How can you use writing to create effective surveys and feedback forms?

1 Know your goals and audience

Before you write any questions, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to learn from your survey or feedback form, and who you are targeting. Your goals and audience will determine the type, number, and tone of your questions, as well as the best format and channel for your survey or feedback form. For example, if you want to get feedback on your latest podcast episode from your loyal listeners, you might use a short and informal survey embedded in your email newsletter. But if you want to conduct market research for a new online course from potential customers, you might use a longer and more professional survey hosted on a third-party platform.

2 Write clear and relevant questions

The quality of your questions will affect the quality of your data and insights. You want to write questions that are clear, relevant, specific, and unbiased. Avoid using jargon, slang, or vague terms that might confuse or alienate your respondents. Also avoid using leading, loaded, or double-barreled questions that might influence or distort your respondents' answers. For example, instead of asking "How much do you love our amazing content?", ask "How satisfied are you with our content?". Use a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions to balance the depth and breadth of your data. Open-ended questions allow your respondents to express their opinions, feelings, or experiences in their own words, while closed-ended questions provide predefined options for your respondents to choose from.

3 Design a simple and attractive layout

The layout of your survey or feedback form will affect the user experience and response rate of your respondents. You want to design a layout that is simple, attractive, and consistent. Use headings, subheadings, and instructions to guide your respondents through your survey or feedback form. Use white space, colors, fonts, and images to create visual appeal and contrast. Use scales, grids, or lists to organize your closed-ended questions and make them easy to answer. Use text boxes, drop-down menus, or sliders to offer different ways for your respondents to input their answers to your open-ended questions.

4 Communicate your purpose and value

The last but not least tip for writing effective surveys and feedback forms is to communicate your purpose and value to your respondents. You want to explain why you are conducting the survey or feedback form, how you will use the data, and what benefits your respondents will get from participating. You can use a catchy title, a brief introduction, and a clear call to action to convey your message. You can also use incentives, such as discounts, rewards, or prizes, to motivate your respondents to complete your survey or feedback form. However, be careful not to overpromise or underdeliver on your incentives, as this might damage your credibility and trust.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?