Getting More Eyes (and Clicks) on Surveys: 5 Strategies for Better Response Rates

Surveys are a powerful tool for gathering insights—but only if people actually respond. Whether you're seeking feedback from students, staff, or community members, low response rates can lead to skewed results. In an age of constant digital noise, simply sending a survey isn’t enough. Fortunately, a few simple tweaks can go a long way. While there is no guaranteed way formula for increasing response rates, these five practical strategies can make a big difference.

1.      Make it Personal: People are more likely to engage when they feel seen and more likely to respond when they feel the message was meant specifically for them. At a minimum, make sure that you are writing surveys with your target respondents in mind. The language you use matters, and even a small touch like a friendly subject line in the invitation can increase open rates. A quick statement explaining why you want their feedback can also go a long way. For example, “We need your help to make SEG better for students like you!”

2.      Keep it Short and Simple: Aim for surveys that take 5-10 minutes or less. Shorter surveys yield higher completion rates. Try to imagine the competing time demands of respondents and look for opportunities to shorten the survey. After you finish writing a survey, review the entire questionnaire to identify questions you can eliminate.

3.      Timing is Everything: If the survey asks about a recent event or interaction, send it as soon afterward as possible – ideally within 24 hours. QR codes at the exit are a smart real-time capture method.  Unless your event or interaction occurs near a major holiday, try to avoid sending surveys during these times. There is no single “best day,” but multiple studies have indicated that Monday and Tuesday mornings are good times to send surveys.

4.      Make it Mobile-Friendly: Smart phone use has skyrocketed – 91% of Americans now have one, up from just 56% in 2011 (Pew Research Center, 2024). SurveyMonkey (2025) reported a 5.2% increase in respondents taking surveys on mobile devices from 2020 to 2023, a change that was more prominent in the U.S. than in other countries. More importantly, 15% of Americans report relying solely on their phones for internet access, making mobile optimization essential.

5.      Follow up (but don’t spam): Most people don’t ignore surveys because they’re not interested – they just forget. Providing a friendly reminder request after a few days can boost responses. SurveyMonkey recommends sending a reminder between 48 and 72 hours after the initial survey invitation. Good practice is to send one or two reminder emails to avoid overwhelming recipients.

Offering small rewards can be powerful motivators to complete a survey. These incentives might include money, a gift card, a small thank-you item, or entrance into a raffle. When you offer incentives, it is important to:

·        Keep participation voluntary and transparent;

·        Choose incentives appropriate for your audience;

·        Match the reward to the effort required; and

·        Consider how incentives might bias your sample.

Shaffer Evaluation Group (SEG) supports many clients in designing surveys and collecting responses to better understand student, staff, and community responses to projects and programs. If you’re interested in hearing more about how SEG can help you create and send effective surveys, contact us for a free 30-minute consultation: seg@shafferevaluation.com. 

Woman completing an exit survey