It’s easy to create an event, but it’s way more challenging to evaluate its success and extract insights for future improvements. That’s where the magic of post-event surveys comes in.
To design a post-event survey that gathers valuable feedback, you have to ask the right questions. Survey questions shouldn’t just be thrown in randomly.
They should be carefully created to resonate with your event attendees, whether attending a vibrant in-person gathering or an engaging online meeting.
We’ve put together more than twenty well-thought-out questions for you. Use them to create a post-event survey and improve future events.
Why should you send post-event surveys?
Imagine this: your recent event has just concluded. The lights are off, the attendees have left, and the digital platforms have gone quiet. Now, the real work begins. And post-event feedback can help you in many dimensions:
01 Enhancing future event planning
Sending post-event surveys is necessary for refining the planning of future events. The surveys provide organizers with a clear understanding of what aspects were successful and which areas need improvement.
Event attendees offer insights that might not be apparent to the organizers, such as specific elements of the event experience that resonated well or fell short.
✔️ Taking feedback directly from attendees means future events will be more aligned with their expectations.
02 Measuring attendee satisfaction
Understanding how attendees feel about various aspects of an event is a must here.
Post-event survey questions can cover a wide range of topics, from the effectiveness of the event app to the quality of networking opportunities. The feedback helps organizers measure attendee satisfaction on a granular level, using rating scale questions or Likert scale questions to obtain quantitative data.
✔️ Such detailed insights help make data-driven decisions to improve the attendee experience.
03 Gathering valuable feedback for continuous improvement
Continuous improvement is key in the event industry, and post-event surveys are a goldmine for valuable feedback.
Actual attendees’ responses, whether positive feedback or constructive criticism, provide actionable insights.
✔️ The opinions help in tweaking event organization, adjusting the registration process, and enhancing the overall event meet experience.
📚 Read also: 6 Great Customer Feedback Examples.
04 Identifying trends and preferences of your target audience
You can use post-event surveys to understand the evolving trends and preferences of your target audience.
They reveal what topics, speakers, or formats appeal most to attendees, offering a glimpse into their minds. Take advanatge of this information for tailoring future conferences, corporate events, or virtual events to meet the expectations of your audience.
✔️ Stay in tune with attendees’ thoughts and preferences, and create more relevant and engaging experiences.
05 Strengthening marketing efforts and sponsor relationships
The data collected from post-event surveys can boost marketing efforts and sponsor relationships. Attendee feedback on specific aspects like keynote speakers, event content, and overall event experience provides a narrative that can be used in marketing future events.
As Jamie Cohen, Marketing Director at Accurate Append, emphasizes, ‘In post-event marketing, the power lies in understanding and acting on attendee feedback. Post-event surveys are more than data collection tools; they’re a roadmap for enhancing attendee engagement and refining marketing strategies for future events. Each response improves future events and targeted marketing efforts.’
On top of that, sharing insights with event sponsors helps demonstrate the event’s impact and can guide the development of more targeted and effective sponsorships in future collaborations.
✔️ The cycle of feedback and improvement is critical to an event’s long-term success.
20+ post event survey questions to ask event attendees
Feel free to adjust these questions as you like.
#1 How would you rate the overall event experience?
Assess the general sentiment of attendees towards the event with this question. It gives a broad measure of satisfaction and allows organizers to understand at a glance how well the event was received.
This rating scale question is typically asked in the context of the entire event experience, encompassing aspects like content quality, organization, and attendee engagement.
It serves as a starting point for deeper analysis into specific areas of the event.
💡You can create a rating-type question in this case. SurveyLab’s equipped with many questionnaire types (open matrix, NPS, ranking, heatmaps, and more), giving you various choices.
#2 What did you think about the content and speakers at the event?
This question asks for clear thoughts about how good and useful the content was and how well the speakers did. It’ll help you understand whether the event met the intellectual and professional expectations of the attendees.
If you plan future events, ensure that the topics and speakers match the interests and needs of the target audience.
#3 How effective were the networking opportunities provided?
Networking is often a key objective for event attendees in corporate or professional settings (and not only).
Answers to this question provide a sense of how successful the event facilitated meaningful participant interactions.
Also, the responses can guide improvements in how networking opportunities are structured in future events, both in-person and online.
#4 Was the registration process easy and efficient?
The registration process sets the tone for the entire event experience. The question helps understand if the process was user-friendly and efficient, impacting attendees’ initial impressions.
Feedback on the registration process can be used to make necessary adjustments in future events, ensuring a smooth and welcoming start for attendees.
#5 How would you rate the event organization and staff?
The purpose of this question is to evaluate the effectiveness of the event organization and the professionalism of the event staff.
Attendees’ perceptions of these aspects play a significant role in their overall event experience. Positive feedback in this area is a strong indicator of event success, while any negative feedback provides a clear direction for improvement.
#6 Did the event meet your expectations?
It is a straightforward way to measure overall satisfaction. An open-ended question like this allows attendees to express in their own words what they anticipated versus what was delivered.
The responses can offer a wealth of qualitative data, revealing clues into attendees’ minds and expectations.
#7 What was your favorite part of the event?
You can identify the most successful aspects of the event from the attendees’ perspective. Understanding what elements stood out positively can guide organizers in emphasizing these aspects in future events.
It also provides a glimpse into what attendees value most in their event experience.
#8 What improvements would you suggest for our next event?
Constructive feedback means continuous improvement. But only if you work on the areas, the attendees pointed out.
This open-ended question encourages them to provide specific suggestions on how future events can be enhanced. The responses can be a source of actionable insights, helping to shape the planning and execution of future events.
#9 Would you attend future events organized by us?
If you need is a direct measure of the likelihood of attendees returning for future events, this question will help.
You can assess the long-term impact of the event and the loyalty it has fostered among attendees. Positive responses indicate a successful event and a strong foundation for future marketing efforts.
#10 How relevant and useful did you find the information presented at the event?
Gauge the value of the content provided to the event attendees. Their responses will show you if the information met the needs and expectations of the target audience.
For future events, getting feedback on the content is crucial for curating more impactful and engaging topics.
#11 How would you rate the quality of the virtual event platform (if applicable)?
For virtual events, the platform’s quality impacts the overall experience. The purpose of this question is to collect feedback about the technical aspects, user-friendliness, and interactive features of the virtual platform.
The responses can guide the changes in technology and platform choice for future virtual events.
📰 Check out 10 tricks to help you build better surveys.
#12 Did you feel the event was well-paced and organized in terms of time management?
This question is about gathering feedback to find out if the event went at a good speed for the people who came, and if the sessions were the right length.
Getting thoughts on how well the time was managed is key for making better plans for the timing of upcoming events.
#13 How effective were the communication and updates provided before the event?
Pre-event communication sets expectations and helps attendees prepare for the event. Evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-event survey, emails, and other communication methods by asking this question.
Understanding how well attendees were informed and engaged before the event can improve pre-event marketing efforts and communication strategies.
#14 What are your thoughts on the diversity and inclusivity of the event?
It allows organizers to gain information on how well these aspects were addressed, from the selection of speakers to the inclusivity of content.
Responses provide valuable insights into how to make upcoming gatherings more welcoming and representative of a diverse audience.
#15 How satisfied were you with the networking opportunities compared to previous events you’ve attended?
Comparing the networking opportunities at this event to those at previous ones helps us see how successful it was in offering good chances to meet and talk with others.
Understanding how it stands against other events in providing these opportunities is useful for improving networking next time.
#16 What specific follow-up questions or topics would you like to see addressed in our next event?
An open-ended question like this invites attendees to suggest topics or questions they feel were not covered or need further exploration.
It’s a great way to engage attendees in the planning of future events and ensure that upcoming events are even more aligned with their interests and needs.
#17 How likely are you to recommend our events to others?
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) can be measured with this question. It’s a key metric for understanding the likelihood of attendees to promote the event to others.
It strongly indicates overall satisfaction and the event’s success in meeting or exceeding attendees’ expectations. A high likelihood of recommendation suggests strong attendee satisfaction and effective event execution.
#18 How well did the event align with your professional or personal interests?
Comparing how well the content and activities of the event matched what the attendees were interested in makes a difference. You can be sure that future events are more in line with what the audience likes and expects.
Feedback on this helps make the themes and topics even more interesting for those coming next time.
#19 Were the networking opportunities sufficient and effective for your goals?
Networking is a major component of many events, and this question seeks to assess whether the opportunities provided were adequate and fruitful for attendees.
Organizers need to understand if the networking sessions led to meaningful connections, which is often a primary reason for attending events.
#20 How did this event compare to your expectations based on the pre-event survey and marketing?
Don’t miss out on comparing what attendees expected from the event, based on the ads and surveys before it, with what they actually experienced.
This checks if the messages before the event explain to people what to expect. Knowing this link is necessary for improving ads and messages before a similar event.
#21 What improvements or changes would you suggest for the registration process?
Since the registration process is the first point of contact attendees have with the event, find out if it’s as smooth and user-friendly as possible. Ask such a question to know people’s opinions on the registration process and see how it can be improved.
And if you’re looking for a simple way to make post-event surveys, SurveyLab is your go-to.
It’s super easy to use, and you can set up a survey in no time. No matter your experience with surveys, this tool makes getting post event survey data you want a breeze.
📚 Read also: Discrete vs Continuous Data in Surveys.
Conclusion
To make your next event even better, you must know what people thought about your last one. That’s where a good post-event survey comes in.
Ask the right questions, and you’ll get the necessary answers to improve things next time.
Why wait? Give SurveyLab a try for free, and start designing surveys to help you throw even more amazing events. Get started now, and see the difference it makes.
FAQ on post-event survey questions
Before you ask, check our FAQ section.
Post-event surveys help you understand what went well and what didn’t at your event. They give you feedback directly from the people who attended.
Include questions that ask about the overall experience, the content, and the speakers. You should also ask about the registration process and how well the event was organized. Questions about networking opportunities and whether the event met the attendees’ expectations are also important.
To get honest feedback, make sure your survey questions are clear and straightforward. Offer a mix of question types, like ratings and open-ended responses. Assure attendees that their responses are anonymous and valued. This encourages them to share their true thoughts and experiences.