SurveyMonkey has released its second annual State of Surveys report, revealing insights from 11 years' worth of data. Researchers aimed to discern patterns and shed light on the changing dynamics of how individuals pose and respond to questions in current times. The analysis identified several themes, including the rise of AI, the global embrace of gender inclusivity, the influence of mobile technology, the sustained importance of employee engagement, and the emergence of best practices in survey methodology.
“The knowledge our customers seek is a fascinating reflection of how the world is evolving. The true value lies in how survey creators put the insights gleaned from the data they collect into action for good: embracing gender inclusion, empowering businesses with AI, and engaging one another in ways that drive human connection. These are the tangible outcomes of a well-designed, expertly executed survey that drive meaningful decisions, raise the bar for human experiences, and inspire ongoing curiosity,” said Lara Belonogoff, Senior Director of Brand Management at SurveyMonkey.
AI captures the public curiosity
Following the debut of ChatGPT in late 2022, the survey landscape witnessed a surge in AI-related terminology. Terms such as "AI," "artificial intelligence," "ChatGPT," and "generative AI" jumped from 0.5% in 2022 to 3% in September 2023. The term "AI" itself saw a remarkable tenfold increase, signifying a widespread surge in general awareness about this transformative technology.
Global expansion of gender-inclusive surveys
Gender inclusivity is on the rise globally, as reflected in the growing number of gender answer options used in surveys. The U.K. and Canada led the way in 2023, with 8 out of 10 surveys featuring more than two gender answer options. This marks a shift from 2012 when only 2 out of 10 surveys adopted such inclusivity. Canada (84%), the U.K. (82%), and Australia (80%) emerged as frontrunners in incorporating non-binary gender-inclusive answers.
Mobile dominance and the demand for feedback
The preference for mobile survey-taking has surged worldwide, growing from 52% in 2020 to 57.2% in 2023. In the U.S., mobile and desktop survey responses are now nearly equal, with the gap narrowing from a 16% desktop preference at the end of 2020 to a mere 0.6% by the close of 2023.
With the increasingly connected world, businesses prioritize collecting customer feedback and engaging remote workers. In 2023, the predominant survey templates favored by professionals in customer experience (CX), human resources (HR), and marketing circles centered around key themes such as customer satisfaction, employee engagement, meeting feedback, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and name testing.
Survey best practices
A paradigm shift in survey dynamics is evident, emphasizing quality over quantity. The average number of questions per survey has decreased by approximately 15% over the past six years, dropping from 13.2 in 2017 to 11 in 2023. Peak survey response submissions occur during the week, with Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday registering the highest completion rates. Surveys designed from templates saw a doubling in usage in 2023, boasting a 4-percentage-point higher completion rate compared to those created from scratch. Utilizing the SurveyMonkey question bank, a repository of commonly asked questions, contributed to a significant 9-percentage-point increase in completion rates compared to surveys without this resource.
In October last year, SurveyMonkey made its latest survey creation capability - Build with AI - available to all its users as part of the SurveyMonkey Genius lineup of AI-enabled features.
