8 Reasons Why Respondents Ignore Surveys

Have you ever poured your heart and soul into crafting a survey, only to be met with the deafening silence of unanswered questions? 

This isn't just a minor annoyance; it's a symptom of a much deeper issue: survey fatigue. People are bombarded with questionnaires about everything from their morning coffee to their political views, leading to an understandable apathy towards yet another request for their time. The result? Biased data, inaccurate insights, and costly decisions based on a skewed understanding of reality.

Imagine launching a product based on feedback from a non-representative sample, missing key customer pain points, or misreading public sentiment on a critical issue. The consequences of ignoring survey fatigue can be far-reaching, impacting your bottom line, reputation, and ability to truly connect with your audience.

In this blog, we'll dissect the eight key points behind respondent indifference, equipping you with practical solutions to craft surveys that are informative, engaging, and, most importantly, completed.

But why are surveys so important, you ask? A survey is an incredibly versatile method of collecting feedback that can be transformed into data. Think of them as your window into the minds and hearts of your target audience. In the world of marketing, they reveal customer preferences and satisfaction levels, guiding product development and marketing strategies.

For organizations, they gauge employee engagement and identify areas for improvement. In the public sphere, they inform policy decisions and ensure governments are in tune with the needs of their citizens.

8 Key reasons why respondents ignore surveys

Here are 8 key reasons why respondents ignore surveys:

1. Survey fatigue

Imagine walking down a street bombarded by salespeople pitching different surveys. That's what it feels like for many respondents today. A study by Qualtrics revealed that 74% of people receive three or more survey requests per week, leading to burnout and indifference.

Impact: Response rates plummet, data becomes skewed, and insights lose accuracy. A study by SurveyMonkey found that response rates drop by 50% when participants have completed a similar survey in the past month.

Solutions

• Limit survey frequency: Respect respondent time and avoid bombarding them with surveys.
• Keep it concise and focused: Make surveys under 10 minutes, targeting specific aspects instead of broad topics.
• Offer incentives: Discounts, donations, or sweepstakes entries motivate participation.
• Personalize: Target surveys to specific demographics and use skip logic to avoid irrelevant questions.

2. Lack of incentive

People value their time. Why should they spend it answering your questions for free?

Examples

• Gift cards: Offer gift cards for completing the survey.
• Donations: Partner with a charity and donate $1 per completed survey in their name.
• Sweepstakes: Enter participants into a draw for a prize like a gift card or product.

Value proposition

Emphasize what respondents gain by sharing their insights. Will it improve their experience, shape future products, or contribute to a good cause?

Case study

Company- Capterra,  world's leading online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of various software solutions. 

Their goal was to increase user reviews on their platform.

Context: In 2019, Capterra offered $10 digital gift cards to users who wrote reviews of software they utilized at work. This program targeted any of the 30,000 software solutions listed on their platform, aiming to increase user reviews and enrich their content.

Benefits

• Review quantity surge: Incentives like gift cards often act as powerful motivators, potentially leading to a significant increase in the number of reviews. This influx of reviews could provide a wider range of user experiences and valuable insights for prospective customers.
• Enhanced user engagement: Rewarding participation can foster a more active and engaged user base. Users feel valued for their contributions, leading to increased platform interaction and potentially richer review content.
• Diversified perspectives: By appealing to a broader user base through incentives, Capterra could attract reviews from individuals with diverse experiences and viewpoints. This enriches the review landscape, offering a more comprehensive picture of each software solution.

3. Irrelevant or uninteresting questions

Nobody wants to answer questions that feel pointless or intrusive.

Importance

Align questions with respondent demographics and the survey's purpose. Avoid irrelevant inquiries or those that make respondents uncomfortable.

Techniques

• Pre-screening questions: Qualify respondents to ensure they're relevant to the survey.
• Skip logic: Allow respondents to skip sections based on their answers.
• Clear and concise language: Use jargon-free wording that's easy to understand.
• Variety in question types: Mix multiple-choice, open-ended, and rating scales to keep things engaging.

4. Lengthy or complex surveys

Nobody wants to spend an hour answering endless questions.

Guidelines

Aim for surveys under 10 minutes. SurveyMonkey reports optimal completion rates for surveys between 5-7 minutes.

Strategies

• Break down into sections: Chunk the survey into smaller, digestible bits.
• Progress indicators: Show respondents how close they are to completion.
• Use clear and simple language: Avoid complex wording or confusing instructions.
• Mobile-friendly design: Ensure the survey is easy to navigate on any device.

5. Poor survey design and user experience

Surveys should be visually appealing and user-friendly, not an eyesore.

Importance

Use a mobile-responsive survey platform with a clean and intuitive design. Avoid clutter or confusing layouts.

Accessibility

Consider diverse users by incorporating screen reader compatibility and alternative text for images.

6. Unclear purpose or benefit

People want to know why they're spending their time.

Transparency

Explain the survey's purpose and how the feedback will be used. Highlight the potential impact their responses could have.

Appreciation

Express gratitude for their participation and offer transparency about the results. Share key findings or how their feedback was implemented.

7. Privacy concerns

Data privacy is a growing concern.

Assurance

Clearly state your data security measures and anonymization practices. Offer a detailed privacy policy outlining data collection and usage.

8. Technical issues

Broken links, slow loading times, or mobile incompatibility can kill response rates.

Reliability

Test the survey platform thoroughly across different devices and browsers to ensure smooth functionality. Fix any technical glitches before launch.

By actively addressing these eight key reasons, you can create surveys that people actually want to answer, unlocking valuable insights and fostering meaningful connections with your target audience.

Remember, respecting respondents' time, offering value, and delivering a smooth experience are essential ingredients for survey success.

From frustration to fascination

By addressing these eight key reasons, you can transform your surveys from frustrating obligations to fascinating experiences. Remember, respecting respondents' time, offering value, and delivering a seamless experience are the cornerstones of successful surveys. 

How rewards can overcome survey fatigue and boost response rates

In the age of information overload, survey fatigue is rampant. People are simply tired of answering questions for free. But fear not, there's a solution that can sweeten the deal and entice respondents to participate: rewards.

Why rewards work

• They value time: Let's face it, our time is precious. Rewards acknowledge this value and offer an incentive for respondents to invest their minutes in your survey.
• Motivation matters: Rewards inject a dose of motivation, transforming a mundane task into an opportunity for potential gain.
• Positive reinforcement: Completing a survey with a reward attached creates a positive association, making respondents more likely to participate in future surveys.
• Increased engagement: Rewards can keep respondents engaged throughout the survey, leading to higher completion rates and more reliable data.

Different reward for different folks

The best reward depends on your target audience and survey goals. Here are some popular options:

• Discounts: Offer respondents a discount on your products or services as a thank you for their participation.
• Donations: Partner with a charity and donate a small amount per completed survey in the respondent's name.
• Sweepstakes entries: Give participants a chance to win a prize like a gift card or product.
• Early access: Offer exclusive early access to new products or features to incentivize participation.

Case study

1. How Xoxoday used rewards to drive G2 reviews

Challenge: Xoxoday, a company specializing in employee engagement and rewards programs, faced the challenge of maintaining its leadership position in a competitive market. They needed to:

Drive positive reviews on G2: Enhance brand reputation and attract new customers by acquiring positive reviews on the popular B2B software review platform G2.

Maintain industry leadership: Solidify their position as a leading provider of employee engagement and rewards solutions.

Solution: The company implemented Xoxoday, a reward and recognition platform, to incentivize employees to leave positive reviews on G2. Through Xoxoday, they offered employees rewards for completing specific actions, such as:

• Submitting a G2 review
• Responding to comments on their G2 review
• Sharing the G2 review on social media

Results

• Over 90 days, Xoxoday amassed an impressive 268 new reviews on G2, solidifying their online reputation and reinforcing their position as a leader in the enterprise software solutions market
• This influx of reviews provided potential customers with valuable insights into the exceptional experiences Xoxoday's users have with their products.
• Xoxoday successfully achieved its goals of boosting employee engagement, enhancing its brand reputation, and maintaining its industry leadership position.

In conclusion, Xoxoday's success story demonstrates the effectiveness of utilizing reward and recognition platforms to drive employee engagement, improve brand reputation, and maintain industry leadership.

2. Kantar automates reward distribution with Xoxoday

Challenge: Kantar, a leading market research company, faced challenges with their traditional reward distribution process. It was manual, time-consuming, and inefficient, requiring researchers and business teams to spend valuable time on procurement and distribution instead of core tasks.

Additionally, the pandemic shifted Kantar's focus to online participants, requiring a solution for instant rewards.

Solution: Kantar implemented Xoxoday, a rewards and incentives platform, to automate their reward distribution process. 

• Automation: Xoxoday automated the entire reward distribution process, from selection to delivery, saving Kantar significant time and resources.
• Instant rewards: With Xoxoday, Kantar could offer instant rewards to online participants, increasing engagement and completion rates.
• Seamless integration: Xoxoday integrated seamlessly with Kantar's existing systems, ensuring a smooth transition and minimal disruption to workflows.
• Global reach: Xoxoday offered a wide range of global reward options, catering to Kantar's diverse participant base.
• Reduced costs: Xoxoday’s efficient platform and competitive pricing helped Kantar reduce their overall reward program costs.

Results

• Increased efficiency: Kantar's researchers and business teams saw a significant increase in efficiency, allowing them to focus on core tasks like research and analysis.
• Improved engagement: Instant rewards led to increased engagement and participation from online participants, resulting in more valuable data for Kantar. Xoxoday delivered more than 3.32 million USD in rewards in just a quarter and 243% growth in rewards distributed over two quarters
• Reduced costs: Kantar achieved cost savings through Xoxoday’s efficient platform and competitive pricing.
• Faster implementation: Kantar implemented Xoxoday in just 72 hours, without affecting their existing processes.

Key takeaways

• Xoxoday offers a comprehensive solution for automating reward distribution, enabling companies like Kantar to streamline their processes, improve efficiency, and achieve better results.
• The platform's flexibility, scalability, and global reach make it suitable for organizations of all sizes and with diverse needs.
• Automating reward distribution can lead to significant cost savings, increased engagement, and valuable data for research-driven companies like Kantar.

According to research, 75% of online surveys fail to generate the minimum expected response rate. It's like shouting into a void, yearning for insights that never come.

Conclusion

Traditional surveys can feel like a chore. But by strategically utilizing meaningful rewards alongside a positive survey experience, you can transform them into engaging opportunities that respondents actually want to participate in. Remember, it's about valuing their time, motivating their involvement, and creating a positive association.

So, embrace the power of rewards, craft exceptional surveys, and watch your response rates skyrocket! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get a free demo from our reward experts.