42 Pre & Post Event Survey Questions to Ask at Your Next Event or Webinar

Event surveys are critical for organizations and event organizers for multiple reasons. One of them is ensuring your attendees engage with your content and leave with an exceptional experience. 

• 74% of event attendees believe that post-event surveys are important to have.
• The same study also showed that 92% of event planners believe attendee feedback is critical to future events
• According to another study by Bizzabo, 63% of event professionals consider event feedback the most important metric to measure event success. 

The best way to receive honest feedback from your attendees is by offering event survey questions! These questions help event organizers determine what guests liked and disliked and anything they would have done differently. Any future events can be planned around the responses you receive from your attendees. 

What Is An Event Survey?

Event surveys are questionnaires created to receive feedback from your guests. Questions can be either multiple choice, open ended or on a rating scale! These surveys can be sent to your guests before, during or after your event. Event surveys can use both general and event specific questions regarding your event, and event organizers can compile this information for any future events. 

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Why Should You Send Out Event Surveys?

Event surveys should be sent out to every attendee, as everybody is going to have different experiences. There may be certain aspects of your event that some guests enjoyed, while others didn’t. Collecting all of this information can give event organizers a clear picture of what guests want to see in the future. You will be able to measure attendee satisfaction as well as KPIs. 

Types Of Event Survey Questions

There are several types of questions you can add to your event survey. Use a combination of any of these questions to receive the most accurate information from your attendees. 

<span class="mid-size-title">1. NPS Questions</span>

NPS questions are typically multiple choice questions in which attendees can answer on a numeric scale. For example, questions can be along the lines of “On a scale from 1-5, 5 being the highest, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?” Make sure to make the middle reaction a neutral reaction. Your value from this feedback helps to determine your net promoter score (NPS). Your net score is the percentage of customers who scored on a 9 or 10 minus the percentage of those who are detractors, ones who scored 0-6. 

<span class="mid-size-title">2. Likert Scale Questions</span>

Likert Scale questions are based on opinions, perceptions and behaviors and how attendees felt about them. Attendees can rate their experiences on a 1-5 scale, with one being very dissatisfied with the experience and 5 being very satisfied. Guests can pick which number they feel most satisfied with, in terms of their event experience.

<span class="mid-size-title">3. Open-Ended Questions</span>

Open-ended questions are the best way to allow your attendees to articulate their points about your event. You can ask a general question to your attendees, and leave the response open and up to them. If you wish to see a certain response from your attendees, be sure to put that in the prompt; their responses can be as short or long as attendees feel they need to be.

<span class="mid-size-title">4. Closed-Ended Questions</span>

Closed-ended questions allow attendees to give a short response to your question, without using a multiple choice question. These questions can be as simple as “Did you learn anything at the event?” or “Did you make any new connections at the event?” Attendees can answer with a simple yes or no, and they don’t need to emphasize their answer anymore.

<span class="mid-size-title">5. Rating Scales</span>

Rating scales ask a question to the attendees and they can rate their feelings based on a numerical scale. The numbers can range from 0-10, with 0 being totally dissatisfied with the event and 10 being extremely satisfied with the event. Be sure to make the middle a neutral feeling, as attendees might not have an opinion about the question being asked. 

<span class="mid-size-title">6. Multiple Choice Questions</span>

This may be one of the most popular event survey questions! Attendees can read the question and choose from a variety of options to answer. Multiple choice questions typically have between 3-5 answers, and may include a choice for attendees to fill in a small answer. 

<span class="mid-size-title">7. Matrix Questions</span>

Matrix questions are usually closed-ended questions, and they have attendees answering the question with one or more row items using columns. All of the answers are the same (very dissatisfied, satisfied, very satisfied, etc) across the top of the row, and the questions go down the left hand side in a column. Attendees can read each question and answer accordingly. 

<span class="mid-size-title">8. Yes or No Questions</span>

Yes or no questions are exactly what they sound like: attendees can answer the survey questions with a simple yes or no answer, without any additional information. These questions typically are general questions, ones that don’t require any additional answering. If event organizers feel the need to obtain more information from their attendees, they can use a different set of questions to gather that information. 

42 Event Survey Questions to Ask at Your Next Event

Post Event Survey Questions

To best determine if your guests enjoyed your event, send out a post event survey! Event organizers can use general questions along with event specific questions to pinpoint the best and worst parts of the event. Be sure to add a deadline for your guests to complete the survey to ensure you gather all relevant data and information. 

1. How Satisfied Were You With The Event?

It is important to ask attendees about their event experience, because it may be different for everyone. Asking about their overall satisfaction allows event organizers to determine if their event was a success. You can also ask about specific aspects of the event like the venue, vendors, catering and the quality of the sessions. This question is a great starting point for the survey!

Question Type: Likert Scale

2. What Was Your Favorite Moment Or Experience From The Event?

This open-ended question is going to be different for every attendee, but it allows them to share what they liked most about your event! This question also allows event organizers to get a better picture of what really matters to attendees, that way you can add that aspect to any future events. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

3. What Could We Improve On?

This is an open-ended question that allows your attendees to give constructive feedback. By keeping track of what attendees like and dislike, you can use that to your advantage for any future events. If one aspect of your event isn’t working, and most attendees don’t enjoy it, you certainly want to stay away from that in the future!

Question Type: Open-Ended

4. How Useful Was The Event?

This is a great question to find out what attendees learned and took away from the event. You can form this question to find out not only by what they learned, but also if they applied what they learned to their work life. Events can have all different kinds of sessions and teachings, and attendees can take those lessons back home with them and apply them to their personal and professional lives.

Question Type: Open-Ended

5. Did The Event Meet Your Expectations?

Before the event begins, you can send out an event invitation, explaining all of the sessions and aspects of the event, that way attendees can understand what will happen at the event. After the event, asking your attendees an open ended question like if their expectations were met can help you determine if you kept track with your event goals. If expectations were not met, then you have a benchmark to work on for the next event!

Question Type: Open Ended or Yes/No

6. How Likely Would You Be To Attend Our Events In The Future?

This question can be formed in a yes or no format, with attendees simply answering if they would return to your event. If attendees were satisfied with your event and even learned something, they will typically return to your event. This also helps with the planning of any future events, and you can even use attendee data to market to future events guests. 

Question Type: NPS

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7. Would You Recommend Our Events To A Friend Or Colleague?

Consumers are more likely to purchase a product based on customer reviews or recommendations from others. In terms of events, you can ask attendees if they would recommend your event to a friend. If the answer is yes, you can deduce that your event was successful to the attendees and they feel comfortable enough to send their friends and colleagues to.

Question Type: NPS

8. Did You Have An Opportunity And Place To Ask Questions And Participate?

For both in person and online events, there should be a place for attendees to ask questions and participate in chats. Asking your attendees if they have a space to do this can help with planning any future events. If there is not a space for any Q&As, be sure to include them for your next event, or even have the attendees ask the questions right within the survey!

Question Type: Yes/No

9. What Would Have Made This Event Better?

By receiving feedback from your attendees, you can see what they wanted to see from your event. There may be attendees who all want to see a certain aspect of the event, and if that is the case, you can incorporate it into your next event. Reaching out directly to your attendees can also help you brainstorm new ideas for your next events!

Question Type: Open-Ended, Closed-Ended

10. Why Did You Attend This Event?

Event organizers can use this question to determine if attendees liked your marketing for the event. The marketing for your event is what attracts guests to come to your event, and if you have great marketing, you’ll gain as many guests as possible! Asking your attendees why they attended your event can determine if it was your marketing or another reason.

Question Type: Open-Ended

11. How Did You Hear About This Event?

This is another question to use to find out how exactly your attendees heard about your event. If you marketed your event on social media channels, websites or even through email marketing, you can ask attendees directly about which platform they heard about your event on. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

12. What Did You Enjoy Most About Today?

Each attendee is most likely going to have different aspects of the event that they enjoyed. These questions can be answered in an open-ended format, and attendees can add their favorite parts of the event. If enough attendees enjoyed the same thing, be sure to include that for your next event! 

Question Type: Open-Ended

13. Please Indicate Your Satisfaction With The Following Aspects Of The Event: 

• Venue / Event Platform: Event organizers may think they booked the perfect event space, but it may not have worked for attendees. They can rate their satisfaction on a scale of 1-5, ranking how well they liked the event venue.

• Speakers: Event speakers can be hired for a number of reasons, including chats, lessons and seminars. The topics each speaker talks about can change, depending on the event. Asking your attendees if they enjoyed the speakers will allow event organizers to get a better understanding of if they should bring the speakers back for future events. 

• Quality Of Sessions: During your event, guests may be broken up into smaller groups with a guest speaker. Depending on the event, the sessions may be all different. From Q&A sessions, seminars and workshops, the quality of the sessions can make or break an event.

• Amount Of Sessions Offered: Another aspect of events is the number of sessions offered. This could depend on a few things. The number of people can determine the number of sessions offered. If the group of attendees is small, you won’t want to have a larger number of sessions. However, on the other hand, if you have a large number of attendees but a small number of sessions, the sessions can become overwhelming with too many people.

• Date(s) Of Event: Before your event, you can send out information regarding the event, including asking the attendees which dates work best for them. Giving your attendees enough time before the event can help them plan for the event, like flights, childcare, hotels, etc. 

Question Type: NPS

14. Have You Attended This Event Before?

This question can be answered in a simple yes or no format. It gives event organizers a better idea of who is returning to your event, and who is new. If you want to receive more information about if they have attended your event before, give attendees a space to elaborate on their answer.

Question Type: Yes/No

15. Would You Want To Attend This Event In The Future?

This question is an open-ended question, asking attendees if they saw value within your event and if they wish to return in the future. If event organizers stick to their goals and deliver everything on the event agenda, then attendees should be satisfied with your event and want to return!

Question Type: Yes/No

16. Have You Attended Our Other Events Before?

This question allows event organizers to see how many loyal attendees they have, and how many events they have attended in the past. This question can be answered with a small response, like an open-ended question. Attendees can either answer yes or no, then give a small response or list of other events they have attended. 

Question Type: Yes/No

17. Were You Satisfied With The Amount Of Activities / Workshops?

As stated above, the number of activities and workshops should reflect how many attendees you have. You wouldn’t want to have several workshops with a small number of attendees, and vice versa. Understanding the number of attendees will help event organizers plan for the correct number of activities and workshops.

Question Type: NPS

18. Were You Satisfied With The Quality and Duration Of The Content?

Attendees, as well as event organizers, don't want to sit in one room all day, listening to one speaker. This can make the day seem very long, and attendees might not take away as much as they should from the event. Breaking up the day with small workshops can make the day go by faster, and therefore leaving the attendee satisfied with the event. 

Question Type: NPS

19. How Helpful Was The Staff At The Event?

Event staff can make or break your event, so be sure to have everyone working the event on top of their game. This question can be formed on a rating scale, with attendees rating how well the event staff helped them during the event. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

20. What Was Your Biggest Takeaway From The Event?

This question can be open-ended, allowing guests to answer about their biggest takeaway. These answers are going to differentiate from each attendee, as not everyone will be attending the event for the same reasons. However, as long as they took something away from the event and applied it to their personal or professional lives, they can be transparent about it in their answer.

Question Type: Open-Ended

21. How Satisfied Were You With The Virtual Event Platform?

Some events may be held online, and it may be tough for attendees to navigate through. By choosing the right virtual event platform, it can help every attendee throughout the event. This question can also be formatted through a rating scale, allowing attendees to rate their virtual platform experience.

Question Type: NPS

22. What Were Your Favorite Virtual Features?

Virtual hosting platforms have many features that come with hosting events. There may be an aspect of the event that attendees enjoyed, and weren’t able to get through an in-person event! This question can be formed in an open-ended response, allowing attendees to state their favorite part of the virtual event.

Question Type: Open-Ended

23. How Easy-To-Navigate Was The Platform For The Event?

As stated above, there may be some attendees who might not know how to navigate a virtual event platform. By providing your attendees with as much information about the platform as possible, they can have an easier time navigating the site. This question can be done in an open-ended manner, allowing attendees to state any specific issues they may have had.

Question Type: NPS

24. How Satisfied Were You With The Networking Opportunities Provided?

Events typically have some sort of networking opportunity, and attendees can take the time to get to know one another. Networking opportunities can be done with both in person and virtual events! This question can be formed with a rating scale, rating how satisfied you were with the networking. If attendees feel the need to elaborate on their networking opportunities, be sure to include a section for them to do so.

Question Type: NPS

25. How Satisfied Were You With The Speakers And Sessions At The Event?

As stated above, guest speakers and workshops can help to improve your event! By asking your attendees how satisfied they were with the guest speakers, you will want to keep that in mind for future events. Attendees are more likely to return to an event of yours when you acquire certain guest speakers. 

Question Type: NPS

26. What Topics Would You Like To See More Of At Our Next Event?

This is a great open ended question to ask your attendees. It gives event organizers ideas for future events. Attendees can list what topics they wish to see at future events, or even provide a small explanation as to why they wish to see those topics.

Question Type: Open-Ended

27. How Did This Event Impact Your Perception Of Our Company?

This is a great question to ask your attendees to determine how effective your brand is! Your company brand is your logo, colors, tone and overall identity. By putting out a positive brand on your event marketing, people will want to attend your event, and you need to live up to your brand. If your brand lives up to the perception of a guest, your event will be a success. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

28. Did You Have Any Issues Registering For Or Attending The Event?

Everyone knows how fickle using the internet can be, and it may be tricky to register for an event or buy tickets. Attendees should have a section to express their concerns, if any, about registering or purchasing tickets. Event organizers can use this feedback to fix any issues they may have on their event website.

Question Type: Yes/No, Open-Ended

29. How Would You Rate The Quality Of Audio And Video At The Event?

For both in person and virtual events, the sound and audio quality may sometimes be faulty, causing attendees to not see or hear what is being said. Asking them how they felt about the audio and video can help event organizers decide if the event worked well for everyone. If there are audio or video issues, it may be an issue on the end of the attendees, which is something they need to look into.

Question Type: Rating Scale

30. What Features Did You Like Best About The Event Experience?

This is an open ended question for attendees, allowing them to express how they felt about their favorite part of the event. They can either list their favorite parts, or elaborate a bit more about what they liked best. Event organizers can take this into consideration when planning their next event. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

31. Did You Find The Event Easy To Navigate?

Events can be difficult to navigate, both in person and online. By asking your attendees if they found the event easy to navigate, you can get a better understanding if there is anything you need to fix. If an attendee had trouble navigating through, find the problem and fix it for your next event!

Question Type: Yes/No, Open-Ended

32. How Would You Rate Our Event Venue And Equipment In Regards To How It Served Your Keynote?

Every event comes with workers and equipment that help your event run smoothly. Ask your attendees how well these two things worked with the event, and if they worked well together, then your event was a success!

Question Type: Rating Scale

33. Did You Receive All The Information You Needed To Successfully Present Before The Event?

Providing your attendees with as much information before the event will only set them up for success during the actual event. All relevant information can be sent to attendees through an email or through your event app (if there is one). 

Question Type: Yes/No

34. Please Share Any Additional Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions For Future Events

While this isn’t necessarily a question, it should be asked at the event of every post event survey! It allows attendees to share any thoughts that weren’t touched upon during the survey. Any comments or concerns can also be shared here, with event organizers reaching out to the individuals who shared the question to give them an answer. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

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35. Is There Anything Else You Would Like Us To Know?

This question goes along with the one above. Giving your attendees a section to add any additional information regarding the event allows them to cover anything that wasn’t stated in the post event survey. 

Question Type: Open-Ended

Pre Event Survey Questions

Not only can you receive feedback after your event concludes, but you can also send out pre-event surveys to generate excitement! There may be guests who need special accommodations and with event surveys, they can let you know all of that relevant information.

36. How Did You Hear About This Event?

This question can be sent before or after the event, and event organizers can find out how their attendees learned about the event. Marketing for your event can be done throughout many social media channels and websites, so it will be interesting to see how each attendee heard about the event.

37. What Are You Most Excited About?

Asking attendees what they’re most excited about allows event organizers to put extra emphasis on these aspects. If more than one attendee is excited about a certain part of your event, try and make that a top priority for everyone!

38. Have You Attended This Event Before?

This question can be asked before or after the event, and event organizers use it as a benchmark to see who has attended your event before. Guests who have attended before know what to expect, and guests who have never attended will be in for a surprise once they arrive at the event!

39. Why Did You Choose This Event?

Depending on the theme of the event, guests might be attending the event for different reasons. Some might use it as a learning opportunity, others may use it as a networking opportunity. Whatever the reason may be, guests may have different reasons for attending and should let event organizers know that.

40. Do You Have Special Accommodations You Would Like Us To Be Aware Of?

For in person events, you should know about any special accommodations. There may be guests who are in wheelchairs, for example. Event organizers should make sure there are ramps and handicapped accessible doors for them to use. Knowing all of this information is helpful to event organizers and will help them run a smooth and successful event.

41. Was There Any Event Information That Was Difficult For You To Find?

Although event organizers tried their best to provide all of the relevant information, there may be some information that was difficult to find. If that is the case, letting event organizers know can only help them in the future and allows them to fix the event website to make this information easier to find!

42. Which Social Media Platform Do You Use The Most?

By asking this question to your attendees, you can find out the best way to market to them. Social media is used by almost everyone nowadays, and if you market your event on these popular social media platforms, you can ensure that you will reach a larger audience. You can also encourage your attendees to follow your company’s social media pages, to be kept up to date with all event information.

Event Surveys Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. What Are Post Event Surveys?

Post event surveys are a series of questions, sent to attendees after the conclusion of the event. These questions can come in many forms, including yes/no questions, multiple choice questions and open ended questions. Post event surveys are the best way for event organizers to receive feedback about the event.

2. Why Are Post Event Surveys Important?

Post event surveys are important, as they give event organizers a more in depth look into how attendees felt about the event. Each attendee is going to have different opinions about the event, and they should be allowed to share their opinions! The feedback event organizers receive from their attendees can be used to help plan any future events. 

3. How Should You Send Post Event Surveys

Post event surveys can be sent to guests a few different ways! Keep in mind that post-event surveys should be sent immediately after the event is over, so the event is still fresh in your attendee’s minds and they don’t forget anything!

• Email  

Every attendee should give their email address when registering for the event. Post event surveys sent to their email addresses is one of the best ways to get the information you need. All of the information is digital and can be accessed immediately by event organizers.

• Social Media

Post event surveys can be posted on the company’s social media accounts. There can be a link provided where the attendee can provide their personal information and then begin to answer questions about the event. 

• Event Website 

Your event may have its own website, where attendees go to register and purchase tickets. Be sure to add your post event survey to this website, and attendees can fill out the survey when the event is over.

• Attendee App

If you have created an event app, your attendees will already have all of their information in one place. Event organizers should let attendees know that there is a post event survey within the app itself, and even show them how to arrive at the survey. 

• In Person 

If you choose to have your post event survey done in person, distribute the surveys with enough time left in the event for attendees to fill out the information. The surveys can be collected and then sorted through to gather all of the necessary information. 

4. When To Send Out Post Event Surveys

As previously mentioned, sending out post event surveys right after the event concludes is the best way to get the information needed, as the event is still fresh in the minds of your attendees. If you send out the post event survey too late, your attendees may forget crucial information regarding the event!

5. Why Should B2B Tech Companies Use Surveys in Virtual Events?

Answer: Surveys allow B2B tech companies to collect real-time feedback and data, which can be used for improving future events, assessing the effectiveness of the content, and gaining insights into audience needs and preferences. This information can also guide product development and marketing strategies.

6. What Is the Best Time to Send Out Surveys During a Virtual Event?

Answer: The timing depends on what you want to measure. Pre-event surveys can help you tailor content to your audience, whereas mid-event or post-session surveys can gauge engagement and satisfaction. Post-event surveys are great for an overall assessment and for planning future events.

7. How Many Questions Should Be Included in a Virtual Event Survey?

Answer: Keep it concise to encourage completion. For a quick mid-event pulse check, 3-5 questions may suffice. Post-event surveys can be longer but should ideally be completed in under 5 minutes.

8. What Types of Questions Work Best for B2B Tech Virtual Event Surveys?

Answer: Mix multiple-choice questions, rating scales, and open-ended questions for comprehensive feedback. Multiple-choice questions make it easier to analyze data, while open-ended questions offer qualitative insights.

9. How Can I Encourage Higher Response Rates?

Answer: Make the survey easy to access, perhaps by embedding it directly into the event platform. Offer incentives like downloadable resources or entry into a giveaway to encourage participation.

10. Should the Survey Be Anonymous?

Answer: Anonymity can encourage more honest feedback. However, if you wish to follow up on specific issues, consider giving respondents the option to include their contact information.

11. Can Survey Results Be Used for Content Creation?

Answer: Absolutely! Insights from the survey can be turned into blog posts, infographics, or even whitepapers that address audience interests or concerns, thereby extending the value of your virtual event.

12. How Can I Make Sure My Survey Questions Are Unbiased?

Answer: Avoid leading questions and offer balanced response options. For example, if using a rating scale, ensure it is symmetrical with an equal number of positive and negative options.

13. Should I Customize Surveys Based on Different Sessions or Tracks in the Event?

Answer: Customizing surveys can provide more specific insights. For instance, a technical session might require different questions compared to a panel discussion on industry trends.

14. How Do I Analyze the Survey Data?

Answer: Use data analytics tools to visualize responses. Look for trends or outliers that could be significant. If possible, segment the data based on attendee roles or industries to gain more nuanced insights.

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Conclusion

Gathering feedback from attendees is an essential component of any successful event. Pre and post-event surveys offer valuable insights that can help you better understand your audience, improve future events, and drive more engagement and ROI. With these 42 survey questions, you now have a comprehensive toolkit to craft effective surveys and collect actionable feedback. And if you're looking for an all-in-one event management platform that streamlines the entire event planning process, look no further than Hubilo. Our platform offers robust features for everything from ticketing and registration to virtual and hybrid event hosting. Ready to learn more? Request a demo today and discover how Hubilo can help you create amazing events that leave a lasting impression on attendees.