Getting Savvy with Surveys

Important considerations for polling your community

by Kara Irby, Florida League of Cities

Start with the end in mind. That popular phrase is commonly tossed out when considering strategic planning and goal setting, but it’s also true when planning to survey residents in your municipality.

Knowing how survey results will be used will help guide the survey’s design. Josh Taylor, Public Information Officer for the City of North Port, said, “Ask yourself, ‘Is it working its way into a strategic plan or being used to drive policy? Is it influencing your overall decision-making, funding or community development?’”

North Port has conducted several surveys for its residents using a third-party company. Every two years, the City invests in a comprehensive citizen survey to get the pulse of the community and learn what is working and what is not.

The report generated by the company is posted on the City’s website. Blurbs are shared on social media to direct interested residents to the full report online.

Another community feedback survey was an exercise in which residents were given a hypothetical $100 to use as they pleased. The goal of this survey was to understand where North Port residents felt their hard-earned dollars would be spent most wisely.

To get the word out about surveys and polling opportunities, Taylor said they use their quarterly newsletter, which is sent digitally and also mailed to the 38,000 homes in the City.

“We hit all facets,” Taylor said. “We talk to people in person, reach them digitally with social media and the website and send physical prints.”

They also have a City app that notifies users when new information is posted. The response allows staff to see the immediate impacts of the information they’re providing.

If a city doesn’t have the resources to invest in a paid survey service, there are free survey tools such as SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics and Google Forms. Taylor said some existing city web platforms may have survey options built in. “If you can’t afford or aren’t willing to invest thousands of dollars into surveying your residents, look at services you already have or try utilizing low- to no-cost survey options.”

In addition to considering your investment, ensure the survey is accessible, said Chris Holley, Research and Innovation Manager at the Florida League of Cities. “Make sure your residents feel like they have a voice in your polling,” Holley said. “Consider the demographics and ways different populations will be able to engage. Is there a digital divide in whom you are surveying?” Not all people have access to the internet or a comfort level with computers/smartphones. Allow the survey to be called in or taken at a public library, and consider the needs of those who are blind or partially sighted and deaf or hard of hearing.

Whether you choose to send out a mass survey or run a quick social media poll, it’s important to inform community members that the survey is just one way to provide input. Public forums are another important way residents can voice their concerns.

While the survey responses should result in important takeaways and actionable suggestions, survey results should also be taken with a grain of salt, Holley emphasizes.

As citizens working together to create the best place possible to live, work and play, it’s essential that citizens feel they have outlets to communicate. The municipal communicator’s job is to help the community members understand that it takes all people working together and providing input to make that goal possible.

Kara Irby is a Communications Specialist at the Florida League of Cities.

Survey Best Practices

When creating a survey or analyzing results, consider:

▸ Deadlines: The timeline window for feedback is ideally no longer than a month once the survey is distributed.

▸ Incentives: Consider incentivizing the use of the survey, such as providing city swag or a gift card, to entice participation.

▸ Options: Multiple choice is ideal for quantifiable results.

▸ No Neutrality: Use a scale from 1 to 4 to reduce the likelihood of a largely neutral result.

▸ Expectations: Don’t set an expectation that the survey results alone will determine the final decision, strategy or outcome.

▸ Quick Clicks: The fewer clicks a survey taker has to make, the better.

▸ Follow Up: If there is negative survey feedback, have someone standing by to respond.