How to Write a Survey Introduction [+Examples]

The first-ever survey I conducted was a disaster. After putting a few words in the survey introduction, I blasted links to the survey on LinkedIn, Slack groups, and X. How many responses did I get? 24. This number was small, making my results not statistically significant. Bummer, I know!

While I’ve since refined my survey creation process, I still see people struggling to improve their survey completion rates. Fixing the survey introduction is a good start, and in this article, I’ll show you how to write great survey introductions.

Table of Contents

• What Is a Survey Introduction?
• What Makes Great Survey Instructions?
• How to Write a Survey Introduction
• Survey Introduction Template
• Good Survey Introduction Examples

What Makes Great Survey Instructions?

Great survey instructions stimulate the interest of respondents. Here are three key elements that make survey instructions effective.

1. Clarity and Simplicity

Clear language prevents confusion. If some of your text sounds like jargon, delete it from your survey instructions. It’s also vital to use concise and easy-to-read sentences.

2. Actionable Steps

Outlining what you expect from participants is vital. Specify how they should answer questions (e.g., select one option, rate on a scale from 1 to 5, etc.) and let them know if there are any open-ended questions.

3. Contact Information

If your instructions are unclear, your contact information will serve as your last defense to ensure a respondent completes the survey. Participants may drop off and never complete the survey without knowing who to contact.

Pro tip: The only contact information I provide is my email. I don’t recommend sharing private information like your phone number because you never know who might come in contact with your survey.

How to Write a Survey Introduction

1. State Who You Are

Beyond its introduction, I believe my first survey flopped because I didn’t state who I was. After doing many surveys, experience has taught me that stating who you are is even more crucial if you’re not a known industry leader. Identifying yourself clearly allows people to check your social media to learn more about you and decide if they like you enough to proceed with your survey.

2. Define the Purpose

Every survey I send out begins with explaining its purpose in a few sentences. This helps participants understand why their feedback matters and sets the tone for their responses. For example, in my survey about website copywriting rates, here’s what I told respondents: “The results will be extremely useful to clients interested in any website copywriting service.”

If you are doing a product survey, you’ll want to frame the purpose statement to align with the goals of your project. For example, if you‘re looking for feedback on a product, explain how respondents’ input will shape future improvements.

3. Share the Benefits for Participants

A good survey will always have something in it for the respondents, so beyond the survey’s purpose, also talk about these benefits. For instance, I’d be interested in a survey about the state of content marketing because content is how I make a living.

To top this inherent benefit, you could also inform participants if you’ll give incentives such as discounts or prizes. Here’s an example:

“By completing this survey, you’ll be shaping the future of our industry. As a respondent, you’ll gain early access to our findings, allowing you to stay ahead with insights that directly impact your work. Plus, as a thank you for your valuable time, you could win one of three $100 gift cards.”

4. Outline Key Survey Information

I often get requests to share my insights by participating in surveys. From this end of the table, I like to see essential details before I get started. This includes the estimated time for completing the survey, the total number of questions, and the submission deadline. Such information lets me know if I have the time to partake in a survey. This might sound like:

• This five-question survey will take around 10 minutes to complete.
• Click below to access the short, two-question survey. For further information or feedback, please contact our support team at help@company.com.
• This survey will be open until Month Day, Year. Please take five minutes to provide your feedback before that time.

5. Reassure Participants About Data Privacy

Surveys, such as those in the academic domain, might require confidentiality and anonymity.

I ran a focus group recently, and one participant asked for their name not to be mentioned. This was surprising because I wrote a confidentiality and anonymity clause in the survey introduction. However, the participant’s reiteration shows how vital it is to reassure respondents about how we use and handle their data. This is critical for fostering trust and getting honest, accurate answers.

Here are some examples:

• Your answers are anonymous and will improve our future customer service strategy.
• Responses will be anonymized and analyzed for our upcoming report on consumer perception of insurance companies in the U.S. Please leave your email address if you'd like to receive a copy of the finished report.
• We read every response to our customer happiness surveys and follow up to ensure you have a positive experience.

6. Be Concise and Direct

Keeping your survey introduction brief is crucial. Lengthy survey introductions could increase your survey’s drop-off rate. From a respondent’s view, if the survey introduction is lengthy, what are the odds that the survey will also be lengthy? High!

It's also important to keep your survey messaging on-brand. If you typically use a corporate brand voice, switching to a conversational tone in your survey introduction will feel awkward. It might even make some readers question if the survey is truly coming from your company, causing distrust in its authenticity.

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7. Show Gratitude

Finally, I thank my respondents for their time. I don’t care if their responses are negative. Giving me some of their time is enough to show their kindness and loyalty. Respondents will not take the time to provide feedback if they don’t care about the impact of the survey.

Here are some phrases you can use to show your appreciation:

• This feedback is very helpful for our team in developing new features. Thank you so much for taking the time to complete this survey.
• We read every comment you leave on these surveys, so thank you for your feedback!
• We truly appreciate your insight and your time.

Want to make sure you've got it all covered? Save this checklist of the most important aspects to include in your survey introduction:

• Why are you doing this survey?
• How long will it take? (Minutes or number of questions)
• Why should they fill it out? Is there a giveaway for respondents (such as a draw for a $50 Amazon card) or another incentive to complete it?
• What are you going to do with the results? Are they anonymous?
• When does the survey close? What is the overall timeline?
• Any definitions or info they need to know before completing the survey?
• Where should they go if they have questions or more feedback?
• Thank your participants for their time and feedback.
• Any additional information they need to fill out the survey with good, accurate data?

Pro tip: One great way to keep track of all your customer insights is with customer feedback software.

Survey Introduction Template

[Your Survey Title]

Hello [audience/respondent group]!

Thank you for considering taking part in our survey on [topic or issue you are surveying]. This survey will [explain the purpose and aim of your survey]. Your feedback will help us [mention the outcome you are hoping to achieve and act upon].

Key details about the survey:

• Time commitment. This survey will take about [number] minutes to complete the [number] questions.
• Incentives (if any). All respondents could win a [mention incentive].
• Privacy. Your responses will [mention anonymity, e.g., “completely anonymous”] and will only be used for research.
• Deadline. The survey remains open until [closing date].
• Publishing. We expect to share the results on [date] on the [name of the website].

Before You Begin:

• Please note that [mention any special definitions or details] to ensure consistent and accurate responses.

If you have questions or additional feedback, please ‌reach out at [contact email].

Thank you very much for your time and input. Your feedback helps us create a more insightful and valuable resource.

Good Survey Introduction Examples

Here are some survey introductions that I think hit all the right notes — read on for inspiration. And for a good starting point on how to write your own, check out these free customer satisfaction survey templates.

Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA)

• This intro is clear about how long the survey will take so customers can set expectations. Even though this is a longer survey, SORCA is upfront about it, suggests grabbing a beverage, and tells recipients how long the survey will be open for if they want to schedule a time to do it later.
• Mountain bikers in Squamish are passionate about their sport, so this survey introduction is very compelling. By seeking input before creating their four-year strategic plan, the team at SORCA is going to receive valuable feedback from opinionated members of the community.

Tanaaz Khan

• This example from Tanaaz Khan offers respondents a way to contact her if they have questions within or outside the scope of the survey. This makes participants feel like Khan is there for them.
• It's clear from the survey introduction that these responses are anonymous, so respondents can be as direct as they want.

Boast.ai

• Adding a definition to the survey introduction makes it more likely that respondents will provide helpful information. If they don‘t meet the criteria or don’t understand the terminology in the survey, your data will be flawed.
• This survey offers respondents the opportunity to get a free copy of the final report. This can provide an added incentive for customers to complete the questionnaire, and potentially make them comfortable about the usage of their data.

Mantis Research

• This brilliant example from Nneka Otika shows respect by acknowledging the busy schedule of participants from the get-go. When people feel respected, they get compelled to act.
• The introduction also positions Mantis Research as champions of its audience.
• The incentive to complete the survey is brilliant. Allowing participants to choose their preferred charity at the end of the survey not only makes it better, but can improve the survey completion rate.

The Importance of a Good Survey Introduction

One important lesson I have learned about surveys is this: Customers aren‘t obligated to offer their opinions. Any feedback that they provide should be treated as a gift — after all, they took time out of their busy schedule to interact with your company and offer valuable data. Keep this in mind as you’re creating your survey.

I’ve also seen the benefit of keeping the survey introduction short and helpful — and giving your respondents a reason to want to complete the survey. When it's well written, your survey introduction is a pivotal part of your survey strategy.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

5 Free Customer Satisfaction Survey Templates

Easily measure customer satisfaction and begin to improve your customer experience.

• Net Promoter Score
• CSAT Score
• Customer Effort Score
• And more!

Download for free Learn more Download for free

Download Free

All fields are required.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Download Now