Here are the types of survey questions you should be using to get more survey responses:

 Open-ended questions.
 Closed-ended questions.
 Rating questions.
 Likert scale questions.
 Multiple choice questions.
 Picture choice questions.
 Demographic questions.

Open-ended questions

Open up a conversation with this question. These are good survey questions to get more
meaningful answers from as people have the opportunity to give you more feedback through a
text box. If you’re looking for a yes/no answer—you’ll need to use a closed-end question.

Open-ended question examples

 What are you wearing today?

 How did you meet your best friend?
 What is it like to live in Barcelona?

Closed-ended questions

Some questions just need a one-word answer. Like yes. Or no. You can use them for finding out
some quick tit-bits of information—then go on to segment your survey-filler-inners accordingly.

Closed-ended questions examples

 Did you order the chicken?

 Do you like learning German?
 Are you living in Australia?

Rating questions

Reach for the stars. Or the hearts. Or smiles. Send a rating question and find out how your
survey-takers would rate something. It’s a super useful question to ask, as you can gauge
peoples’ opinions across the board.

Rating questions examples

 How would you rate our service out of 5?

 How many stars would you give our film?
  Please, rate how valuable our training was today.

Likert scale questions

Likert scale questions are good survey questions for finding out what people think about certain
things. Generally, they come in 5, 7, or 9-point scales and you’ve probably filled one out before.

Likert scale questions examples

 Do you agree that channel 5 offers more comedy than channel 6?

 How satisfied are you today with our customer service?
 Do you feel affected by the recent changes in the office?

Multiple choice questions

Sending out a test or quiz? Multiple choice questions are your friend, friend. You can give a few
answers and hide the real answer. Also, if you want to find out time periods, or dates for an event
—multiple-choice questions are the one. Plus, you can bundle them up nice and neatly in a
dropdown menu.

Multiple choice questions examples

 Facebook was launched in… 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006

 How many of our restaurants have you visited? 1 | 2 | 3 | 4+
 What is the capital of Scotland? Perth | Glasgow | Aberdeen | Edinburgh

Picture choice questions

A picture paints a thousand words. But in a survey? It does so much more. Ask a picture choice
question and make your survey even more interactive. Tell a story, and show rather than tell.

Picture choice questions example

Demographic questions

Demographic survey questions are a mix of different forms of questions. It’s up to you whether
you want to use a dropdown here or an open-ended question with them. They all talk about
things which can be seen as a bit touchy, so take heed.
1. Gender

One of the most fundamental questions you should ask is about gender. However, even though
this is a standard demographic question, how you approach it is extremely important. Gender is a
complicated and sensitive topic and how you phrase this question can impact your participants in
different ways. While this information is valuable, it shouldn't come at the expense of your
customers' comfort.

When phrasing this question, be sure to use the word, "gender" in place of the word, "sex."
Gender is based more in perspective, giving the participant more flexibility when answering.
Additionally, you should always include an option to "prefer not to answer." This will ensure
participants don't feel forced to concede sensitive information.

Example: "What gender do you identify as?"

A. Male
B. Female
C. ________ (Short Answer Space)
D. Prefer not to answer.

2. Age

Age is a standard demographic question that should be included in every survey. You'll want to
know how old the participant is and whether they fit your target audience or not. The best way to
ask this question is with a multiple-choice format that uses age ranges for each answer. Some
customers may not feel comfortable revealing their exact age, so this structure allows them to
participate while still protecting their personal information.

Example: "What is your age?"

A. 0 - 15 years old
B. 15 - 30 years old
C. 30 - 45 years old
D. 45+
E. Prefer not to answer

3. Ethnicity

Ethnicity questions paint a clearer picture of your survey participants. They reveal cultural
backgrounds made up of a variety of different practices and traditions that influence your
customers. By having this information available, you'll have a better understanding of why some
customers may answer questions differently than others.

Example: "Please specify your ethnicity."

A. Caucasian
B. African-American
C. Latino or Hispanic
D. Asian
E. Native American
F. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
G. Two or More
H. Other/Unknown
I. Prefer not to say

4. Location

Another standard question you should ask is about the location of the participant. You want to
know where your customers are from because they may live in places you wouldn't expect. For
example, you may find that your business has a strong international audience and there's an
opportunity to market in different countries. Or, you might learn that your customers are
travelers who are using your product or service on the go.

Example: "Where is your home located?"

A. North America/Central America

B. South America
C. Europe
D. Africa
E. Asia
F. Australia
G. Caribbean Islands
H. Pacific Islands
I. Other: ______
J. Prefer not to say

5. Education

Education is a core demographic question because it provides insight into the type of work a
participant may be doing. If your respondents all say they have a Ph.D., you know that their jobs
involve critical thinking. Therefore, you can make a logical pitch -- rather than an emotional one
-- to these leads about why your business is right for them.

When asking education questions, be sure to include options for trades and apprenticeships.
Some of your customers may have chosen a different career path and the answers on your survey
should reflect that.

Example: "What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed?"
A. Some High School
B. High School
C. Bachelor's Degree
D. Master's Degree
E. Ph.D. or higher
F. Trade School
G. Prefer not to say

6. Marital Status

Marital status lets you know who your participants are interacting with during their everyday
lives. If they're married, their buying decisions may be influenced by different factors compared
to someone who isn't.

Example: "Are you married?"

A. Yes
B. No
C. Prefer not to say

These are the demographic questions that should be included in almost every survey you create.
Now that we know they're on your list, let's move on to some other questions you can add.

1. Household Income

Household income refers to the total amount of money made by people living in the same home.
This sum includes the participant's income, their spouse's, and any other people living in their
house. Collecting this information helps you understand the amount of buying power your
customers control. As with any sensitive information, be sure to use range answers and include
an option to skip the question.

Example: "What is your annual household income?"

A. Less than $25,000

B. $25,000 - $50,000
C. $50,000 - $100,000
D. $100,000 - $200,000
E. More than $200,000
F. Prefer not to say

2. Employment

It's useful to know the participant's employment status as this contributes to their buying power.
However, just like with household income, be sure to give the participant an option to omit the
question if needed. For example, if the survey is for a job application, the applicant may not want
it on record that they currently have a job. They could get in trouble with their current employer
and potentially face repercussions.

Example: "What is your current employment status?"

A. Employed Full-Time
B. Employed Part-Time
C. Seeking opportunities
D. Retired
E. Prefer not to say

3. Family and Dependents

If your participants are adults, it may make sense to ask them if they have children. Kids play a
major role in buying decisions and influence your customer's personal values. This means that
customers with children are going to have different needs than people who don't. It's important to
identify these differences so that you can create campaigns that appeal to both audiences.

Example: "How many children do you have?"

A. None
B. 1
C. 2-4
D. More than 4
E. Prefer not to say

4. Voting Status

Voting status identifies whether or not the participant is registered to vote within a given region.
This is useful because it shows how active the person is with local or national politics. Since this
topic is very polarizing, you'll want to know how much your customers value your political
system.

Example: "Are you registered to vote in ____?"

A. Yes
B. No
C. Prefer not to say

5. Language

Businesses care about language for two major reasons. First, speaking the same language as your
customers builds a much stronger relationship with them.
Second, knowing the languages that they speak also reveals some important cultural details about
the person. Just because two people are from the same place, doesn't mean they speak the same
language. And, that difference in language can lend to significant differences in customer needs,
values, and goals.

Example: "Which languages are you capable of speaking fluently? (Check all that apply)"

A. English
B. Spanish
C. Portuguese
D. French
E. Mandarin
F. Arabic
G. Other
H. Prefer not to say

6. Place of Birth

Knowing where and when a person was born can reveal significant details about their life. For
example, if they were born in one country then moved around the world, there may have been a
family, professional, political, or social factor that influenced their move. Experiencing this type
of major life event will affect their wants and needs as a customer.

Example: "Where were you born?"

A. North America
B. Central America
C. South America
D. Europe
E. Africa
F. Asia
G. Australia
H. Pacific Islander
I. Caribbean Islands
J. Other
K. Prefer not to say

7. Religion

Another cultural influence that's prevalent in many people's lives is religion. Religion
significantly impacts your customers' moral values and determining which one they subscribe to
will help you understand their personal beliefs. Keep in mind that some people aren't religious,
so there should be an option to reflect this perspective.
Example: "If applicable, please specify your religion."

A. Catholicism/Christianity
B. Judaism
C. Islam
D. Buddhism
E. Hinduism
F. Other: ______
G. Prefer not to say

8. Political Affiliation

There are a few ways to approach this question, but how you do so should depend on the
information you're looking to obtain. If you're interested in learning the political party that a
person affiliates with, then you should ask that question directly. However, if you're looking for
their beliefs on political issues, you can ask in a more generic way, like in the example below.

Example: "How would you describe your political view?"

A. Very Liberal
B. Slightly Liberal
C. Slightly Conservative
D. Very Conservative
E. Prefer not to say

For more tips on creating surveys, read this guide to writing effective survey questions.

Multiple choice questions examples

 How old are you?

 What’s your gender?
 Which industry do you work in?

Ask the right survey questions and get bett

An evaluative question asks the reader to decide whether he or she agrees with the author's ideas or
point of view in light of his or her own knowledge, values, and experience. These questions can be
answered from “In your head”. Read beyond the text. How do I FEEL about it?

Recall and Process Questions

Questions can also be categorised by whether they are 'recall' – requiring something to be
remembered or recalled, or 'process' – requiring some deeper thought and/or analysis. A simple
recall question could be, 'What is your mother's maiden name?'.

Sensitive question: