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Survey Software

Survey software is a tool used to design and distribute online surveys, polls, and questionnaires for market research, measuring customer satisfaction, collecting employee feedback, and many other applications. Businesses may choose to build a survey to measure employee engagement and performance or gain insight into public opinion, which can be targeted towards specific sample groups or the general population, depending on the objectives. While many survey tools may be designed to focus on particular types of market research, the best survey software facilitates the creation and distribution of various survey types aimed at diverse audiences. Survey software is related to Business Intelligence software and Reporting software. Compare product reviews and features to help find the best Survey Software for your business in the UK.

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Create distribute, and analyze surveys in minutes with the world's most sophisticated, easy-to-use survey platform. Learn more about XM for Strategy & Research
Create, distribute and analyze surveys in minutes with the world's most trusted survey software. Qualtrics is a sophisticated, easy-to-use platform that can handle everything from simple questionnaires to detailed research projects. Building surveys is simple and effortless with our intuitive drag-and-drop interface, expert-designed templates, and 100+ question types. Reach respondents on any channel and seamlessly integrate with your existing systems like Salesforce, Zendesk, Adobe, and more. Learn more about XM for Strategy & Research

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Uncover the hidden drivers of engagement & measure the pulse of your company culture with Leapsome¿s employee engagement surveys. Learn more about Leapsome
With Leapsome you can run engagement surveys, pulse surveys, and collect eNPS to gather meaningful feedback and insights from employees. With the powerful survey analytics you can understand the engagement drivers that impact performance levels and employee churn so you can develop and retain your team. Furthermore, Leapsome is an all-in-one people management platform used by CEOs and HR teams to not only drive employee engagement but also performance and learning as well. Learn more about Leapsome

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
United Kingdom Local product
SmartSurvey is an online survey solution that helps anyone create surveys, collect data and analyse results. Learn more about SmartSurvey
With the SmartSurvey SaaS platform, users can capture, analyse and report virtually any type of data via a simple, yet stylish, online survey service. SmartSurvey allows users to directly reach the people whose opinions matter the most, clients, partners, patients, students and suppliers. SmartSurvey specialises in providing survey solutions for multinational business and enterprise clients, offering dedicated support and secure data storage on UK/EU based servers. Learn more about SmartSurvey

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Easily create and style custom surveys directly within your app using a flexible, fully integrated survey management platform. Learn more about SurveyJS
SurveyJS is a powerful, fully customizable survey creation platform that enables businesses to easily design, modify, update, and store surveys for any purpose within their own IT infrastructure. From customer feedback to internal employee surveys, SurveyJS provides a flexible drag-and-drop form builder with conditional logic, branching, and multi-language translation options. It seamlessly integrates with any backend system and ensures smooth data flow without any third-party involved, while real-time analytics offer immediate insights. As a library suite of client-side UI components, SurveyJS gives businesses full control over survey design, data management, and security. It's ideal for organizations that deal with multiple surveys and forms and require a fully integrated survey platform within their existing applications to meet data protection regulations. Visit the SurveyJS website to access a free, full-featured form builder demo along with ready-to-use templates and tutorials. Learn more about SurveyJS

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Our platform empowers leaders with insights to create successful, healthy teams by listening to every employee. Learn more about Winningtemp
In Science we trust. Winningtemp was founded on a simple yet powerful idea - to mix science, intuitive data and AI in order to help leaders to unlock the full potential of their team.​​Created together with leading research scientists at Gothenburg University in Sweden, Winningtemp helps ​organisations across the globe make smart, proactive decisions to boost engagement while decreasing stress levels and employee turnover in winning teams. Learn more about Winningtemp

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
We deliver the tools to simplify and amplify digital marketing and drive results for your business. Learn more about Constant Contact
Constant Contact delivers for small businesses and nonprofits with powerful tools that simplify and amplify digital marketing. Whether it's driving sales, growing a customer base or engaging an audience with advanced AI and Automation tools, we deliver the performance and guidance to build strong connections and generate powerful results. For more information, visit www.constantcontact.com. Learn more about Constant Contact

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Gather useful feedback and do more thorough research with surveys designed to be refreshingly different. Learn more about Typeform
Typeform is a refreshingly different survey builder. We help over 150,000 businesses gather more useful feedback and do more thorough research with surveys people enjoy. Designed to look striking and feel effortless to fill out, Typeform drives 500 million responses every year and integrates with essential tools like Slack, Zapier, and Hubspot. Learn more about Typeform

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Get valuable feedback or conduct research online with customizable surveys, questionnaires, and polls with Jotform Enterprise. Learn more about Jotform
Whether you need to understand customer demographics better, conduct market research, or gauge employee satisfaction, Jotform Enterprise makes it easy to create online surveys. Start from scratch or choose from 800+ survey templates and customize them to fit your needs with our drag-and-drop builder. Send email invitations, share a link on your social media accounts, or embed it on your company website. Create professional-looking reports to analyze data and make informed business decisions. Learn more about Jotform

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Create engaging, platform-independent and beautiful surveys. We empower companies - large & small - & individuals, to collect feedback. Learn more about SurveyLegend
SurveyLegend is the next generation of online surveys engaging, platform-independent & beautiful. We empower companies - large & small - & individuals, to create mobile-friendly, gorgeous surveys. Now you can create great-looking surveys on your PC or tablet, customize the look of your survey however you like, & display collected data with eye-catching & insightful graphics. Creating questionnaires is done simply by drag & drop, & you don't need to be a market research expert to use our tool. Learn more about SurveyLegend

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
User-friendly, flexible survey software I Easy to use survey creator I Ready survey templates I Distribution via link, email, QR code, Learn more about Startquestion
The most professional survey software for your company. Popular survey types: - NPS, Customer satisfaction, - HR, Employee feedback, Customer Experience, Exit Interview, Candidate Experience - Pop-up surveys Learn more about Startquestion

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Find out what your team is really thinking with Suggestion Ox, the #1 Survey Software for collecting anonymous feedback. Try for free! Learn more about Suggestion Ox
Getting real feedback from your employees doesn't have to feel like mission impossible. Trusted by leaders and HR professionals at more than 60,000 companies, Suggestion Ox is Survey Software that allows you to collect safe, anonymous feedback from your team so you can build a happier, healthier workplace. Using the power of true anonymity (and a dose of AI and psychology) we help you learn what's bothering your people—before you find out in the exit interview. Try 14 days for free! Learn more about Suggestion Ox

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
The fastest way to fast user onboarding. Convert more customers and increase retention. Learn more about Userflow
The fastest way to fast user onboarding You want to improve user onboarding but your developers are busy. Your conversion rate suffers. Userflow lets your whole team build customized in-app surveys, tours and checklists, without code. Convert more customers and increase retention. Learn more about Userflow

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Software to capture pulse experiences (video, voice, location, surveys), build community, visualize incoming data, and make payments. Learn more about ExpiWell
Cloud-based survey software that enables researchers to build, schedule, and capture pulse experiences (video, voice, location, surveys) via free mobile apps. Create community-based projects to build two-way and multi-way communication among researchers and audiences for enhanced engagement, interventions, and deep insights. Visualize incoming data in real-time. Compensate audiences through in-built payments. Learn more about ExpiWell

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
United Kingdom Local product
Build and publish online forms that deliver a great user experience and maximize the number of people completing them. Learn more about Zuko Form Builder
A cloud-based form builder that helps businesses create and publish online forms. Based on ten years of data and optimization from form experts Zuko, the builder uses design patterns that are proven to deliver a smooth user journey and minimize unnecessary drop-off. The software includes: - A great user experience for the end-visitor - Award winning analytics seamlessly baked in - Mobile responsive - Single or multi-step forms - Ability to use as a standalone or embed into a website - Integrations to push submissions into a CRM system Learn more about Zuko Form Builder

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Create and conduct your own smart and free online survey using an easy drag & drop interface. Learn more about 123FormBuilder
Create and conduct your own smart and free online survey using an easy drag & drop interface. You can make surveys, forms & questionnaires using various types of fields and rules that can be employed to create an organized and exciting experience for your respondents. Choose from Likert scales, single choice fields, dropdown lists, multiple choice fields, conditional survey rules. Learn more about 123FormBuilder

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Mailchimp: the #1 email marketing platform with 11M+ users worldwide, offering AI-powered insights & content creation tools.
Mailchimp is a leading email marketing platform used by over 11 million users worldwide. With a delivery rate of 99% and integration with over 300 tools, Mailchimp provides businesses with easy ways to connect with customers, foster repeat business, and build a lasting brand loyalty. The platform's AI-powered insights and content creation tools can personalize every email and SMS. The user-friendly interface accommodates tech-savvy and non-tech individuals. Clients such as TEDTalks, Shutterstock, Boston Market, and Nikon India have used Mailchimp to drive revenue through email marketing. The company was acquired by Intuit Inc. in 2021, and since then, the platform has introduced more than 100 new features to improve user experience. The company ensures its product descriptions match the Mailchimp site, don't include overly-comparative language, calls-to-action, personally identifiable information, suffices, or HTML tags. Learn more about Mailchimp

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Survey builder application that allows one to create customizable forms that could be shared among sample using a web URL.
Survey builder application that allows one to create customizable forms that could be shared among sample using a web URL. Learn more about Google Forms

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
A market-leading survey platform.
Trusted by 98% of the Fortune 500 and used in more than 335,000 organizations worldwide, SurveyMonkey's platform gives millions of people a way to turn feedback into action that drives growth and innovation. Get access to expert-written survey templates that speak to customers, employees, or your target audience. Create simple to advanced surveys in minutes. Discover why SurveyMonkey is a leading survey platform around the globe! Learn more about SurveyMonkey

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Streamline HR and payroll processes and get fast access to employee data using one intuitive platform.
Paycor is a comprehensive HR and talent platform that combines operational efficiency with powerful employee development tools. Our unified HCM experience centralizes all workforce data, eliminating the need for multiple systems and providing seamless access to critical information. Paycor empowers leaders with innovative tools to coach, develop, and upskill their teams, driving engagement and retention. Leaders rely on Paycor to automate routine tasks, ensure compliance, and gain valuable insights, while fostering a culture of continuous growth and talent optimization. Learn more about Paycor

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Deel simplifies global hiring and payroll for over 35,000 companies in 150+ countries, with compliant 5-minute onboarding.
Deel is the all-in-one HR platform built to hire, manage and grow global teams. By bringing together cutting edge HR tools, payroll solutions, compliance and more, Deel enables companies to scale globally with unmatched speed and flexibility. With Deel, you can hire and onboard any type of employee, compliantly, in 150+ countries in minutes. You can run payroll in 100+ countries and all 50 states in a click of a button. You can offer competitive benefits, equity, manage equipment and more. Learn more about Deel

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Through our MV6 standardized survey, eNPS, employee behavioral data & custom pulse questions, you can better understand team sentiment.
Did you know that 74% of companies rely on one annual survey to measure their culture and employee engagement? However, the sentiment of your workforce can change drastically within those 365 days. Through our MV6 standardized survey, eNPS, employee behavioral data and custom pulse questions, you can have dynamic data and real-time insight into employee engagement at all times–all while building a community of gratitude and connectedness within the workplace. Learn more about Motivosity

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Get answers fast with Nextiva Surveys, a custom online survey software. Collect the answers you need to understand your audience.
Get answers fast with Nextiva Surveys, our custom online survey software. Collect the answers you need to understand your audience and make better decisions. Featuring nine question types, survey templates, email notifications, skip logic, and more, Nextiva Surveys provides all the tools needed to measure respondents. Plus, businesses can customize landing pages, thank you pages, colors, and everything in between! Seamlessly integrate with other Nextiva products for a full view of audiences. Learn more about Nextiva

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
An experience management platform for organizations of all sizes that seamlessly automates data collection and analysis.
Experience management platform by Sogolytics seamlessly automates data collection and analysis for organizations of all sizes. From designing and distributing a questionnaire to analysis and closing the loop, the platform does everything with ease and at a level of sophistication that is rare in the industry. Sogolytics is differentiated by its best-in-class, 24/7 customer support, deep analytics, industry-leading data security, and its ability to scale with organizations' growing needs. Learn more about Sogolytics

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Visme Forms enables you to create beautiful animated survey forms that engage your audience and increase conversions by up to 2X.
Visme Forms allows anyone to create beautiful interactive, animated survey forms and lead generation forms that engage your audience and increase conversions by up to 2X. Create visual content and animated forms with thousands of design templates. Publish online or embed to your site. Use precise analytics to see how your content is performing. Plus, Visme's all-in-one platform allows non-design professionals to transform the way they create, share and publish engaging presentations, clickable infographics, web graphics, interactive documents and reports, data visualizations and other visual content types in up to 79% less time. Users from leading companies, such as IBM, GoldenState Warriors, Gartner, Nationwide, and 27+ million other users rely on Visme to create interactive content, present their stories and translate boring data into engaging visuals. Now, with the power of AI. Work individually or as a team with full admin controls to ensure brand consistency. Learn more about Visme

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions
Collect feedback, analyze data, and grow revenue with Birdeye Surveys.
AI Summaries - Instantly generate survey summaries in a single click. Survey Builder - Create, test, and modify surveys in just a few clicks. Pulse Surveys - Use text-based survey requests to boost open and response rates. NPS Surveys - Identify advocates with Net Promoter Score surveys. Robust Question Types - Add multiple choice questions, drop-down menus, and checkboxes to capture general survey, NPS, CoreQ scores, and more. Display & Skip Logic - Use custom-built rules triggers and skip logic to ask relevant follow-up questions based on previous responses. Survey Campaigns - Reach your audience anytime, anywhere with automated survey campaigns. Ticketing - Automatically identify unhappy customers and assign a ticket to the appropriate team for rapid resolution. Visual Reporting - Use visual reports to make sense of response data. Location Based Insights- Filter and compare survey data by location and employee to identify top performers and opportunities for impro Learn more about Birdeye

Features

  • Skip Logic
  • URL Customisation
  • Data Import/Export
  • Email Marketing
  • Question Branching
  • Customisable Templates
  • Support Audio/Images/Video
  • Feedback Management
  • Data Analysis Tools
  • Drag & Drop
  • Customisable Questions

Survey Software Buyers Guide

Survey software allows users to design, carry out, and otherwise manage electronic surveys, polls, questionnaires, and other similar methods of gathering information from a sample of people. Generally, the aim of these surveys is to conduct market research, measure customer satisfaction levels, understand public opinion, or access feedback from employees or other stakeholders. Additionally, the best survey software allows surveys to be scheduled in advance, which enables users to measure opinion at a particular time or in response to a specific event.

Aside from the creation and publication of surveys, applications of this kind can help users to monitor the actual performance of a survey, such as the number of people that have taken part, the number of people that have stopped before completing the survey, and how long the survey takes. This then makes it easier to optimise surveys so that as many people as possible actually take part, making the eventual conclusions or interpretations more reliable.

Some online survey software is focused on a particular type of survey, such as employee engagement survey software, which is specifically designed to allow users to understand levels of engagement within a workforce. The best survey software, however, will facilitate the creation and distribution of a variety of different survey types, which may be aimed at diverse audiences, and which may be intended to serve numerous different purposes.

The nature of the software itself and the various ways in which it can be used means that it is generally seen to be closely related to market research software and customer satisfaction software solutions, and it can potentially replace the need to use these applications. Moreover, it can work in conjunction with solutions like review management software, in order to assist businesses with their reputation management efforts.

Survey applications can include different features and options, although the core features are likely to be similar for the majority of software solutions in this category, and some of those features are so common that they can be considered to be category-defining. With this in mind, regardless of the precise application a user chooses to download, they should expect to be able to achieve the following:

  • Create surveys in a variety of different formats, including multiple-choice and open answer
  • Distribute customised surveys through numerous methods, including email and social media
  • Monitor the results and performance of each individual survey, and make changes
  • Produce, modify and save survey templates, allowing work to be repurposed more easily

What is survey software?

Survey software, also known as online survey software, is designed to allow users to create, distribute and manage electronic surveys in a variety of formats, including polls and questionnaires. These surveys can be produced for a number of reasons, with market research being the most common. Businesses may use surveys to gain a better sense of public opinion, or to monitor current levels of customer satisfaction, while surveys can also be targeted towards specific sample groups, or towards the general population, depending on the aims and objectives.

In addition to allowing for the creation and distribution of surveys to targeted individuals and groups—and providing access to the results of those surveys—the very best survey software will allow users to also monitor the performance of their surveys. This can be in terms of how many people start the survey, how many finish the survey, how many leave the survey before completion, and how long the survey takes people to complete. This information can be crucial for optimising content so that participation is maximised and the results become more dependable.

Some online survey tools of this kind are intended for specific purposes, such as carrying out market research for businesses or, in the case of employee engagement survey software, measuring the performance and overall participation levels of individual employees or the workforce as a whole. However, on the other hand, some software solutions are more comprehensive, all-purpose options intended for use with surveys of almost any kind.

What are the benefits of survey software?

The benefits of online survey software are numerous and are mostly focused around the idea of making it easier to create, distribute, interpret and otherwise manage electronic surveys for market research and other purposes. Of course, with other options available on the market, it is useful to explore some of the more specific benefits associated with using survey tools of this type. The most significant and useful benefits of using the software include:

  • More efficient survey creation: one of the most obvious and most important benefits linked to the use of online survey software is the ability to quickly and easily create electronic surveys for a wide range of purposes. Most applications will allow surveys of different types to be created, and templates will often be provided in order to speed this up even more. Once surveys have been created, it will generally be possible to amend an existing survey so that changes can be made if needs change, while surveys can also be easily repurposed to achieve different objectives. This all means that surveys can be swiftly created, even without advanced technical knowledge.
  • Multiple options for distribution: the best survey software solutions will support numerous methods for actually distributing the surveys that have been created, allowing them to be targeted towards specific individuals or groups, using a variety of methods. The options here are likely to include email marketing, which is where surveys are sent to specific email addresses, along with social media marketing, where the survey is distributed and carried out using social networking platforms. When users are able to select different distribution options, they are more likely to be able to reach the demographics they are trying to target with their survey, making it more useful as a means of gathering data, carrying out market research, or identifying significant trends.
  • Access to survey performance metrics: while the creation and distribution of surveys is of the utmost importance, it is worth highlighting the fact that businesses, marketing professionals, and other users may also need to gain an understanding of how their survey is performing. Without the ability to analyse performance in this way, polls and questionnaires become significantly less reliable. For instance, a survey may be sent to existing customers in order to gain an understanding of how they feel about a particular product or a particular service that is being offered. The answers to the survey may come back and provide an indication of this, but the business may be unaware that more than half of the customers who opened the survey then closed it before completing it, meaning they have only received the opinions of a small section of the target demographic. High-quality survey applications can provide solutions to this through the use of metrics like click-through rates and bounce rates.
  • Careful management of survey budgets: many surveys are sent out with incentives for completion, and although this can make it more likely that recipients will actually take part in the survey, it also means that careful management is essential. After all, if more people participate than is anticipated, it can easily lead to a situation where costs spiral out of control too. Therefore, a major advantage associated with using survey apps is the ability to manage budgets. In some cases, it is also possible to set limits on the number of participants—or the number of people taking part from a particular location—so that the budget for a campaign is never be exceeded.
  • Increased reliability of information: carefully creating a survey, setting controls, ensuring the survey is sent to the right people, and monitoring specific performance metrics can all combine to ensure the information that is gathered from a poll or questionnaire is more useful and dependable. Through the use of the tools provided by high-quality software solutions, it becomes easier to reduce or eliminate issues like bias and avoid some of the other problems that may adversely affect the quality or reliability of the answers provided.
  • More accurate survey data capture: finally, a significant part of turning surveys into useful market research involves the entry of relevant data captured from survey answers. However, when this is a manual process, there is the possibility of human error and, in the worst cases, this can then lead to inaccurate conclusions being drawn. Software solutions can assist with this by automating much of the data capture process. As a result, not only will this make data from surveys more accurate, it can also speed up the entire process, and data can be gathered automatically, without the need for any human user to be present at the time.

What are some of the most common features of online survey software?

The features of online survey software are primarily intended to assist with the creation, management, and distribution of electronic surveys, while also helping businesses and other users to get the most from the data stemming from those surveys. Although the precise features and options available will vary from one app to the next, the core features tend to be fairly similar. This means that the majority of survey applications will offer the following features:

  • Survey builder: create questionnaires, polls, and other surveys through the use of built-in tools. Most software solutions of this kind will provide support for a variety of different question types, including multiple-choice questions using radio buttons, multiple-choice questions using drop-down menus, ratings scale questions, or a combination of these question types. Crucially, the very best survey tools will allow for the creation of surveys that are logical, easy-to-understand, user-friendly, and genuinely useful. Additionally, the surveys can be created so that data is easy to access for marketers, businesses, and others who use them for purposes like market research, employee engagement monitoring, and customer satisfaction tracking.
  • Multi-channel distribution: send surveys to people through a variety of different channels, in order to maximise reach and levels of participation. Some of the channels that may be supported within survey platforms or software solutions include surveys sent via email, surveys hosted on corporate websites, and social media surveys. A single survey can be optimised for and distributed across all of these different platforms, or surveys can be optimised for one particular channel, depending on business needs or personal preference.
  • Reporting/analytics: view important information about the performance of surveys and analyse the ways in which participants have responded. In many cases, this will include real-time data, such as bounce rates, completion rates, and the average amount of time taken to complete a survey. Additionally, the reporting and analytics feature may also allow for the creation of reports that focus on the survey responses. This can potentially make it easier to understand the most popular responses to questions, along with the questions that caused the greatest diversity in terms of public opinion. Information can generally be presented in a number of different formats so that it can be easily read, understood, and delivered to either internal stakeholders or the public.
  • Customisable templates: utilise survey templates to speed up the creation process and customise those templates so that they can be more easily re-used in the future. Many businesses, marketers, and individuals need to create surveys on a regular basis, and templates can help to provide a level of consistency in terms of format, layout, and content. With that being said, one of the single biggest plus points associated with templates is the ability to produce surveys quickly and easily, even without an in-depth knowledge of how the software works.
  • Question library: build, maintain, and refer back to a centralised question library, where users can access previous questions that have been asked in surveys and easily add those questions to new surveys they are creating. Storing questions in a library in this way can dramatically speed up the process behind survey creation and can also allow the wording of questions to be optimised over time. As a result, questions are more likely to be fully understood and generate answers that are useful to marketers or to a business as a whole.
  • Email marketing: create mailing lists and email marketing campaigns, with links to a survey contained within the main body of the email. From there, it is possible to track the performance of the email marketing campaign with metrics like click-through rates. Campaign information can typically be adjusted so that a different audience or demographic is targeted and so people who opt-out of receiving emails of this kind are removed from the mailing list. In many cases, corporate survey tools will offer a variety of options for automation, too, making the creation and management of email marketing campaigns significantly more efficient.
  • Question branching: create branching surveys, which provide users with different questions, depending on their answers to previous questions. To provide an example, a Capterra survey on sustainability found that 60 per cent of UK consumers are reassessing the way they buy in order to make more sustainable choices. Using business survey software, it would be relatively easy to set this up as a branching question, with those 60 per cent being given a follow-up question that differs from the follow-up question given to the remaining 40 per cent of participants. A key benefit of this is the ability to ensure all questions asked are actually relevant to each individual user. The option to ask branching questions can also reduce the need to send out additional follow-up surveys.

What should be considered when purchasing survey software?

When purchasing survey software, there are a number of important things to consider first, and these can have a major bearing on the final purchasing decision. Decision-makers need to seek out software solutions that are right for their specific needs, and this could mean that simply exploring the best online survey tools reviews may be insufficient. Generally, the best way to approach this is to ask some key questions first, such as the following:

  • How much does survey software cost? The price of different solutions is a major factor in any purchasing decision, but careful thought is required. While it may be possible to acquire high-quality survey software free of charge, those options are likely to be more basic in terms of features. The missing features may not be significant for all users, however, so free survey software can still be viable in some cases. Going further, it is crucial to view the issue of cost in terms of the total cost of ownership. Clearly, there will be upfront costs, such as the price of acquiring the software and setting it up, but there are also likely to be some hidden costs too, such as the cost of training employees to use the software or the cost of accessing updates or professional support. These hidden costs could mean that solutions with a low initial price may actually end up being deceptively expensive in the longer term.
  • Why use online survey software? The precise reasons for investing in a dedicated survey application also need to be considered carefully so that an appropriate choice can be made. Business survey software, for instance, is an ideal solution for companies that want to carry out market research, but these solutions may not be the most suitable choice for an individual website owner wishing to gather quick reader opinions. Similarly, employee engagement survey software is useful for that specific purpose, but a more well-rounded option could be better for businesses that are likely to use surveys for more than one purpose. It is vital to be as clear as possible about the reasons for buying the software so that the best selection can be made for those particular needs.
  • What types of surveys are supported? Online survey software is ideal for the creation of electronic surveys, but these can take different forms, and the ideal design will depend on factors like the subject and target audience. Moreover, some marketing professionals may have more advanced needs. For example, the requirements of some businesses or market researchers may extend to a need for telephone survey support within software or even support for one-to-one, in-person interviews. All of this means it is essential to consider the types of surveys that are supported by the different programs on the market. From there, it becomes much easier to find the most suitable option based on the relevant features provided.
  • Who needs access to the software? Another important consideration when seeking out online survey software is the question of who is going to need access to it. This then brings about some secondary questions, which centre on issues like where those people are going to be based and how they intend to access the software. If everyone who needs access is going to be working within the same office, the software requirements are likely to be different from situations where employees need access across multiple different sites. Logically, this then extends further if remote and mobile access are desirable. Therefore, it is vital to think carefully about who will be using the software, the devices and operating systems they will be using, and the logistics of sharing that access.
  • Is open source survey software better? There are several benefits associated with open source software, including the lack of upfront costs, greater transparency, and the potential for a community to form around the software, resulting in continuous improvements and additional support. The code can also be reviewed and vetted by that community, potentially offering security benefits too. However, this needs to be weighed up against some of the possible disadvantages, such as reduced assistance with initial setup and training, and the fact that open source software tends to offer limited warranties when viewed in comparison to proprietary software.

Buyers also need to give some thought to the main trends that are relevant to online survey software too. It is worth taking the extra time to ensure the software selected has been designed with an awareness of some of the most significant trends in mind because it can help to ensure the software is useful for the foreseeable future, rather than serving only as a short-term solution. With regards to survey apps, some of the key trends to be aware of include:

  • Increased prevalence of remote work: One of the major workforce trends of recent times has been the increased prevalence of remote work and the growing demand among employees for more opportunities to work from home. This is evidenced by Gartner research, which identified the end of 2021 as the point at which more than half of the world's knowledge-intensive workers would be working remotely. With so many people likely to be working remotely in the years ahead, either on a permanent basis or as part of a hybrid work model, there are knock-on effects for software and these need to be considered prior to making an investment. For a start, employees may need access to the software across multiple devices, and these devices may be using different operating systems.
  • The rise of cloud-based software: A related trend has been the rise of cloud-based software solutions, often deployed on a Software as a Service (SaaS) basis. These options are ideal for providing access to software from anywhere, using a variety of devices, and the storage of data in the cloud also offers security advantages, along with additional options for content sharing and collaboration. With that being said, cloud-based software does tend to require the payment of a subscription fee, while the complete reliance on a working internet connection can be prohibitive for some organisations. The pros and cons should, therefore, be weighed up carefully.
  • A need for mobile optimised surveys: Mobile optimisation has been a key trend across online marketing, with web content and other forms of marketing all needing to be optimised so that they can be viewed and easily digested using mobile devices. The same is true for surveys, which are increasingly being viewed by users on mobile phones, and if businesses want high levels of participation, mobile optimisation is critical. This necessitates software that is able to be used to create and manage mobile-focused questionnaires, polls, and other surveys.
  • Use of AI chatbots for survey work: Increased adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the growing popularity of conversational user interfaces are two of the main trends that businesses need to be aware of. Within survey platforms, these trends can combine to provide users with access to AI chatbots. When utilised to the greatest effect, this can help to make surveys more interactive and more like a two-way conversation, rather than a more impersonal list of questions. The AI capabilities also open up the possibility of surveys that are more personalised, with questions changing in real-time, depending on the answers given.

Sources:

The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in Capterra's directory that offer them. The following sources were used for this document:

  1. Sustainability: 60% of UK consumers are reassessing their buying habits due to the pandemic - Capterra Blog (Date accessed: Wednesday, October 20, 2021)

  2. Gartner Forecasts 51% of Global Knowledge Workers Will Be Remote by the End of 2021 - Gartner.com (Date accessed: Wednesday, October 20, 2021)

  3. Top 5 Tech Trends for Small Business - Capterra Blog (Date accessed: Wednesday, October 20, 2021)