For inbound marketing to succeed, you need research on your target audience. We previously talked about where to get secondary research data free of charge. But you need primary research too. The most important tool for that is the survey. That’s why it’s important to choose the right survey hosting provider. You need to know what you want to accomplish with a survey program before using it–and paying for it.

If you’re looking for solely a survey host, you may be able to spend less money. However, that means more analyzing for you or your team. However, if you go the analysis and insights route, you’re provided with many more options for customized data analytics. Maybe you want your tools to be user-friendly or design-friendly.

Here are a few survey host provider options to consider:

SurveyMonkey

One of the most well-known survey tools is SurveyMonkey. It allows up to 100 responses for free, but often that’s not enough of a pool for good research. If you want to take the next step, you’ll need to check out their various pricing levels. It’s best for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs).

Polldaddy

Because it’s integrated with WordPress, it’s easy to use for your WordPress site. You’ll get more out of your free version with your WordPress account. With unlimited responses, the free version is a bargain! Data analytics aren’t really present though. With the full version, you’ll get a lot of extra features including password protection, email blasts, and customizable messaging and looks.

Confirmit

This platform provides a one-stop solution for Customer Experience, Voice of the Employee, and Market Research programs. Having both a web-based SaaS cloud model and a local network based option, Confirmit is flexible depending on the type of data you source. Security, privacy, and uptime are all important features that Confirmit dedicates focus to. If you’re serious about market research, then Confirmit is a great choice.

Qualtrics

Some users find Qualtrics a bit overwhelming, but that’s because its options for customizability are nearly endless. This professional survey tool integrates with many different CRMs, including Marketo and Salesforce. If you’re an expert at online survey-making then this may the right one for you. You may want to try this Qualtrics with its free version.

SoGo Survey

SoGo Survey focuses on the analytics reporting more than the survey experience, which is why it can be somewhat awkward for the user. If you can manage to get an enjoyable interface to it, then you’ll get great results. This SMB-friendly tool also possesses question types that other survey tools do not offer.

Decipher by FocusVision

Market research companies use Decipher to help build successful brands, understand their core customers, and gain user feedback. Decipher excels in mobile, with video capability, and more than 25 dynamic question types. Use this tool to get better insight into your audience. Decipher is best for medium to enterprise level organizations.

WorldApp KeySurvey

KeySurvey is built for enterprises, integrating with Salesforce. It has seemingly endless features but lacks pizzazz. If that doesn’t matter to you, then this might be a great option for a large company.

SurveyGizmo

This tool is well-loved, but its free version offers three surveys at the same time and 100 responses each. You may be limited, then, in what you can do if you stay on the free version. The data analytics are highly customizable, and it’s user-friendly on both sides, especially regarding survey logic. SurveyGizmo integrates with SalesForce, so if that’s the CRM you use, then it’s good choice for you! It’s best used with SMBs.

FluidSurveys

Large enterprises typically love FluidSurveys. It hosts a ton of options and is simple to use. It works well with almost all social media platforms, so if you’re looking to get the most out of your social media followers, then this is a good opportunity to support your marketing research. Again, this is for large corporations who have the budget.

SurveyNuts

SurveyNuts gives the survey designer an easy experience, but the surveys are simple and limited in their capabilities. If you plan on asking questions that take little time to answer, this will be a great tool for you.

Most of these tools, if not all, offer a free version so that you can sample it. That can be within your own company or to a test audience. It’s up to you to figure out what survey hosting provider works best for you and your company and your specific goals.

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