5 Ways To Optimize Your DIY Surveys To Reduce Respondent Dropout

If you’ve transitioned any of your online research practices to a DIY or automated platform, you’re not alone.

Although the complexity of these surveys is often much simpler than traditional managed surveys, self-serve tools make it easier to get data quickly and often cheaper. But does faster and cheaper always equate to a sacrifice in data quality?

It doesn’t have to. In fact, addressing common issues that drive data quality, like respondent dropout, can have a significant impact on your analysis.

Whether you’re building surveys yourself using automated tools or having them fully managed, survey dropout rate is a key metric to look at improving to ensure your data is trustworthy.

 

What is respondent dropout?

Dropout occurs when a respondent exits a survey voluntarily before completing it. Some people will dropout because they are bored, frustrated, or finding that the survey is taking too long to complete. Other times it’s due to technical issues.

While the dropout rate (DoR) will increase with longer surveys, it’s more common to see respondents dropout in the earlier stages of the survey. It is almost as if they have an expectation of boredom rather than experiencing boredom itself.

Those that drop out towards the end of the survey are more likely to have experienced a technical issue with a particular question or they have run out of time. There is a higher chance that these are predominantly people taking surveys on smartphones, given they are more prone to external environmental factors or interruptions.

 

How does respondent dropout impact survey results and analysis?

A high DoR will impact the representativeness of your survey audience. You may find that some key audiences are not willing to spend their time taking longer or more repetitive surveys.

It is particularly problematic for low incidence studies. For example, if you’re interested in users of a particular brand, each member of your target audience is especially valuable. You may also find that the respondents willing or able to complete the survey may not hold similar views to those who drop out – which will impact your results and informed decisions.

In addition to representation, high dropout rates due to boredom can also impact survey results. As respondents get bored, their overall engagement starts to drop. They will click less and be less thoughtful with their responses. This lack of attention can lead to different answers at the beginning versus the end of the survey or neutralized responses.

 

What amount of survey dropout is normal?

Although almost every survey will exhibit some dropouts, a high DoR of more than 20% indicates that there might be a serious issue that warrants further investigation. If more than 1-2% of respondents drop out at a particular question, and certainly after the first few questions, then it’s worth looking into improving or removing the question.

A typical pattern of dropouts can be seen in the chart here. Each “spike” is caused by individual questions or banks of questions.

So how can you optimize your DIY surveys to reduce these “spikes” and increase your completion rate? Here are five tactics to consider implementing.

 

1. Hook respondents in the first few pages

When creating DIY surveys, it may be tempting to jump right into the first question, but don’t overlook the introduction screen.

It is crucial to introduce the survey in an engaging and polite way as possible without too much preamble or technical language. Write clearly and casually. Thank the respondent for their time and create a hook that will keep them interested, such as setting a challenge or communicating what impact their answers will have.

 

2. Use open-ended questions wisely

Try to avoid asking open-ended questions early in the survey. They can be difficult to answer (particularly on a smartphone) and are less desirable.

Also, consider separating open-ended questions if you are using more than one. Asking them in quick succession will have a cumulative impact on a respondent’s level of engagement and response consideration.

 

3. Replace repetitive questions and Likert scales

Many surveys contain banks of repetitive questions covering aspects such as media consumption, brand familiarity, and brand recommendations. If these banks contain more than 12-15 iterations, they can trigger respondent frustration and increase the DoR.

Consider whether all the iterations need to be asked and remove any that might be redundant. If necessary, consider splitting long banks of questions over two or three questions and separating them by “lighter” questions.

Likert scale questions (i.e., strongly disagree to strongly agree) are especially problematic dropout triggers and should be reduced wherever possible. Consider whether they can be asked as a multi-code question (i.e., “Which of these statements do you agree with…?”)  to break up the questionnaire.

 

4. Reduce long lists

Questions with long lists of options can cause respondents to scroll and skim read – which will increase their frustration. This effect will be compounded if there are items in the list which are either irrelevant to the respondent or seemingly duplicates of each other.

Consider reducing the number of items displayed in each list to less than 12-15 if possible or display them in logical groups to help the respondent navigate through longer lists.

 

5. Shorten the length of the interview

Kantar’s research shows that longer surveys will have a higher DoR than shorter surveys. For this reason, try to keep your surveys as short as possible.

While most dropouts will still occur towards the start of the survey for engagement reasons, those dropping out at the end are missed opportunities that are valuable to your research. They have passed the screener and have already made a considerable effort to complete.

Both reducing the number of questions or the amount of text you use can reduce the length of the survey. Try re-writing longer questions or options in a more concise way. This will reduce respondent fatigue, particularly those taking the survey on smartphones.

Learn more

Whether you’re looking to optimize a DIY, D-I-T, or fully managed surveys, or if you’re looking for more tips and tricks, try these 11 survey design best practices. For more on simplifying the way you collect online research for faster, quality results – find the Ultimate Guide to Automating Survey Research here.