone else has already collected and published, like in a report, journal article, government statistics, industry reports, or company data.

It’s also known as desk research or desktop research.

The three main domains for data for secondary research are commercial sources, educational institutions, and public sources. Since most of the information is freely available, this research is less expensive than primary research. It’s ideal for small businesses and start-ups.

Benefits:

The data is easily available.
It’s cost-effective and time-saving.
Initial findings help shape further research.
It gives a fast and broad understanding of the topic.
No professional training is required; anybody can do it.

Drawbacks:

Since already available data is used, you don’t own it.
Manual management of large volumes of information can be tricky.

3. Qualitative Research

It is a type of primary research that involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data through methods like focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observations.

Qualitative research aims to understand people’s attitudes, experiences, beliefs, opinions, and interactions. Researchers collect exploratory and open-ended data directly from an individual or a group and then interpret it.

Such research helps businesses refocus their brand based on the market’s specific needs by understanding consumers’ behaviors.

Benefits:

The research flexibility is greater.
Smaller groups suffice, so it’s more affordable.
Research is more targeted.
It uncovers key insights numbers alone can’t reveal.

Drawbacks:

Since the data is non-numerical, measuring it can be tricky.

4. Quantitative Research

Another type of primary research, quantitative research, involves collecting numerical data through surveys or experiments.

It’s perfect for testing hypotheses or measuring customer satisfaction levels since it gathers data about people’s behavior from the target market and consumers.

The different data collection methods for quantitative research include financial records, web statistics, desk research, surveys, and polls.

The five different types of quantitative research are:

Correlational, which determines the relationship between two related entities;
Survey research, which collects feedback about services, products, or companies;
Descriptive, which analyzes a population sample by gathering quantifiable info;
Experimental research, which (dis)proves a theory with experimentation;
Quasi-experimental, which evaluates cause-and-effect relationships among variables.

Some of these may not be accurate enough, but they are the foundation for further investigation of any hypotheses with qualitative market research.

Benefits:

It involves fewer variables due to closed-ended data.
Large sample sizes can be used for a broader study.
It allows for reliable and consistent analysis of data.
It’s less expensive than qualitative research.

Drawbacks:

Results may be artificial and different from real-world findings.
Limitations of options (pre-set answers) mask the actual answers.
You get a less detailed picture of the motivations and thoughts of a group.

The Most Common Types of Market Research

The SurveyTown team singled out the most common methods for data collection—check out the brief explanations below.

Surveys: An excellent way to collect quantitative data from a large number of people, and it’s cheaper if you do it online.
Focus groups: Help to get qualitative data from a small group of people, but it can be time-consuming and expensive to organize.
Interviews: An excellent way to get qualitative data from an individual but takes the most time to conduct.
Observations: Help to get qualitative data from real-world settings, but it can be challenging to control for all variables.

Final Thoughts: How To Choose the Right Type

The type of market research you choose will influence critical decisions in your business. However, not all methods will be suitable for your business.

Consider what you want to achieve, what type of data you need, the advantages and disadvantages of each research type, and the costs of conducting and analyzing the results.

Also, no single type of market research will give a complete picture. It’s best to use a mixed approach, and we suggest starting with one of the SurveyTown plans.

Survey Tips

Pilot Testing in Research: A Crucial Step in Survey Design

The survey design process involves several crucial steps, and conducting a pilot test is one of them. If you’re looking for its explanation and benefits, we’ll give them to you. Discover how pilot testing in research allows researchers to identify potential problems and fine-tune questions before launching their survey to a larger sample. You’ll explore the pros and cons of pilot studies, key steps in conducting a successful one, and valuable tips that will help you plan your research project to a tee.

What Is Pilot Testing in a Survey Research?

Pilot testing is small-scale study researchers conduct before administering the actual survey to test the validity of questions and data collection method. Therefore, a researcher uses it to examine the questions’ effectiveness and determine whether the survey is likely to succeed.

TL;DR: Pilot testing ensures that the survey is easy to understand and free of biases or errors.

Pilot Testing vs. Pretesting

People often confuse pilot testing with pretesting. Although both are important for ensuring the study’s effectiveness, there’s one key distinction between them. A pilot calls for conducting the survey in its entirety, while pretesting involves examining certain components only. For instance, you can use the latter to identify issues in the questionnaire’s tone, structure, or design.

How To Conduct a Pilot Test

You must carry out the pilot test under standard survey conditions and pay close attention to each step of the process. Follow these instructions to perform a successful test.

Choose each participant carefully, and make sure they fit your research’s target population. Pay attention to the following factors: their age, gender, education, income, and location.
Get your respondents together, if possible, and observe their behavior. It’s a very helpful method that allows you to see how comfortable they are throughout the survey and when they pause or hesitate.
Test the average time respondents take to complete each question and the entire survey. If the survey takes more time than expected, it means that it’s probably too lengthy or complex for your audience; find a way to simplify it.
Test the question flow, order, and type to ensure the survey is clear and easy to understand. If respondents need clarification, provide inaccurate answers, or repeat information, you should change the order of questions, rephrase them, or include an explanation.
Seek feedback from the respondents, supervisors, and observers. Make sure everyone contributes and shares their opinions or concerns so that you discover the areas that require improvements.
Collect all the data for analysis, and use it to make necessary changes and improvements. The data refers to participants’ answers, everyone’s feedback, and your notes (remember to take them during the survey).
Repeat the process if necessary. Feel free to conduct another pilot test after revisions to ensure the survey is ready for a larger audience.

Be sure to complete all the steps; each point is essential for an effective test that will lead to a successful survey.

Pros & Cons

Here are the three key benefits of survey pilot testing in research:

Identifying potential issues with your study design or methodology;
Avoiding any ethical problems that could occur from conducting a flawed study;
Getting valuable feedback and using it to improve the final research.

On the negative side, the entire process takes a lot of time and resources. Plus, a successful pilot test doesn’t guarantee that issues won’t arise again, so you may have to repeat the process down the line and delay the start of your project.

Is It Always Necessary?

Pilot testing is not necessary for every survey; it depends on the sample size and type of questions.

For instance, smaller and less complex surveys usually don’t require such testing. On the other hand, if you’re conducting a study that’s supposed to reach a larger audience, we recommend doing a pilot test. That way, you’ll determine an appropriate number or structure of your questions and avoid biased answers.

Final Thoughts

Although some researchers find pilot testing unnecessary, it’s undoubtedly an excellent way to ensure the validity of your data and the effectiveness of your research. It may seem pricey and time-consuming, but it actually saves money in the long run since it prevents problems later down the line.

Don’t hesitate to conduct a pilot study and ensure your research yields positive results. We also suggest you start your free trial with us, create a perfect survey after the pilot test, and organize your data quickly and effectively.

Fill out this form if you have any questions or concerns, and one of our support team members will get back to you as soon as possible.

Survey Tips

How Can I Improve My Customer Service Survey Score?

The most obvious way to improve your customer service survey score is by addressing your customers’ issues and concerns. Here are the key steps you should take to do it successfully:

Identify areas for improvement: Peruse your survey results and identify common themes or areas where most customers gave lower scores. When you find them, focus on their progress.
Communicate with your customers: Talk to customers with the lowest scores and try to understand their concerns. This way, you’ll identify specific issues and get down to brass tacks.
Take action: Based on the customer feedback, make changes to your customer service policies or any process. This could involve training your team on new techniques, implementing new strategies, or changing customer service operations.
Monitor and track progress: Conduct occasional surveys to keep track of your customer service survey score over time or search for trends. This way, you’ll be able to determine whether your efforts are paying off.
Seek additional feedback: Find other ways to collect feedback from your customers, such as through social media platforms, online reviews, or informal conversations with your team. If you miss something through the survey, these will help you find and improve it.

Tip: If you want to run another customer satisfaction survey, click here to discover the best practices and tips.

Survey Tips

What Kind of Data Can You Collect Using Surveys?

Researchers collect various types of data using surveys; here’s the most common classification:

Demographic data: race, age, gender, education, income, employment status, etc.
Consumer data: purchasing habits and brand preferences.
Health data: physical health status and healthcare utilization.
Psychological data: personality traits, cognitive processes, and emotional states.
Attitudinal & behavioral data: opinions, beliefs, values, and the frequency of specific behaviors or activities.

Click here to learn how to avoid mistakes while collecting survey data.