EasyAsk.itI've seen a lot of surveys over the years. Most of them are pretty bad.
It's not because the people creating them don't care. They usually have good intentions and genuinely want to understand their users. But somewhere along the way, they make choices that practically guarantee people will abandon the survey or rush through it without thinking.
The frustrating part is that these problems are completely avoidable. Here are the five biggest mistakes I see, and more importantly, how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Starting With Demographics
This is the big one. So many surveys start with a wall of personal questions: age, gender, location, job title, company size, income level.
It feels like being carded at a bar before you even know what kind of place it is.
Here's why this kills your response rate: people haven't bought into your survey yet. They don't know if it's worth their time, and you're already asking for personal information. It sends the message that you care more about categorizing them than understanding their experience.
The fix is simple: Start with questions that are actually interesting to answer. Ask about their experience, their biggest challenges, or their opinions on something relevant. Save the demographics for the end, when people are already invested in completing the survey.
Better yet, make demographics optional. People who've spent 10 minutes sharing thoughtful responses are much more likely to stick around for background questions.
Mistake #2: The Grid of Doom
You know what I'm talking about. Those massive tables where you're supposed to rate 15 different things on the same scale. They look efficient to the survey creator, but they're terrible for the person taking the survey.
Here's what actually happens: people either skip the whole thing, or they fall into patterns like rating everything a 4 or straight-lining down one column. You end up with garbage data that looks statistically valid but tells you nothing useful.
The solution: Break it up. Ask about one thing at a time, or group related items into smaller sections. Yes, it makes your survey longer, but it's better to get thoughtful answers to fewer questions than rushed responses to many.
Even better, try asking "Which of these is most important to you?" followed by "What could we improve about that specific thing?" This creates a natural conversation flow instead of a data entry task.
Mistake #3: Confusing or Double Questions
I see this constantly: "How satisfied are you with our fast and reliable service?"
What if the service is fast but unreliable? Or reliable but slow? The person taking the survey has to guess what you really want to know.
Other classics include:
- "Do you find our interface intuitive?" (Compared to what? For which tasks?)
- "How often do you use our advanced features?" (What counts as advanced?)
The fix: Ask about one specific thing at a time. Be concrete instead of abstract. Instead of "How intuitive is our interface?" try "How easy was it to find what you were looking for on your last visit?"
Test your questions on a few people before launching. If they ask for clarification or seem confused, rewrite the question.
Mistake #4: Making Everything Required
Nothing frustrates people more than being forced to answer questions they can't honestly respond to. Yet so many surveys mark every single question as required, even when "I don't know" or "This doesn't apply to me" would be the truthful answer.
When faced with required questions they can't answer, people either abandon the survey or lie just to get through it. Neither outcome helps you.
The better approach: Only require questions that are absolutely essential for your research. For everything else, trust that engaged respondents will answer what's relevant to them.
Always provide "Not applicable" or "Prefer not to answer" options when it makes sense. It's better to know someone chose not to answer than to get a random response.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Mobile Users
Here's a reality check: most of your responses are probably coming from mobile devices. Yet many surveys are still designed on desktop computers without any thought for how they'll work on a phone.
Tiny checkboxes, horizontal scrolling, text that requires zooming - these create friction that mobile users simply won't tolerate. They'll abandon rather than struggle through a poor mobile experience.
The solution: Design for mobile first. Use large touch targets, keep everything vertical, and test on actual phones, not just your browser's mobile preview.
The Psychology Behind Good Survey Design
Understanding why people complete or abandon surveys helps you make better design decisions:
People need to feel like they're making progress. Long surveys without any indication of how much is left feel endless and overwhelming.
Every question requires mental energy. The more complex your questions, the faster people get tired and quit.
People need to believe their input matters. If your survey feels like a generic data collection exercise, they won't invest much effort.
Be honest about how long your survey takes. If you say "5 minutes" but it actually takes 15, you've broken trust before you've even started.
Making Surveys People Actually Want to Complete
The best surveys feel more like conversations than interrogations. They adapt based on previous answers, skip irrelevant questions, and show genuine curiosity about responses.
Small details matter too. Smooth transitions, clear progress indicators, and helpful examples make surveys feel professional rather than thrown together.
Most importantly, remember that taking your survey is a favor. People are giving you their time and attention. Respect that gift by making the experience as smooth and valuable as possible.
Start With Empathy
Before you launch your next survey, try taking it yourself. Better yet, watch someone else take it. Does it feel respectful of their time? Would you enjoy the experience? Does it feel like the answers will actually be used for something meaningful?
If you can answer yes to those questions, you're probably on the right track. If not, you know what to fix.