Are your online surveys mobile-friendly?

It's no longer acceptable to assume that your customers will complete a survey on their laptop or desktop computer. People are increasingly using their smartphones or tablets to complete this task.

During the twelve months to December 2012, online survey software firm SurveyGizmo found a 107% increase in the number of surveys completed on a mobile device. However, few of those companies distributing online surveys have bothered to implement changes or technology to make those surveys mobile-friendly.

"Designing surveys for mobile devices isn't just about designing for a smaller screen - it's about leveraging new technologies and adapting your techniques for mobile devices in a way that creates a simple, engaging experience," writes Marni Zapin on the SurveyGizmo blog.

One way to ensure mobile users get the best survey experience on their smaller screens is to implement tools that detect on which device a survey is being taken.

Other steps that can be taken to mobile-optimize surveys include:

Here are some of our suggestions for adjusting your survey for mobile survey takers:

- Keep any branding or images small so they don't take long to download or crowd the screen;

- Keep the survey short and simple for busy, on-the-go, mobile users;

- Keep interactive questions to a minimum instead using drag-and-drop, drop-down menu, slider, or spinner question formats.

For more ways in which to mobile-optimize your online surveys, check out the SurveyGizmo blog.

Tags: consumer feedback, mobile, online marketing, online survey, smartphone, survey development, tablet