When it comes to surveys, asking questions is the first step in understanding your survey respondents, but knowing how to engage them, and what will convince them to answer your questions is just as critical. Writing an effective survey introduction can make a big difference in how many people complete your survey and provide quality responses.
In this blog, We will outline what you need to know about creating a compelling survey introduction that encourages participants to jump in and complete your survey.
What You Should Include
When writing an effective introduction for a survey, it’s important to include certain elements that will attract respondents and make them feel comfortable with participating. These elements should include:
- A brief explanation of what the survey is about – A clear and concise description of the purpose of the survey should be included at the beginning of the introduction. This will let people know what they’re signing up for and why they should bother taking the time to fill out your questionnaire.
- An indication of how long the survey will take – Letting people know upfront how much time they’ll need to dedicate to completing your survey can be helpful in determining who is interested in participating. It also helps build trust as people feel more comfortable when they have a good idea of what they’re signing up for before committing their time.
- Incentives or rewards – Rewards are great motivators for getting people to take part in surveys, so offering something like a discount on future purchases or entry into a prize draw could help boost participation rates significantly.
- A reminder about privacy or security considerations – This ensures users trust and feel comfortable taking your survey, and will help them understand how you will be using the data.
- Leverage multimedia: Consider introducing your survey with voice or video, to help users get to know you more, or at least understand who is behind their survey to build trust.
- Contact information – Including contact information such as an email address or social media page lets respondents know who they are communicating with and gives them an avenue through which they can reach out if necessary. It also adds another layer of trustworthiness which can further motivate people to take part in the survey.
What You Should Leave Out
When writing a survey introduction, there are some things you should avoid including that could potentially harm participation rates or lead respondents astray from providing accurate data:
- Technical jargon – While you may understand complex terms related to your industry, chances are most potential respondents won’t have any clue what you’re talking about if you throw too much industry lingo into the mix. Aiming for simplicity and clarity when describing what the survey is about will ensure everyone understands exactly what you want from them.
- Too many details – Describing every single detail about your survey can overwhelm potential participants and make them less likely to take part. Keep it concise and try not to overcomplicate things by adding unnecessary information into your introduction copy.
Other Tips
Here are some additional tips that can help create more engaging introductions that encourage higher completion rates:
- Personalize it – People love feeling like their opinion matters, so using personalized language such as “you” rather than general terms like “people” adds a personal touch which makes respondents feel valued and appreciated.
- Use humor – Adding some lighthearted humor into your introduction text can relax readers and give them a positive impression of your brand while also helping keep their attention focused on reading until the end.
- Be honest – Don’t try playing down how long it takes or exaggerate rewards as this could lead to disappointment later on which may deter future surveys from being completed accurately.
Writing an effective introduction for a survey requires careful consideration of both content and tone in order for participants to be motivated enough to commit their time towards completing it accurately. Remember that most respondents have a limited amount of time to dedicate to your survey, so consider keeping your survey introduction short, crisp, visual and include a survey design that feels fresh and engaging.
