Surveys are a common method for conducting market research. With 3.7 billion people using a mobile device, mobile-friendly surveys are crucial to optimize the value of data gathered. There are obvious differences between a mobile device and a computer device. Studies have shown people in today’s society are never far from their mobile device and favor using mobile devices for surveys over other methods of survey distribution. Due to these facts it is essential that surveys are designed to for mobile optimization.
Mobile-friendly survey tips? Our NY market research has you covered.
Here are 5 ways to create a mobile-friendly survey.
Tip 1: Mobile optimized
There are numerous software options available to create and distribute surveys. It is important to chose a software that is optimized for mobile devices. These software programs allow for the survey to be horizontally and vertically viewed, allowing the participant to chose the view of they prefer. Mobile-friendly optimized software also detects what kind of device is being used and automatically adjust the screen size and layout for the user.
Tip 2: Keep it short
Mobile devices have smaller screen sizes compared to a tablet, laptop, or desktop. Questions need to be short, sweet, and to the point to keep the survey mobile-friendly. Typically, people communicate with less words on a mobile device, since typing takes longer compared to using a keyboard. Think about how many times you have texted OMW instead of “on my way,” or TY instead of “thank you.”
To create mobile-friendly questions, the questions need to be closed and not open, meaning they require checking a box for a response instead of typing out a lengthy answer. They need to also use the fewest words possible, so the mobile user does not need to scroll and scroll to read the question and the options for the response. Not taking these factors into consideration will likely increase dropout rates.
Mobile-friendly surveys also need to be short regarding time required to participate. 5-10 minutes is an ideal amount of time. You want your mobile-friendly survey to be easily completed anywhere, for example while in line at Starbucks, on the subway, or in line at the grocery store.
Remember to always check the layout, time required, and ease of use before distribution, horizontally and vertically.
Tip 3: Keep it simple
In conjunction with keeping the survey short, the survey also needs to be simple. Avoiding features that are more difficult to use on a mobile device will increase response rates. Fancy flash elements are not supported by mobile devices. Ranking questions are more difficult to complete with a finger verses a mouse. Scrolling is also much faster on mobile devices, so long grid texts should be avoided. Participants can miss part of the question or response options from scrolling too fast. Although certain survey features are fun and more engaging than others, on a mobile device they can be awkward and frustrating for the user.
Tip 4: Keep loading times short
In conjunction with keeping the survey short, the survey also needs to be simple. Avoiding features that are more difficult to use on a mobile device will increase response rates. Fancy flash elements are not supported by mobile devices. Ranking questions are more difficult to complete with a finger verses a mouse. Scrolling is also much faster on mobile devices, so long grid texts should be avoided. Participants can miss part of the question or response options from scrolling too fast. Although certain survey features are fun and more engaging than others, on a mobile device they can be awkward and frustrating for the user.
In Summary
Surveys will always be a favorable way to gather insight about consumer needs, wants, preferences, and opinions. With evidence of a high mobile usage, it is imperative that surveys are mobile-friendly. Remember these four tips for creating a mobile-friendly survey to maximize response rate for analysis: use mobile optimized software, keep it short, keep it simple, and keep load times low.
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