Response rates and completion rates are metrics that often pop up in articles and research reports, with higher percentages seen as a mark of success. 

But what exactly do these terms mean, and how do they differ? It's important to understand their true definitions and distinctions to use them effectively. 

In this article, I'll break down the essence of response rate vs. completion rate so you can get a clearer picture of your survey's reach and the quality of the data you collect.

But before we jump to the differences between both, it's good to review what is completion rate and response rate.

What is the completion rate?

Survey completion rate refers to the percentage of people who finish a survey compared to the total number of people asked to take it. 

It calculates the complete participation rate for a survey, hence the name. Those who start but don't finish the survey are not counted in the calculation of the completion rate.

Factors that affect the completion rate include:

• Survey length: People are more likely to ditch a long and complicated survey. 
• Question difficulty: Confusing or overwhelming questions can lead people to quit.
• Mobile-friendliness: People might give up if the survey isn't easy to use on a phone.
• Survey intro: A boring or unclear intro can make people lose interest.

How to calculate completion rate?

You can easily calculate the completion rate by taking the total number of completed surveys, dividing it by the total number of surveys sent, and then multiplying the answer of that division by 100.

Sounds confusing? Here’s the completion rate formula in the mathematical form:

Completion Rate = (Number of completed surveys / total number of surveys sent) x 100

Let's say you sent out 200 surveys; out of those, 150 people finished them. Here is how you will calculate the competition rate of this survey: 

1. Find the number of completed surveys = 200
2. Find the number of people who started the survey = 150
3. Plug the numbers into the formula: (150/200) x 100
4. Now simplify and convert it into a percentage: Completion Rate = 0.75 x 100% = 75%

What is the response rate?

Response rate goes hand-in-hand with completion rate, but it measures something slightly different. So, what exactly are response rates? 

The response rate tells you what percentage of people you invite to take a survey actually start it, regardless of whether they finish.

It simply counts how many people out of the total invited even clicked on the survey. Whether they answer one question or all, it doesn't matter for the response rate. The only thing that does matter is that they started. 

Similar to the completion rate, it's shown as a percentage between 0% and 100%. A good response rate for the survey is around 25 – 30%. 

Factors affecting response rates include:

• Target audience: Sending a survey to irrelevant people will lead to low or no response.
• Survey invitation: A boring or unclear invitation email might get ignored.
• Survey length: People are less likely to even start a long survey.
• Survey platform: Unfamiliar or difficult-to-use survey platforms can deter participation.

How to calculate response rate?

You can calculate the response rate by taking the total number of survey participants, dividing it by the total number of surveys sent, and then multiplying the answer of that division by 100.

Here’s the response rate formula:

Response rate = (Number of survey participants / total number of surveys sent) x 100

If you send out a survey invitation to 200 people, and out of those 200, 180 people click on the link and begin the survey by answering at least one question, your response rate will be: 

(180/200) x 100 = 90%. 

Response rate vs completion rate: Key differences

Response rate vs. completion rate are two important metrics used to measure the effectiveness of surveys, but they represent different aspects of participant engagement.

Focus of measurement

The focus of measurement for response rate vs. completion rate is very different. The completion rate focuses on the completion stage. 

It emphasizes initial engagement and tells you what percentage of people who started your survey actually finished it and submitted their responses.

The response rate, however, focuses on the initial invitation stage. 

It measures the percentage of people you invited to participate in your survey who actually clicked on the link and began the survey process, regardless of whether they completed it.

Interpretation

Both response rate vs. completion rate have varying interpretations. A high completion rate suggests that your survey was engaging and easy to understand. 

People who started the survey felt motivated to finish it. This could be due to a well-structured survey, clear questions, and a manageable length.

On the other hand, a high response rate indicates that the survey was successful in capturing the attention of a significant portion of the target audience. 

However, a high response rate doesn't necessarily guarantee high-quality data if many respondents drop out before completing the survey.

Usefulness

The use cases of response rate vs. completion rate also vary. Calculating the rate is valuable for assessing the overall effectiveness of the survey design and the level of participant commitment. 

It helps in refining survey questions and structure to improve participant retention and data quality.

Calculating response rate is useful for evaluating the reach and initial interest in the survey but may not accurately reflect the quality of responses. 

It can help you adjust survey distribution strategies to increase engagement.

By now, I hope you have understood the key differences between response rate and completion rate and why both are important. 

Since you should strive to increase both completion and response rates, here’s how to do it.

How to improve survey completion rate?

Here are a few strategies to improve survey completion rates: 

Keep your survey short

First things first: respect your respondents' time. People are busy, and wading through a lengthy survey is a surefire way to lose their interest. Research says that the ideal survey length is 10 – 15 minutes. 

Cut out any unnecessary questions or details. Stick to what's essential to get the information you need. Long-winded questions can confuse people and make them lose interest.

Avoid using fancy or technical jargon that might confuse your participants. Keep your questions clear and easy to understand. 

If asking a bunch of questions is a necessity, break them up into different sections. It's easier for people to tackle smaller chunks at a time instead of facing a huge wall of questions.

Gamify your survey

To boost your survey completion rate, consider gamifying it. Add elements of fun and interactivity to make it more engaging for participants. 

You can use things like progress bars, badges, or rewards to make people feel like they're achieving something as they go along.

You may also break up the monotony of answering questions by incorporating mini-games or challenges related to your survey topic. 

For example, if you're doing a survey about fitness, include a quick exercise challenge or a quiz about healthy eating habits. Make it feel like a game where people want to keep playing to see what comes next. 

Offer incentives to participants who complete the survey

Another idea for boosting your completion rates is to offer incentives or prizes for completing the survey, like a chance to win a gift card or a small discount on a product. The incentive doesn't have to be extravagant. Even a small discount code, entry into a prize draw, or a donation to charity in their name can be enough to nudge people to complete the survey. 

People love getting rewards, so this can motivate them to stick around and finish. Just make sure the incentives are relevant to your audience and worth their time.

Incentives make people feel appreciated and like their input is valued, which encourages them to stick around and finish the whole thing. 

Okay, enough about the completion rate. Let’s understand how to increase the response rate of surveys.

How to increase survey response rate?

To increase survey response rate, try the following: 

Segment your audience

To jazz up your survey responses, consider segmenting your audience. Segmentation means dividing your audience into smaller groups based on common characteristics, like age, gender, location, or interests. By doing this, you can tailor your survey questions to each group's specific needs and preferences. 

For example, if you're a clothing company, you might want to send different surveys to men and women, or to different age groups, asking about their style preferences. This way, you're asking good questions that are more relevant to each group, which increases the chances of getting responses. 

Segmenting also helps you avoid sending irrelevant surveys to people who wouldn't be interested, which can annoy them and lower your response rate. 

Create personalized survey templates

Personalized surveys show that you care about each participant as an individual, making them more likely to respond. Personalization means tailoring your survey to fit the specific needs and interests of your audience. Start by addressing participants by their names and using language that resonates with them. 

You can also customize the content of your survey based on what you already know about each participant. For instance, if you're sending a survey to existing customers, ask questions that are relevant to their previous purchases or interactions with your brand. 

Additionally, consider using dynamic content in your survey templates, where certain types of questions or sections change based on how participants answer previous questions.

Send reminders to take the survey 

Not everyone will respond to your survey invitation right away. A gentle reminder email can nudge them to take action. 

Keep your reminder email short, friendly, and informative. Briefly remind them about the survey's purpose and why their feedback is important. You can also mention how long the survey takes to complete to ease any worries about time commitment. 

Send your reminder a day or two after the initial invite, and avoid bombarding people with multiple reminders. 

Survey making made easier!

Understanding response rate vs. completion rate is key to getting valuable insights into how well your survey is designed, targeted, and engaging.

Consider Formaloo, a powerful survey platform packed with features to streamline your data collection process. 

With its customizable survey templates, dynamic content options, and automated email functionalities, Formaloo makes it easy to design engaging surveys tailored to your audience's preferences. 

Get started with the #1 AI-powered survey maker, Formaloo today.