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SurveyMonkey is built to handle every use case and need. Explore our product to learn how SurveyMonkey can work for you.

Get data-driven insights from a global leader in online surveys.

Explore core features and advanced tools in one powerful platform.

Build and customize online forms to collect info and payments.

Integrate with 100+ apps and plug-ins to get more done.

Purpose-built solutions for all of your market research needs.

Create better surveys and spot insights quickly with built-in AI.

Templates

Measure customer satisfaction and loyalty for your business.

Learn what makes customers happy and turn them into advocates.

Get actionable insights to improve the user experience.

Collect contact information from prospects, invitees, and more.

Easily collect and track RSVPs for your next event.

Find out what attendees want so that you can improve your next event.

Uncover insights to boost engagement and drive better results.

Get feedback from your attendees so you can run better meetings.

Use peer feedback to help improve employee performance.

Create better courses and improve teaching methods.

Learn how students rate the course material and its presentation.

Find out what your customers think about your new product ideas.

Resources

Best practices for using surveys and survey data

Our blog about surveys, tips for business, and more.

Tutorials and how to guides for using SurveyMonkey.

How top brands drive growth with SurveyMonkey.

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Power your business strategy with user insights. Learn how to create, launch, and analyze the results of a SurveyMonkey survey in minutes.

Man typing on laptop, next to screenshots of survey creation in SurveyMonkey around him
  • Online surveys are a convenient tool for gathering opinions, feedback, or data from a wide audience quickly and efficiently over the internet.
  • Surveys offer cost-effective, fast, and accessible means of collecting diverse data from large audiences with ease.
  • Users can create an online survey with SurveyMonkey by signing up, choosing a template or starting from scratch, customizing their questions, and then distributing the survey via email, social media, or a direct link.

Creating effective surveys is essential for gathering valuable insights. Online surveys are quick and efficient, making them ideal for collecting data and driving informed decisions. This guide will walk you through how to make a survey, from identifying your goals to analyzing the results.

You'll learn how to design, distribute, and analyze surveys using best practices and expert tips. By the end of this guide, you'll be able to create effective online surveys.

Online surveys gather information from a targeted group via the Internet. These digital surveys offer efficient and quick ways to gain insights and drive business decisions.

Online surveys are efficient, cost-effective, and flexible. They also provide immediate results and broad reach. This makes them ideal for modern data collection—whether for customer feedback, market research, or employee engagement.

Related: Why surveys?

Woman typing on tablet, next to screenshots of chat bubbles

Creating an online survey with a clear plan is easy. Follow this simple 7-step framework we've developed over 25 years at SurveyMonkey.

Start by defining clear, specific goals for your survey. Clear goals help focus your questions and ensure you gather relevant data. For example, are you aiming to improve customer service, measure employee satisfaction, or understand market trends?

Specific goals, like "identify top three employee concerns," provide direction. These goals guide your question design, helping you collect actionable insights. Knowing your objectives keeps your survey concise and targeted, making it more effective.

Know who you're surveying to tailor your questions. Understanding your target audience helps you use language and questions that resonate with them. Avoid jargon and use clear, simple language.

Consider demographic factors such as age, location, and interests. If you're surveying employees, use expressions familiar within your organization. If your audience is general consumers, keep the language straightforward and accessible.

Choose the appropriate survey based on your goals. Different surveys serve different purposes; here are three standard online survey types

Customer satisfaction surveys gauge customers' feelings about your products, services, and business practices. They provide insights into customer experiences, helping you understand what works and where to improve. These surveys are essential for keeping customers happy, loyal, and engaged with your brand.

Use customer satisfaction surveys to:

  • Measure customer service effectiveness: Assess how well your team meets customer needs.
  • Evaluate brand satisfaction: Understand overall customer happiness with your brand.
  • Identify popular products or services: Find out what resonates most with your customers.
  • Pinpoint areas for improvement: Discover specific aspects of your offerings that need enhancement.
  • Gauge customer loyalty: Determine how likely customers are to stay with your brand.

Employee engagement surveys reveal how employees feel about workplace experiences. They help you understand the impact of your current systems and highlight areas needing improvement. Engaged employees are happier, more productive, and more likely to stay with your company.

Use employee engagement surveys to:

  • Build an inclusive workplace: Gather insights on diversity and inclusion efforts.
  • Understand employee sentiment: Measure satisfaction with salaries, benefits, and work conditions.
  • Evaluate job satisfaction: Learn about overall job happiness and areas of concern.
  • Assess manager effectiveness: Get feedback on leadership performance.
  • Conduct exit interviews: Identify reasons for employee turnover and areas for improvement.

Market research surveys help businesses understand their target market, informing better decision-making. These surveys are valuable for capturing consumer preferences, testing new ideas, and assessing market trends. They provide data that drives strategic planning and product development.

Use market research surveys to:

  • Understand target audience opinions: Learn what your audience thinks about your brand, products, or services.
  • Identify market gaps: Discover unmet needs and opportunities for growth.
  • Test new products: Get feedback before launching.
  • Evaluate ad campaigns: Measure the success of your marketing efforts.
  • Assess brand awareness: Discover how well the market recognizes your brand.
  • Benchmark against competitors: See where you stand compared to others in your industry.
Man looking at open laptop, surrounded by pie chart, light bulb, and chat bubbles

Writing your survey is critical to determining the quality and usefulness of the data you collect. Craft straightforward, concise questions to gather the most accurate data. Well-designed questions can improve response rates and provide actionable insights.

Here's how to write effective survey questions:

Group similar questions to maintain a logical flow. Use page breaks, titles, and instructions to guide respondents. Proper formatting helps respondents understand the structure of the survey and reduces confusion. It also makes the survey easier to navigate, improving completion rates.

Keep questions short and to the point to avoid overwhelming respondents. Brevity ensures that respondents remain engaged and are more likely to complete the survey. Long, complex questions can lead to frustration and dropout. Short questions are also easier to understand, leading to more accurate answers.