
However, if you're just trying to get some consensus from a group of friends or co-workers regarding a lunch restaurant preference, then you may not need to wade into the waters of dedicated online survey tools because simple polls are already built into Facebook and Twitter. These often allow the creation of simple surveys, some of which will even allow unlimited questions and respondents. When considering an online survey tool, one great way to get acquainted with a product's capabilities is by taking its free version for a spin.

The result is that online surveys have remained among the most popular tools used by market researchers for the last several years. Fortunately, the latest survey tools focus strongly on combining this positive experience with ever more sophisticated data collection and parsing features. And even if they don't go quite that far, many surveys call for navigation rules and other choices that can provide not only a better experience for respondents, but also for more precise data collection, which can be critical when that data later transitions to business analysis tools. However, while some surveys can be as short as a single question, others can be complex webs of question blocks and conditions that sometimes include actual scripting. To a survey taker, a survey may seem like a simple progression of questions. That can include digital marketing campaigns, customer service and help desk, employee satisfaction, political polling, event feedback, and many other purposes. Careful use of an online survey can provide data for any aspect of your business that intersects with an audience, whether customers or partners. One of the core mechanisms for gathering this kind of data is the online survey, which today has become available via multiple channels, including, of course, your website, but also email, digital and physical events, and social media. Solid data on who your customers are, what they like and hate, and how they feel about things important to your company can literally shape how you run your business. Market research provides invaluable direction to almost every aspect of a business, especially product or service design, marketing, and sales. Read our editorial mission (Opens in a new window) & see how we test (Opens in a new window). Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.


