Editing a survey in SurveyMonkey is straightforward and allows you to refine your questions, design, and distribution methods. The primary area for making changes to your survey's content and appearance is the Design Survey section.
Accessing Your Survey for Editing
To begin editing your survey, follow these steps:
- Log In: Navigate to the SurveyMonkey website and log in to your account.
- Locate Your Survey: From your dashboard, you will see a list of your surveys. Find the specific survey you wish to modify.
- Open More Options: To the right of the survey name, click the "..." (ellipsis) icon or a similar "More options" menu. This will reveal various management tools for that particular survey.
- Enter Design Section: Select the Design Survey section. This is where you can make all the necessary adjustments to your survey's structure and appearance.
Editing Survey Design and Content
Within the Design Survey section, you have comprehensive control over your survey's elements:
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Edit Questions:
- Add New Questions: Click the "Add Question" button to introduce new questions to your survey. You can choose from various question types, such as multiple choice, text open-ended, rating scales, and more.
- Modify Existing Questions: Click directly on any question to edit its text, answer options, required status, or question type.
- Reorder Questions: Use drag-and-drop functionality to change the order of questions within a page or move them between different pages.
- Delete Questions: Remove any unwanted questions from your survey.
- Add Logic: Implement advanced logic like Skip Logic or Question & Page Randomization to create a dynamic survey experience. Learn more about editing questions.
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Manage Pages:
- Add New Pages: Divide your survey into multiple pages to improve readability and flow for respondents, especially for longer surveys.
- Reorder Pages: Drag and drop pages to change their sequence.
- Delete Pages: Remove entire pages and their contained questions.
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Customize Theme and Appearance:
- Edit Theme: Access the "Themes" or "Look & Feel" options to change the visual design of your survey. This includes modifying colors, fonts, button styles, and background images.
- Add Branding: Upload your company logo to maintain consistent branding throughout your survey.
- Preview Design: Always use the "Preview Survey" option to see how your changes will appear to respondents before launching. Explore options for survey themes.
When to Edit Your Survey
The timing of your edits can impact what changes you can make and their effect on collected data.
| Editing Action | Ideal Timeframe | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Questions (Add, Delete, Type Change) | Before Collecting Responses | Offers full flexibility. Once responses are collected, major changes can compromise data integrity, leading to data loss or invalid analysis for existing responses. |
| Question Text / Answer Options (Minor) | Before & During Collection | Minor text edits might be possible even after collecting responses without significantly affecting data, but be cautious. |
| Page Order / New Pages | Before Collecting Responses | Best done before launch. Adding new pages or reordering can be done after, but consider how it impacts existing respondents who might be midway through. |
| Theme / Look & Feel | Anytime | Visual changes generally do not affect collected data, making them safe to update at any stage. |
| Survey Logic | Before Collecting Responses | Crucial to finalize before launching. Changes to logic after responses have started can lead to inconsistencies in data and respondent pathways. |
Managing Responses and Collectors
Beyond the design, the "Collect Responses" section (accessible from the '...' menu next to your survey) is where you manage how your survey is distributed and track its progress:
- Send Your Survey: Choose various methods to distribute your survey, such as creating a web link, sending email invitations, or sharing on social media.
- Manage Collectors: Monitor the status of your collectors (open, closed), view responses specific to each collector, and configure settings like response limits or anonymity. For more details on this, refer to collecting responses.
By leveraging these features, you can ensure your SurveyMonkey surveys are perfectly tailored to your needs and deliver the best possible experience for your respondents.
