Online surveys continue to be a powerful tool for market researchers. Of course, they’re also popular with just about anyone else who wants to gauge the pulse of the public! Growing internet penetration, rising social media, and even the COVID-19 pandemic have all pushed online surveys to new levels. In this blog, we’ll look closer at the growth of online surveys. We’ll also take a look at survey market research trends that present opportunities for survey conductors.
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Online Survey Trends and Survey Growth Statistics
According to Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence, the global online survey market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 16% through 2026. The report notes that “Online surveys are a modern technique to conduct surveys aiming to collect information about the targeted audience’s views and experiences. Surveys are conducted to gather greater insights into the market and forecasting process. It also facilitates working on loopholes for greater efficiency.” So what’s behind this impressive growth rate? A few factors are at play.
Rising Internet Penetration
The internet has made conducting surveys more efficient and less expensive than other types of survey methods. And, widespread use of the internet means that those conducting surveys have easy access to a wide and diverse population. World Bank shows that internet users have increased significantly from 3.18 billion users in 2015 to 4.8 billion users in 2020. Additionally, researchers and organizations can now survey just about any part of the world through their remote location using the internet. This reduces the cost and time of the survey.
Increased Social Media Usage
Social media is here to stay, and the growing usage of social media platforms gives market researchers another playground with which to survey people. Data shows that the number of people using Facebook has increased from 100 million in 2008 to more than 2 billion in 2019 while those using Twitter have increased from about 43 million in 2010 to 330 million in 2019. Instagram and other platforms also continue to grow. Through social media, researchers can conduct short surveys through online survey software and facilitate an increased reach. Read more about social media surveys.
COVID-19 Concerns
The pandemic gave online surveys a boost as lockdowns and travel restrictions forced many people to stay home or work from home. Therefore, more people than ever were online at any given time, and survey-taking spiked because of it. Citing data from Internet World Stats, the proportion of internet users increased drastically from about 50% in 2019 to more than 60% in 2020, which increased the market for online survey software. Further, a surge in social media usage by 63% was observed during the lockdown period which favored the industry.
7 Opportunities with Online Surveys in 2022
With the use of online surveys at an all-time high, what are some takeaways for market researchers and organizations conducting surveys? Here are some things to think about.
1. Keep Your Survey Short
Attention spans are getting shorter, so it makes sense that your survey should too. In fact, a recent study found that the average human attention span has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds today. Hence the popularity of microsurveys, short surveys that take an average of about three minutes to complete. They provide fast feedback, better response rates, more accurate responses, easy analysis, and more. Read more about microsurveys.
2. Simplify Your Survey Questions
With the internet and social media offering plenty of rabbit holes, users can often become distracted. So, you’ll want to be sure that your questions are easy to understand and answer, otherwise you may lose your audience. Multiple choice questions and Likert scale questions are popular options that help keep survey takers on point. Get our free guide on How to Write Survey Questions Like an Expert.
3. Use Responsive Design
Today, more than 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, and even more people access social media from their phones. So, you need to make sure your design will look just as good on a small screen as it would on a PC. A responsive design will automatically adjust text and graphics to accommodate any device. Learn more about responsive design.
4. Use Visual Appeal
Humans are 90% visual beings, so be sure your survey has eye appeal. One of the best things about online surveys is how easy it is to incorporate visuals. Each question can even come with its own image to keep things interesting and to keep respondents plugging along, reducing drop-off rates. Using visuals, like images or video, can also stimulate your participants’ memory. If you would like to know if people remembered your last print or TV ad, for example, include it in the survey to jog their memory.
5. Share Survey Results (and Make Results Shareable)
After you’ve conducted a survey, share the results on social media (just be sure everything is secure, as we discuss in the next section). Sharing results can motivate people to continue to take part in surveys because it makes them feel that their participation is valuable. Plus, people are curious, and often want to see how their views stack up to other people. Also, consider allowing survey takers to share their results. When doing this, your survey gets more attention and, if you’re simply interested in the number of participants, it can help you acquire more survey-takers with no effort on your end.
6. Employ Good Security Features
One challenge facing market researchers is the strict government policy of data collection. Increasing numbers of cybercrimes have raised concerns around the world resulting in stricter rules that can hinder online surveys. Plus, the public is becoming more aware of the potential danger of filling out online forms. To avoid legal woes and to ensure survey takers that their information is safe, employ the latest security features, from physical security to data encryption, validation certificates, data portability, user authentication passwords, and more. And, always tell your participants that their personal details will be kept safe and won’t be shared with any third parties. Read more about survey security.
7. Make Your Survey Fun
Last but not least, make your survey fun! Sure, this may not apply to all types of surveys, but it can certainly make a difference in response rate when “fun” is used appropriately. Therefore, you’ll want to be funny, conversational, use imagery and icons, offer incentives, show results, allow sharing, and more. Read more about How to Make a Fun Survey.
Conclusion
The online survey market continues to grow at a fast pace. It’s leaving other survey methods, such as telephone surveys, mail-in surveys, and in-person interviews, in its dust! Of course, the success of online surveys shouldn’t be taken for granted; it’s important to still follow best practices to ensure good response rates. By following some of the tips highlighted here, you can make your mark in the online survey world and get answers to all your burning questions! Of course, when you’re ready to begin surveying, check out SurveyLegend. Our online surveys are easy to use, easy on the eyes, secure, responsive, and as fun as you want them to be. Start now for free!
Have you or your organization been using more online surveys? If so, why have you begun using them more frequently? And, are you likely to consider SurveyLegend for your next online survey? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Create your 2022 survey, poll, or questionnaire now!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do online surveys continue to increase in popularity?
Growing internet penetration, rising social media, and even the COVID-19 pandemic have all pushed online surveys to new levels. They’re also efficient, easy to manage, and less expensive than other methods of surveying.
What are some survey market research trends?
When it comes to online surveys, researchers are trending toward short, simple, and socially shareable results. So, they’re also embracing the internet because it allows them to add visual appeal and to reach people on their mobile devices, where more web traffic than ever is generated.
What are the latest online survey trends?
The global online survey market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 16% through 2026, spurred by increased internet usage and the popularity of social media platforms.
