There are many tools available to a webmaster to analyse website traffic, some free like Google’s Analytics that will allow them to monitor the number of visitors, see what pages have been accessed and the length of time visitors have spent accessing the website and a whole lot more.
However, despite the vast amount of detailed information that is available what is missing is anything to tell the webmaster what the visitor was thinking. Did they dislike the site? Was the layout easy to understand or confusing? Did they find it easy to navigate and maybe the most important thing, did they find the information they wanted?
A website may be generating sales but why are some people that visit the website not buying anything? Was it because they didn’t like what the product or service were or was it that they couldn’t find what it was that they wanted?
Web based surveys provide webmasters with an accurate method of answering these types of questions. Direct feedback from the website visitors hears it straight from the horse’s mouth, no need to guess, just ask the visitors directly on how they found the web site and if they found what they were looking for.
With an online survey webmasters can find out:-
- How often do people visit the website?
- How did they find the website?
- Are they interested in the website for business or pleasure?
- Were they able to find the information they were looking for?
- How easy did they find navigating the website?
- Would they recommend the website?
A good website survey will be short and to the point and gather good intelligence that once analysed will help improve the website.
Another alternative to a traditional survey is to embed one or two survey questions within the website after specific procedures. For example, ask visitors at the end of the registration process if they found the procedure quick and easy; or after ordering an item ask if they found the ordering procedure and payment methods straightforward. To make sure that the questions do not become repetitive to regular visitors the website can be programmed so that the questions are only asked once per registered user.
Website surveys take the mystery out of working out what visitors think of a website and using Online Survey Software they are quick and easy to design and once implemented will really become the webmaster’s assistant.
To see a sample website survey please follow the link: Sample Website Survey
