When is the best time to send a survey?

Figuring out when is the best time to send a survey, depends on two key factors:

1. Your target audience: When are they most likely to be checking their emails and receptive to completing a survey?
2. Survey topic: Is it business-related or targeting a specific demographic with unique email habits?

However, based on research and email marketing trends, here are some general guidelines that yield maximum responses for a survey.

Best week of the month to send a survey

The first and the last week of the month are ideally when you should send your survey. Survey response rates are particularly high in the first week of the month because people are brimming with that “new month, new start” energy. They are usually more receptive to giving your survey a whirl.

On the flip side, the last week of the month is also a solid choice. By this point, people are winding down from their busy month and looking for something to fill their time. Your survey could be just the thing to provide a welcome distraction from the daily grind.

Plus, offering incentives or rewards is a great way to entice your respondents to squeeze in one last task before the month wraps up.

Best day to send a survey

The day of the week can also significantly impact your response rate. A study by GetResponse involving 2.85 million emails suggests Thursday is a prime day to send surveys. They analyzed data from US customer emails and found that people were more likely to both see and respond to survey invitations sent on Thursdays.

Mid-week days, i.e. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are the sweet spots. People are settled into their work routines, but not yet overwhelmed by the week’s tasks. They’re also more likely to be checking emails during these days.

You want to avoid sending a survey on Mondays. It might seem like the best time to send a survey, however, inboxes are typically overflowing after the weekend. Your survey might get lost in the Monday morning scramble.

Fridays can be a gamble. Some people might be checking emails in anticipation of the weekend, but others might be mentally checked out and less likely to complete your survey attentively.

The best time to send a survey

We all know email marketing platforms like MailChimp love to optimize everything, and sending emails is no exception. Their Send Time Optimization (STO) feature analyzed millions of campaigns and revealed some interesting patterns.

Mornings, particularly around 10:00 am, are the best time to send a survey. People have arrived at work, settled in, and might be checking emails before the day’s tasks pile up.

Think of it as the “inbox lull” before the daily hustle sets in.  After 11:00 am, emails accumulate, and your survey might get buried under the day’s tasks. CheckMarket research also shows that the best time to send B2B surveys is before noon.

Now that we understand the optimal timing for sending a survey, let’s peek into some of the mistakes you need to avoid to ensure high survey engagement.

Common mistakes to avoid for high survey engagement

Here’s a breakdown of common mistakes to steer clear of for a high survey engagement rate.

Sending surveys at inappropriate times

Sending surveys at inappropriate times can significantly impact the quality of responses you receive. Survey timing is crucial because it affects people’s willingness and ability to respond thoughtfully.

For example, if you schedule a survey during busy work hours, individuals may not have the time or focus to provide detailed feedback.

Similarly, sending a survey late at night might catch respondents when they’re tired or less attentive, leading to rushed or incomplete responses.

Lack of mobile optimization

Knowing the best time to send a survey is insufficient if your surveys aren’t mobile-friendly.

As of 2024, there are 7.4 billion mobile users worldwide and according to Statista, this number is expected to reach 7.49 billion by 2025. That’s almost the entire population of the world.

So, don’t you think failing to optimize your surveys for mobile devices hinders your engagement and survey management efforts?

Many people nowadays access surveys on their smartphones or tablets, so if your survey isn’t mobile-friendly, you risk losing potential respondents.

If your survey layout is not responsive, it may appear distorted or difficult to navigate on smaller screens, which may discourage participation. Additionally, long, cumbersome forms are especially frustrating to complete on mobile devices.

To avoid this mistake, ensure that your survey platform or software supports mobile optimization. Keep your survey design simple and intuitive, with easy-to-tap buttons and clear instructions. Test your survey on various mobile devices to ensure compatibility and usability.

Insufficient incentives

Think about it: would you bother completing a survey if there was nothing in it for you? Probably not, right? It’s the same for your respondents.

If you don’t offer enticing incentives, like discounts, gift cards, or just the chance to win something cool, people might not bother taking the time to fill out your survey. And who can blame them? Everyone loves a little something for their time and effort.

Failure to follow up

If you don’t follow up with your survey respondents, you’re missing out on a golden opportunity to gather more insights and boost your response rates.

While it might be the best time to send a survey according to your research, you should still have a strategy for exceptions.

People are busy. They’ve got a million things vying for their attention, so it’s easy for your survey to get lost in the shuffle. But a gentle nudge in the form of a follow-up email or reminder can make all the difference.

Maybe they forgot to fill out your survey the first time, or perhaps they just need a little extra motivation. Either way, a friendly reminder can jog their memory and encourage them to take action.

Overly long surveys

Long surveys can be a major turn-off for your audience. Asking them to fill out your survey for what feels like an eternity is a surefire way to send them running for the hills. Plus, let’s be real: most people don’t have the attention span to answer dozens upon dozens of questions.

So, keep your surveys short and sweet. Stick to the essentials and only ask questions that are absolutely necessary for your survey success. Think quality over quantity. It’s better to have a concise survey that gets completed than a long-winded one that gets abandoned altogether.

With that said, let’s have a look at some survey best practices for a high response rate.

Best survey practices for high response rates

Before you hit send, consider these best survey practices to ensure your survey gets the attention it deserves and yields valuable data:

• Keep it short and sweet: Nobody enjoys a marathon survey. Aim for under 20 questions and a total survey time of less than 8–10 minutes. Remember, people are busy, so respect their time.
  
• Intrigue from the start: Start with a clear and engaging introduction that explains the survey’s purpose and the value of their feedback. A catchy opening line can pique their interest and produce high response rates.
  
• Clarity is king: Use clear, concise language your target audience understands easily. Avoid jargon and technical terms that might confuse them.
  
• Choose the right question types: Multiple-choice questions with clear options reduce confusion. Use open-ended questions sparingly and only when you truly need in-depth responses.
  
• Respect the respondent’s time: Be upfront about the completion time. Let them know how long it will take to finish the survey so they can plan accordingly.
  
• Thank them for completing the survey: Express gratitude to everyone who completes your surveys. Let them know how their feedback will be used and valued.

The best tool for survey success!

Survey timing is everything to get maximum responses on a survey. By strategically choosing the best time to send a survey that includes the best week, day, and time, you can significantly increase survey engagement and gather valuable insights from your audience.

We have talked about the best time to send a survey, but what about the best tool? Formaloo it is!

Formaloo is a user-friendly survey-maker platform with powerful features to create, distribute, and analyze surveys.

Check out Formaloo for advanced survey features and powerful analytics tools to boost your response rates and gather actionable insights. Start for free today!