Use Surveys To Help Improve Your Site?

[Rainman]

Surveys can be the best way you can identify [technical] issues or whatever is wrong with your site, things you may not notice as the admin. Apart from that, site visitors could offer suggestions which would tell you exactly what they want, don't want, etc.

Most web-users may not be willing to fill a survey unless given an incentive of some kind. That however doesn't necessarily mean no one will fill the survey. Some will.

I'm curious, webmasters, do any of you use surveys to get feedback from your site visitors? How valuable was/is the feedback you get?

 

[SimplySidy]

I had once put up a Survey (a Poll in fact) on my then Google Blog (It was known as blopspot back then). It stayed online for more than 60 days but no one did bother to fill it up. As per the stats from the Feedjit and others, the blog had more than 50 visitors every day on that blog during that 60day period but I got Zero people filling up the poll.

The poll was quite simple - it asked - what do you want to read more about ? Windows and Hacks, about Google services, about theming Blogspot themes and PTCs, PTRs, Scams and Genuine. I dont know what was wrong with this kind of a poll but then, when no one filled up the Poll, I realized that I should use that wigdet space for something else.

Today, however, things have changed. They (many websites) have popups that lead you to surveys or polls or other things which I find intrusive.

 

[lludawg]

I find that a lot of people have no problems doing a short survey consisting of around maybe 5 questions or so. Any more than that and people will turn away because in their opinion, it may be a waste of time. I recommend keeping your surveys short and sweet. Maybe spread questions out over different time periods rather than having one giant survey going on for weeks.

 

[net_zen]

I think that people are tired of surveys, especially when all they want is to browse your content in peace. If you have some kind of newsletter that users subscribe to you can mail a set of questions with better results - after all, since they subscribe they're interested in your site so they should answer. Another idea would be to place a short pool in the sidemenus (left/right), pool that contains questions about the overall experience. Giving two clicks, to chose an answer and hit submit, hasn't hurt anybody

 

[cyberpuppet]

I would say surveys are only worth considering if yo have a seriously large number of regular visitors. If you have 100 a day and only 2 fill out a survey it tells you nothing. Even at large numbers you have to give consideration to whether the type of person who does fill it out is your typical target or just the type that enjoys trying to change things to their way. If only 2% of your users respond and only 60% of those that responded want a particular thing does that mean a majority of your users want it - or only just over 1%?

 

[xTinx]

Surveys and/or polls are all right. But a more effective way of extracting feedback is to provide a feedback form or set up a Help Desk or live chat button on your website. Although the poll reduces your effort in having to sort through a horde of comments and suggestions, the choices are delimited and more often than not, you can't give your customers the chance to speak up for themselves. Direct feedback from them, in my view, is more valuable. It gives them a sense of empowerment.

 

[PhilA]

I have run surveys on some Web 2.0 articles I published, and although I received decent traffic noone ever really bothered to fill them out. As such I have not added any to my sites, but I may consider it in the future.

 

[OhioTom76]

I think there are already far too many interruptions and distractions on many web sites, that surveys only add to these annoyances. If you already have pop-ups nagging people to sign up for your newsletter, which overlay the content they are trying to read, then putting a survey notice up on top of that might be the last straw for your visitors who may just decide to move on elsewhere.

I used to see some poll services years ago that would put a little triangle button in the lower corner of the screen asking you to complete a short survey about the site. Those are less intrusive but even then, you should give the user the option to turn the button off completely.

The other things you need to consider are if you are even asking the right questions. If you give a multiple choice question and most of your users don't agree with any of the options but feel compelled to pick one because there isn't any "none of the above" option, you could be getting misleading data.

 

[proxynvpn]

I have never tried this myself however I wouldn't say that I would ever rule it out to at least get feedback from visitors to my site. As long as it's a small survey I think a lot could benefit from it.

 

[Deka]

I guess surveys can work if you formulate the right questions. Usually, readers wouldn't want to spend a lot of time answering a long survey. So you better create a survey that is short and concise. For me, the best questions are:

• Direct to the point
• Answerable by yes or no
• Concise and easy to understand

So if you formulate your questions around these factors, I'm sure you will get feedback easily from potential readers. Don't force them to answer the questions though since that can also backfire.

 

[Benoit W]

WHY АRЕ WЕBSITЕ FЕЕDBАСK SURVЕYS IMPОRTАNT?
Tоdаy’s соnsumеrs rеly hеаvily оn wеbsitеs tо gеt thе infоrmаtiоn thеy nееd rеgаrding yоur prоduсts аnd sеrviсеs. Yоur wеbsitе is yоur digitаl frоnt dооr аnd is а vаluаblе piесе in sеrving сustоmеrs. Whеn yоu fаll shоrt оf сustоmеr еxpесtаtiоns, yоu nееd tо knоw. Wеbsitе fееdbасk survеys givе yоu а dirесt linе tо whаt yоur сustоmеrs аrе thinking аnd fееling whilе еngаging with yоur brаnd thrоugh yоur wеbsitе. It’s оnе оf thе bеst wаys tо quiсkly аnd еаsily gеt intо yоur сustоmеr’s mind tо disсоvеr prоblеms, mеаsurе sаtisfасtiоn аnd prоvidе аn оutlеt fоr соmmеnts.

 

[Fermin420]

With so many ptp sites out there most users will perceive surveys as work. I can only talk for myself when I say I never complete free surveys, only of course, if it's one of those one question then, yes! I can't help to click on those.

 

[Fueledbycaffeine]

I've relied on polls and user feedback for forums, since you're actively engaging with an userbase which is accustomed to interacting with you and the other users, but never with websites because I think that audience is more passive and just wants to consume content, not be bothered with whatever you want out of them, and they sometimes may see it as an advertisement, even.