Filling out forms and surveys is often seen as a chore by respondents, resulting in low completion rates and incomplete data. However, by using some principles in consumer psychology, you can improve your chances of getting meaningful responses. This blog post will explore evidence-based psychological strategies to encourage customers to fill out your forms and surveys.
Leverage the principle of reciprocity
Reciprocity is a social norm where people feel obliged to return a favour when someone has done something for them. Described in "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini as one of the seven principles of persuasion, reciprocity is now often used in customer relations.
Offer a small reward: Provide an incentive, such as a discount, a free resource or entry into a prize draw, in exchange for completing the form or survey. This gesture creates a sense of obligation to reciprocate by filling out the form.
Express gratitude: If offering a gift or a discount is outside your budget or project scope, you could instead emotionally "bribe" your respondents. Start your form or survey with a thank-you message, expressing appreciation for the customer’s time and effort. This sets a positive tone and can increase the likelihood of form completion.
Use social proof
Social proof is another principle of influence Cialdini talks about in his book and is a concept of seeing an action as more appropriate if others are doing it. Therefore, demonstrating that others have completed your form or survey can encourage more people to do the same and increase your conversion rate.
Show numbers: Highlight the number of people who have already completed the form or survey. For example, “Join over 1,000 satisfied customers who have shared their feedback”
Use testimonials: Include quotes or endorsements from previous respondents who have benefited from filling out the form or survey. This can reduce hesitation and build trust.
Create a sense of urgency
Scarcity and urgency can motivate people to act quickly. When something is perceived as limited, its value increases, prompting people to take action before they miss out.
Limited-time offers: If you’re offering an incentive, make it time-sensitive. For example, “Complete this survey within the next 24 hours to receive a 10% discount.”
Highlight exclusivity: Emphasise the unique opportunity to provide feedback or participate in the survey. For instance, “Be one of the select few to help shape our future products.”
Simplify the process
Cognitive overload theory suggests that the more mentally demanding a task is, the less likely people are to complete it. Hence, avoiding overwhelming users is crucial for maintaining the completion rate.
Minimise steps: Keep your form or survey as short as possible. Only ask for essential information and break down long forms into smaller, manageable sections.
Use progress indicators: Show a progress bar or percentage to inform respondents how much they have completed and how much is left. This reduces uncertainty and encourages them to finish.
Create a sense of personalisation
Personalisation is considered one of the most popular tactics to increase conversion rate. People are more likely to engage with something that feels personalised and relevant to them.
Use their name: Addressing respondents by their name can make the experience feel more personal and engaging.
Tailor questions: If possible, customise the questions based on previous interactions or known preferences. For example, if you know a customer has purchased a specific product, ask for feedback on that product.
Segment your audience: Create different versions of your form or survey tailored to different segments of your audience, ensuring that the questions are relevant to each group.
Highlight the impact
Researches on such phenomena as self-determination or the endowed progress suggest that people are more motivated when they feel their actions have a meaningful impact. This way, in the context of form or survey completion people may be more likely to take the time to respond if they understand the importance of their input.
Clear value proposition: Clearly state the benefits of filling out the form or survey. For instance, “Your feedback will help us improve our products to better meet your needs.”
Future impact: Let respondents know how their input will directly influence future decisions or product developments. This makes them feel valued and heard.
Employ the foot-in-the-door technique
The foot-in-the-door technique involves getting someone to agree to a small request first. This principle relies on the idea that once someone has committed to something small, they are more likely to commit to something bigger.
Start small: Begin with a short and simple question that requires minimal effort to answer. Once they have started, they are more likely to complete the entire form or survey.
Gradually increase complexity: As respondents progress through the form or survey, gradually introduce more detailed questions. This approach makes the process seem less daunting. In this case, it is a good idea to split your form into multiple pages.
Use compelling call-to-actions
The language as well as the design you use in your call-to-actions can make a big difference in your survey response and completion rates. CTAs can leverage principles of persuasion you deploy such as scarcity, social proof and reciprocity.
Examples of effective CTAs
- "Start Survey": simple and direct, ideal for the beginning of a survey.
- "Join 1,000+ Satisfied Customers": uses social proof to motivate action.
- "Complete Now for 10% Off!": creates urgency and offers a reward.
- "Share Your Thoughts": engaging and feels personal, encouraging feedback.
- "Next": reduces cognitive load with straightforward instructions.
- "Get Your Free eBook": highlights a benefit, providing an incentive.
- "You’re Almost There!": provides positive reinforcement.
- "Finish": clearly indicates the end of the process.
Deploy the serial position effect
The serial position effect is a phenomenon from cognitive psychology that influences how users engage with and remember information presented to them. When applied to form and survey design, strategically placing questions can help collect more meaningful and accurate data. The serial position effect might not directly affect your survey completion rate but it will provide you with better data.
Primacy Effect
Key questions at the beginning: Place important questions that require thoughtful responses at the beginning of the survey or form. Users have more cognitive resources available to answer these questions accurately.
Example: If you need detailed feedback about a product or service, ask these questions early on. “How would you rate your overall satisfaction with our product?”
Recency Effect
Critical questions at the end: Place crucial questions that need to be remembered and carefully considered at the end of the survey. This ensures they are fresh in the user's memory.
Example: For questions related to future actions or contact details, place them towards the end. “Would you be willing to participate in follow-up research?”
Design practices to increase form conversion rate
Aesthetic Appeal
An attractive and cohesive design is not just about looking good — it's about creating an inviting and engaging user experience. When users find your forms visually appealing, they are more likely to stay engaged and complete them.
Weavely, a powerful no-code form builder for Figma, allows you to design anything you can imagine, making it easy to apply your brand elements consistently across all forms and surveys.
Colours
Different colours evoke different emotions. For instance, blue often conveys trust and calmness, while red can create a sense of urgency. Choose colours that align with the desired emotional response from your audience. Don't forget to highlight buttons with CTAs with contrasting colours to make it easier for your respondents to navigate and identify key actions.
At the same time, it's essential to apply your brand colour scheme to your forms or surveys. Ensuring brand consistency across all customer touchpoints enhances trust and credibility.
Wording
Clear and concise language: Avoid jargon and complex sentences. Use straightforward language that clearly communicates what you need from the respondent. If you're not sure whether your copy is readable, employ a content writing service to double-check things for you.
Positive framing: Frame your questions and instructions positively to encourage a favourable response. For example, “How can we make your experience even better?” is more inviting than “What problems did you encounter?”
Layout
Place related fields together, use a single column layout, and ensure there’s enough spacing between fields to avoid a crowded look. These are just a few examples of design best practices. If you want to learn more on the topic, this article may come in handy.
Conclusion
By deploying psychological techniques and optimising the design of your forms and surveys, you can significantly increase their conversion and completion rates. From using reciprocity and social proof to simplifying the process and emphasising personalisation, these strategies are proven to be effective.
Moreover, do not only techniques we discussed in this article boost your response rates but also improve the quality of the data you collect.
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Literature
This article is based on the evidence from various academic researches and psychological studies.
Clear Guidance: Fogg, B. J. (2003). Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do.
Motivation and Urgency: Cialdini, R. B. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.
Psychological Triggers: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow.
Increased Engagement: Norman, D. A. (2004). Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things.
Reduced Cognitive Load: Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning. Cognitive Science
Personalization: Schumann, J. H., von Wangenheim, F., & Groene, N. (2014). Targeted Online Advertising: Using Reciprocity Appeals to Increase Acceptance Among Users of Free Web Services. Journal of Marketing.
