Event feedback questions
Good event feedback questions cover overall satisfaction, the parts of the event attendees paid for (content, speakers, venue, logistics), whether they would come again or recommend it, and one open question on what to change. Ask them within a few days of the event, while the experience is still fresh.
Ask about the parts attendees experienced
An event has several parts that can each go well or badly, and a single “how was the event?” cannot tell you which one needs work. Ask about each part separately: the registration process, the venue, the content of each session, the speakers, networking, and the food or logistics if they apply. Each answer then points at one thing to fix.
Example event feedback questions
| Part | Example question | Response format |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | How satisfied were you with the event overall? | 1 to 5 rating |
| Content | How relevant was the content to your work? | 1 to 5 rating |
| Speaker | How clear and easy to follow was this speaker? | 1 to 5 rating, one per session |
| Venue | How comfortable was the venue for the length of the day? | 1 to 5 rating |
| Logistics | How easy was it to find your way around on the day? | 1 to 5 rating |
| Networking | Did you make a useful contact at the event? | Yes, no, or not sure |
| Recommend | How likely are you to recommend this event to a colleague? | 0 to 10 |
| Open | What was the most useful thing you took away? | Free text |
| Open | What is one thing we should change next time? | Free text |
The recommendation question and the score
The 0 to 10 “how likely are you to recommend” question is the one most event teams keep, because it compares across events. Its scoring has a rule that surprises people: passives who answer 7 or 8 are left out of the net calculation. The NPS calculator applies that rule for you. Use the 0 to 10 scale only for this question, not for the satisfaction ratings, so readers do not confuse the two.
Speakers need their own questions
Ask one short block per session, not one overall speaker rating. A speaker who delivered a strong talk to a small room should not be judged on the same number as a headline keynote. Keep the block to three or four items, such as clarity, relevance, and time for questions, and label each block with the session name so the answers line up with the schedule.
Do not send a survey that asks for a name you do not need
Timing and reminders
SurveyMonkey’s post-event guide gives attendees a few days to answer the first invitation, then suggests one or two reminders over the next two weeks, and no further reminders after about a month, when people remember fewer details. Tell attendees how long the survey takes in the invitation.
A worked example
Suppose a hypothetical one-day conference has 120 attendees and 40 responses. The overall rating is good, but the session on pricing scores well below the others, and the speaker comments say the slides were hard to read from the back of the room. The organiser does not need a new speaker or a new event. The next event needs larger slides for that session, and a note to the speaker before the rehearsal.
The lesson is in the grouping. A single overall score would have hidden the one session that needs work. Each rating tied to a part of the event points at one thing you can change before the next event.
Check before you send
- Each rating names one part of the event, and the scale labels are the same across parts.
- The recommend question uses 0 to 10 and sits apart from the satisfaction ratings.
- Speaker questions are grouped by session, so the answers line up with the schedule.
- The survey link works on a phone, and the length has been timed by a colleague.
- Anything personal is optional, and the invitation says why it is asked.
Build it in Seagit Forms
Start from the feedback form template, then add one rating question per part of the event. Seagit Forms has no grid field, so each rating is its own question using the same five labels. Turn on the email notification from the email notifications guide if you want to see responses come in during the first week.
Sources
- SurveyMonkey, “Post event survey questions to ask” (example questions, reminder timing).
Common questions
- When should I send an event feedback survey?
- Send the first invitation while the event is still fresh. SurveyMonkey advises one or two reminders over the following two weeks, and no reminders after about a month, when attendees remember fewer details.
- Should I ask speakers to rate their own session?
- Ask attendees about each session. A speaker’s own view of their talk is a different question, and it belongs in a separate short form for the speaker.
- How many event feedback questions are too many?
- Keep the attendee survey to what you will act on. A short set of ratings, one recommendation question and two open questions is usually enough to plan the next event. Test the length with a colleague before sending it.