Capturing valuable feedback is crucial for business growth, but traditional online forms often struggle with low response rates. If you're searching for an AI survey tool to improve engagement, consider a more conversational approach.

Most AI survey tools still rely on forms. BetterFeedback replaces forms with AI conversations by chat or voice.

Here are seven actionable tips to encourage participation and unlock richer insights through conversation-first feedback:

1. Time Your Outreach Strategically

Timing is everything. Sending a survey at the wrong moment can lead to it being overlooked. For instance, an email survey launched at 10:00 AM might get buried as professionals tackle their workday.

Instead, consider when your audience is most likely to be receptive. Research suggests evenings are often a good bet, as people are typically home and more relaxed. Use scheduling features to deploy your conversational surveys and interviews at optimal times. You might also set up reminders to catch those who missed the initial outreach.

2. Emphasize Data Security and Privacy

Security concerns are a significant barrier to survey participation. Many people hesitate to share information online due to fear of phishing or data breaches.

Reassure participants by:

  • Sending conversational surveys and interviews from an official, verified channel.
  • Using a secure platform (HTTPS) to build trust.

BetterFeedback encrypts data to ensure the privacy of responses. Be transparent about your security measures to foster confidence.

3. Clearly Communicate the Survey's Purpose

Don't assume your audience understands the reason behind your survey. Always provide context!

Explain the survey's purpose upfront, whether in an email invitation or directly within the conversation. For example, if conducting usability testing, explain how feedback will improve the user experience. Highlight the benefits of participation and how their input will make a difference.

4. Optimize the User Experience

A positive user experience is paramount for driving engagement. With BetterFeedback, the experience depends heavily on these factors:

  • Intuitive flow: The AI adapts to each response, asking smart follow-up questions for deeper insights.
  • Ease of use: Participants can respond via chat or voice, whichever they prefer.
  • Adaptive dialogue: Human-like, adaptive dialogue that feels less like a chore and more like a natural exchange.

A seamless and enjoyable experience encourages higher completion rates and richer, more thoughtful responses.

5. Introduce Gamification Elements

Consider gamifying your conversational surveys and interviews to make them more appealing. Turn data collection into an engaging experience, if contextually appropriate.

For example, you could frame a website feedback survey as a "website health assessment" or a concept testing exercise as a "rate our concepts" experience.

6. Offer Incentives for Completion

A well-placed incentive can significantly boost participation.

For example, if you're conducting churn interviews to understand why customers leave, consider offering a discount on a future service or access to exclusive content as a thank you for their time. Make sure the incentive aligns with your audience and the value of their feedback.

7. Create a Clear Post-Participation Journey

Don't leave participants wondering what happens after they complete the survey. A well-crafted thank-you page is crucial.

Instead of a generic "Thank you," provide specific next steps:

  • Will they receive a summary of the findings?
  • Will someone follow up with them directly?
  • What is the expected timeframe for any action based on their feedback?

A clear post-participation journey builds trust and demonstrates that their input is valued.

Conversation-First Feedback: A Better Approach

Traditional online forms treat feedback as a one-way transaction. Conversation-first feedback, on the other hand, fosters a dialogue and encourages deeper insights.

With BetterFeedback, you can:

  • Launch conversational surveys and interviews in ~60 seconds using templates and AI-powered question suggestions.
  • Distribute via link or embed widget.
  • Transcribe and analyze responses instantly with AI-powered summaries and sentiment analysis.
  • Gain instant insights on trends, areas of improvements and user suggestions.

Consider how conversational surveys and interviews can enhance specific use cases:

  • Usability testing: Understand user behavior and pain points through natural dialogue.
  • Concept testing: Explore reactions to new ideas with adaptive follow-up questions.
  • Website feedback: Get specific suggestions for improvement via chat or voice.
  • Churn interviews: Uncover the reasons behind customer churn through empathetic conversations. See how conversational surveys can improve SaaS churn interviews.

Move Beyond Forms

Online surveys are powerful tools, but they are not always successful. By focusing on the experience and making surveys feel more like a natural conversation you can improve your survey results considerably.

Instead of relying on static forms, embrace the power of conversation-first feedback. BetterFeedback replaces forms with AI conversations by chat or voice, leading to:

  • ~10x higher response quality
  • 3x higher completion rates
  • Richer, more nuanced insights

Sign up for BetterFeedback today and start creating engaging conversational surveys that deliver valuable feedback!