Survey Research Strategies 101

So, you want to conduct survey research — but where to begin?

Survey research is an excellent way to perform market analysis, get to know your customers better, measure interest in products and services, and more. For survey research to be effective, it is essential to know the purpose of survey research, different methods for performing it, advantages of survey research, and the key survey research strategies for flawless execution.

In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about survey research, including four key steps for carrying out your survey research strategies. This article will also cover the question of “why use online surveys for research?” so you can better understand the purpose of survey research as a holistic approach for marketing your products or services.

Keep reading to learn why 1Q is the ideal platform for in-depth survey market research!

What is Survey Research Definition?

The survey research definition is a process of researching a variety of different topics and collecting data primarily by performing surveys. A survey is a questionnaire sent out to willing participants who answer your questions and then return the results to you. 

A survey can be performed in several different ways, from in-person to online. Advancements in digital technologies have made online surveys an incredibly powerful tool, allowing you to reach a diverse range of survey participants from all across the globe. 

Why Use Online Surveys for Research?

• Survey Platforms:

One of the best ways to gain valuable results from your surveys is to use a professional survey platform, such as 1Q. Through a survey platform, you can access a larger pool of willing participants who are likely compensated for their time and effort, leading to quicker and more in-depth responses. 

• Email Newsletters:

While establishing an audience for an email newsletter can take time, if you have an already established newsletter, this can be a great way to conduct survey research. Typically, the audience for a newsletter will be fairly niche, which can sometimes limit the types of questions and responses you can gain from your survey.

• Social Media:

Social media platforms have become a major hub for online social interactions, making them a good place to go for basic survey research needs. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter, for example, allow you to create multiple-choice polls that followers can view and answer at their leisure. 

• Website Questionnaires:

For anyone with a website, you can create survey questions or questionnaires that appear when someone visits your website. If you are particularly savvy in web development, you can create different types of survey pop-ups to appear for different customers, such as one set of questions for returning visitors and a different one for new customers. 

While all of these methods for online survey research have their own advantages, using a professional survey platform is often the best way to connect with a wider array of survey participants. The advantages of survey research simply come from the wide variety of options that exist for polling and asking consumers questions.

Plus, online survey platforms typically offer incentives for respondents. On the other hand, for the other methods, it is up to you to incentivize your followers, subscribers, or web visitors to respond. 

What Is the Purpose of Survey Research and Why Is It Important? 

If you have never performed survey research before, you may find yourself wondering why you should even bother with it. The truth is that survey research provides many key benefits for businesses and brands of all sizes, and differing survey research strategies offer different outcomes and results.

Some of the key benefits of survey research include the following: 

• Boosted Business Development:

One of the key advantages of survey research is the opportunity for business development. Conducting survey research allows you to carry out essential research for your business, from gauging interest in new products to questioning potential customers on what a brand can do to make them more loyal. 

• Enhanced Customer Experiences:

Asking your potential customers questions via survey research enables you to identify pain points in the customer experience, both within your business and in other businesses or services they may have used. By doing so, you can use this information to enhance the customer experience for your audience — and potentially increase loyalty as well. 

• Improved Trend Analysis:

Trends in business are massively important, as they can play a huge role in marketing and other essential tasks. Surveying your target audience can inform you of what trends your audience is engaging with and which trends are irrelevant to your industry or niche, allowing you to create a more precise marketing strategy. 

• Increased Engagement & Brand Awareness:

When carrying out survey research strategies, you have the chance to connect with members of your target audience who have potentially never heard of your business or brand before. As a result, your research can provide not just valuable insights for business development, the customer experience, and trend analysis, but also increase your overall brand awareness and engagement with potential customers. 

When Should You Use Survey Research?

In terms of when you should use survey research, the answer is — all the time!

Survey research can be useful in many instances, making it an important process to carry out on more than one occasion. Key use cases for survey research include:

• Gauging public interest in a new product or service

• Identifying issues with the customer experience (& how customers would like to see these issues be solved in the future)

• Analyzing the current trends in your industry or niche

• Getting to know potential customers

• Researching what makes your target audience feel loyal to a brand

• Asking survey participants what business improvements they would like to see

4 Steps for Developing a Survey Research Strategy

Now that we have covered the what, when, and why of survey research, let’s discuss the how. 

Developing a survey research strategy requires a few key steps for it to be effective. It is important to take time to make your survey strategy strong to make the most out of your questions and results.

Here are 4 essential steps for developing  survey research strategies:

1. Determine Your Goals & Target Audience:

Before you even begin writing or sending out questions, you should first identify your target audience and outline your main goals for your research. This will help you write more specific and relevant questions that will produce useful results you can use to reach your current business goals. 

2. Write Your Survey Questions:

Once you know what types of respondents you are targeting, it is time to write your questions. You can choose between two main types of questions — multiple choice or open response. With both, you should use clear and simple language that is easy for the respondent to understand quickly. 

3. Find Your Audience:

Not only do you need to determine who your target audience is, but you also need to figure out where they are. With online surveys, you can target respondents based on a few different factors, including their online behavior, what social platforms they use most frequently, and where they are physically and geographically located in the world.

4. Send Out Your Questions & Analyze the Results:

Now that you have your questions and target audience selected, it’s time to send out those questions. As soon as you begin receiving responses, start organizing and analyzing your results. Depending on the overall responses you receive, you can take the next steps towards achieving your business goals or carry out a second survey to gather more information. 

Final Thoughts: 1Q is Designed for All of Your Survey Research Needs

Gathering data and insights from real people in real time is essential for effective survey research strategies. Furthermore, understanding the survey research definition and what it means for your business will greatly increase your chances of achieving your overall goals. With 1Q, you receive exactly this — quick responses from certified bot-free respondents.

Our survey participants are compensated fairly for their time and effort, ensuring you receive timely and honest responses to your most pressing questions. From product validation to public opinion research, 1Q’s platform can help you gain the data you need for your business development needs. 

Additionally, you can easily recontact previous survey participants for further research, making market research all the more simple.

To learn more about what 1Q can do for you, get started and book a demo today!