Gathering feedback from attendees through post-event survey questions is a pathway to valuable insights that can help you make the most out of your next event. For those of us who work in the events industry, the feedback loop is used to gather pre- or post-event data and elicit responses from attendees and/or sponsors.

The digitalization of society has taken feedback to a whole new level, and customer satisfaction is often the barometer for whether an event is deemed to be a success. Research cited by HubSpot says that 90% of virtual event organizers, for example, rely on a post-event survey to gauge satisfaction from attendees, sponsors, and event workers.

Asking questions after an event is basically table stakes for post-event marketing, especially when it comes to assessing what worked and what should be quietly pushed to one side.  

What are post-event surveys?

Woman holding phone with feedback survey on screen providing 5 star rating

Event surveys are a useful tool to gather valuable feedback from event attendees, and they can be grouped into three types:

  • Pre-event surveys: Help you plan your event and gauge attendee expectations
  • Mid-event surveys: Assess immediate needs and can help you measure the success of an event as it’s happening
  • Post-event surveys: Provide insight into the overall success of the event

Event surveys can include a mix of yes/no, multiple choice, and open-ended questions, as well as rating scales. They are often shared with attendees through social media or email campaigns, or directly through the platform on which the event is taking place.

Post-event surveys allow a company to assess whether the event met attendee expectations, the level of satisfaction, and the individual KPIs that will dictate a future and (in theory) better event. So, how do you create compelling post-event survey questions to garner valuable insights?

What makes a great post-event survey?  

Without wanting to sound like a broken record, the underlying purpose of the survey is to get feedback. And while you want to get the right responses, it would be unrealistic to think that every attendee is going to lavish praise on the event itself. In the same way that all software has bugs, all events will have some element that needs improvement.

The key, therefore, is to create a post-event survey that gives you the information you need to improve your next event and create even more value for attendees.

The average person is likely to devote around five minutes to completing an online survey and anything that takes longer than 15 minutes to finish can be dead in the water. That puts the onus on creating a post-event survey that is both short enough to be valuable and with enough scope for the detail required.

Identifying what you need to get from the event survey before you craft the questions is a given, as are the KPIs from the various event stakeholders. You also need to think about what an acceptable engagement rate from respondents is – how many responses you need for the data to be relevant, for instance.

Keep it short and sweet

Keeping a post-event survey short and sweet is a good way to maximize engagement, with no more than 10 questions if possible. Effective surveys use a mix of binary yes/no questions, multiple choice, and open-ended questions. This means that the survey structure should provide event organizers with a clear overview of that respondent’s experience, namely what worked and what didn’t.

You also need to make sure that attendees know that they are likely to receive a survey. An effective event platform flags up the need for this data collection by highlighting the value that the participant has brought to the process.

Making the survey questions as easy to complete as possible is just the first step, what matters is that the respondent understands that his or her answers are part of an evaluation process. And it goes without saying that the survey must make sense and isn’t too complicated for the end reader to navigate, even more so if the target audience is a mix of attendees (which could include their managers), sponsors, and event volunteers.

12 examples of post-event survey questions 

Ultimately, the answer as to what makes a great post-event survey question boils down to the information that you want to collect. We’ve compiled a list of 12 questions to help you get started on your next post-event survey.

1. How satisfied are you with this event?

In any post-event survey, it’s key to cover the basics. Asking your event guests how they enjoyed their experience is the simplest way to get a clearer picture of their satisfaction. This question can be open-ended, or you can provide multiple answers for respondents to pick from.

2. Which parts of the event did you enjoy the most?

It’s best to know what type of activities are worth repeating at a future event. Asking this question allows you to gauge which components wowed your audience so that you can continue to deliver engaging experiences next time around.

3. Which parts of the event did you dislike the most?

On the flip side, it’s also key to know where event attendees think you missed the mark. Knowing where your event falls short means you can make meaningful improvements that ultimately translate into a better event experience moving forward.

4. How likely are you to participate in our events in the future?

Ask respondents to rank how likely they are to return. This is a very significant question because it can tell you how effectively you promoted the event and delivered on its promise. If event attendees are satisfied with their experience, they’ll typically come back for more.

5. Did you find the event platform easy to navigate?

This question is especially useful if you’re hosting a hybrid or virtual event. Because the event platform directly affects how an attendee experiences the event content, it’s crucial to know that they can easily access and participate in what they’ve paid for. If the platform isn’t easy for guests to navigate, they’ll likely have a poor overall experience.

6. Did you encounter any issues throughout the event?

Whether hosting a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event, it’s good to know whether or not attendees are running into any problems over the course of the production. This question helps you discover where your event platform and other technologies may be causing frustrations.

7. How would you rate the event’s networking opportunities?

Networking is often the biggest reason anybody attends an event in the first place. Asking respondents this survey question can help you determine whether or not you’re providing them enough ways to make a connection.

8. On a scale of 1-10, how engaging was the event?

Not only does engaging content hold someone’s attention, it also is a major driver of attendee satisfaction. This question can help you determine whether the activities, content, or guest speakers were effective at engaging your audience. In turn, you can make positive changes for a future event.

9. How would you describe the duration of the event content?

Nobody likes a session that overstays its welcome. When it comes to finding the right balance of content, discussion, and audience participation, it pays to hear directly from the people who experienced it first-hand.

10. How satisfied were you with the event platform experience?

As the centerpiece of the virtual event experience, the event platform is make or break. If the audience finds the platform difficult, lackluster, or not worth the price of admission, you may need to rethink your event technology and find a more engaging alternative.

11. Did the event meet your expectations? Why or why not?

This open-ended question allows your respondents to vent their frustrations or, hopefully, sing praise about their experience. Better yet, it’s an opportunity for you to see whether your event lived up to the hype or if you need to revisit your marketing strategy.

12. How did you hear about this event?

Speaking of marketing strategy, this survey question speaks directly to your promotional tactics. Ask respondents to reveal where they first heard about your event, tally up their answers, then rank their responses. This tells you which marketing channel was the most effective at reaching your target audience.

Virtual events have the advantage of being able to collect attendee data in real-time – levels of engagement or bounce rates, say – but the traditional in-person event format gives people an entirely different experience. The same can be said of a hybrid event, but the data sources must mirror the event goals. The important element to remember is that these questions need to be asked when the event is still fresh in the mind, otherwise the responses may not deliver the required insights.

Personalize post-event survey outreach with Webex Events

Soliciting feedback from event attendees has always been an integral element of the evaluation process. And as the industry has evolved from the traditional (in-person) to virtual and hybrid events, there is a defined need for an event platform that not only provides all the tools that organizers require but also the data points and metrics for future success.

Post-event survey outreach gives event teams the answers they need, but event technology takes into account the expected response rate and the agreed goals. An event management platform like Webex Events can both support and improve a survey, delivering post-event capabilities that include:

  • Event communities with year-round engagement, feedback, and relationship-building
  • Announcements in the form of app notifications that draw attention to your survey
  • The ability to send targeted reminders, thank-you messages, and more

Feedback is the glue that drives both brand awareness and customer experience. By knowing what the individual expects from an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event, companies can delight attendees with the right content at the right time. In a world where digital maturity is a commodity, understanding what the customer wants from the event will elevate that experience to the required level.

Ready to optimize post-event outreach? Schedule a demo of Webex Events today to learn more.