What is response rate, why it is important and how it works?

Response rate (also known as completion rate or return rate) tells us how many people have completed surveys comparing to total number of people in the sample. The bigger response rate is the better.

How response rate works? 

Let’s assume you have send survey to 100 people and 40 people answered and filled out survey. It means that response rate for your survey will be 40/100 = 0,4 x 100 = 40%

How to improve response rate?

There are several ways to improve response rate – it means to improve number of collected responses on your survey in a sample. Below you will find few simple and proven methods:

1. Ask your respondents in advance if they would like to participate in a survey
2. Create survey introduction, with information like:
   - survey objective
   - explain why is it important to participate in a survey
   - information that survey is completely anonymous, and information how collected data will be used
3. Provide enough time to complete survey
4. Resend survey during research, but only to people that haven’t opened your survey
5. Offer a small present in return for survey completion, it can be also possibility to donate small amount on a charity
6. Say "thank you" for participation in a survey