The Online Market Research Survey Trend – How Effective Are They?

Where it used to be that companies and businesses needed to resort to mailing surveys out to people with hopes of getting a response, today this has been overtaken by online surveys. A mobile survey is able to provide companies with the ability to craft customized surveys, send them out with ease, and then track and view responses sometimes in real-time.

So, while they are loaded with high tech features, it’s only natural that businesses are curious about how effective they are.

Traditional Paper Survey Pros and Cons

Traditional paper surveys excel in a number of areas, with the most glaring being the fact they are so easy to read. Some people find the font on their computer or smartphone small and difficult to view properly. With a traditional paper survey, you have the ability to set the font size, the background, and the color of the text. As well, you can add things like pictures, a company logo, etc.

If you happen to be asking longer questions, experts suggest the paper survey is the better way to go. With online surveys, respondents expect it to be fast and short. They won’t be willing to put in the extra time. Respondents also feel less pressured to get through the survey fast when it’s on paper. They can easily scan ahead to see how much is left and plan their time accordingly.

Of course, paper surveys aren’t all about the pros, there are also a number of cons involved. The biggest is the cost factor. Companies need to pay for printing, envelopes, and stamps not just to mail them to the customer, but also provide a prepaid envelope so customers can send it back. This process can take a while, and all the information will need to be inputted manually in order to be tracked and analyzed.

Online Survey Pros and Cons

Moving on to the online survey, this option is also filled with its fair share of pros and cons. When it comes to the pros, the biggest pro to an online survey is the sheer ease it offers. Not only can the survey be sent out electronically, but the results are also submitted electronically. There is no delay in the mail, and sometimes results can be tracked in real-time.

What’s also interesting is the stats that show the response rate is up to 10 times higher when using an online survey. People tend to equate an online survey with simple and fast, which means they are more willing to take part. Of course, the cost is dramatically reduced since you don’t have to worry about printing, stamps, and envelopes.

The big glaring issue is that you need to keep things very short and straightforward with these online surveys.

Which is Best?

So, when it comes to the question of which option is best for your business, it really depends on the type of questions you want to ask, the length of the questions, and the speed and ease you demand when it comes to data collection.