How can you optimize survey questions for different channels and platforms?

Most of the surveys are conducted via online platforms today. Within that you have the self administered ones and the phone interviews. Its not a good idea to take the self administered questionnaire for an online platform and just change the format for an in person interview. Keeping the objectives the same is a good idea, but there are some areas you want more information and hence you should do an in person interview for that. I have found many a times, respondents donot fill open ended questions. Though that is one question which is easily adapted between offline and online platforms. Likert scale questions are easily adapted in both platforms. Infact they work better in self administered.

Combining different channels, such as email and web surveys, improves response rates and engagement, in my opinion. Although it requires more work, this strategy makes use of each platform's advantages to counteract its disadvantages. Recall that in survey responses, quality matters more than quantity.

Choosing the right channel and platform to conduct research is one of the critical steps in a well-executed research project. Creating the survey in the format and structure that plays to the strength of the channel and platform being used is vital to the success of the project. But first and foremost, make sure you on using the RIGHT channel and the RIGHT platform for the respondents you need to reach.

Testing surveys is only the initial step. It's important for researchers to understand the unique user experience different platforms offer, as well as the demographics they attract, as this can influence response rates, and pose inherent biases. For instance, to attract users rapidly scrolling through their feeds, surveys hosted on social media should be engagingly concise, while surveys sent by email can be more in-depth, or contain open ended questions. Mobile platforms also require touch screen optimized surveys, while targeting an international audience requires careful attention to cultural norms, which can affect both question design, and the type of data collected, based on the regulations of the platform/country targeted.

Adapt the language and tone of survey questions to align with the communication style of each channel or platform. For example, questions on social media platforms may be more casual and conversational, while those on professional platforms may require a more formal tone.