Advertising for children’s toys cannot run late into the night.
Why?
Because the target population (the children) usually are snoring their nights away.
When it comes to advertising, you have to put the money where the mouth is.
Businesses need to know where their target audience will be and learn how to reach them effectively.
Consumers are individuals with particular needs and want. And if you know what their desires, wishes, and wants are, then you’ll learn how to address their pain points and alleviate their suffering. So, it would help if you had loads of info about your customers. However, getting that information can be challenging.
Because not every customer is eager to share their life story, you need to collect this information quickly, painlessly, and in volume.
That’s where demographic survey questions come into play.
So, What are Demographic Survey Questions?
These are the basic questions you find at the top of the survey and focus on inquiring about the respondents’ background. The information obtained helps the marketing team identify a specific respondent to see where every person fits in the overall population.
The Importance of Demographics Question
Demographic questions help you understand who your target market is, including their train of thoughts.
By including demographic questions for the survey, you can save yourself and your company much money by taking the time to put the questions in your survey.
Here are more reasons why you should include demographic questions in your customer survey.
It Makes it Easier to Track Trends and Social Changes
Suppose you want to track shifts and societal patterns over time. In that case, the demographic questions survey is appropriate because its categories and criterion seldom alter due to its simplicity.
Recognizing trends in this manner helps companies in tracking, monitoring, and analyzing the customer journey. And it becomes a bit easier for brands to predict the future of the market.
They are very helpful in all Your Marketing efforts.
The more data you have regarding your target population, the better. For example, suppose you know that most of your target population consists of college kids. In that case, you’ll tailor your marketing message to best resonate with them in every way.
Also, you’ll be able to reach them right where they like hanging out, and this will be a significant boost to your marketing efforts.
In other words, you will not be like someone groping in the darkness playing hit or miss games. Instead, you’ll market your products like a pro because you understand your target population, and your message will always hit home.
Disadvantages of Demographic Questions for Survey
Every coin has two sides. Right? So do demographic questions for the survey. Besides these fantastic benefits, demographic questions have a few drawbacks. Let’s take a look.
The Information Obtained Could be Subject to Misinterpretation
If you get your population target data from census material, you need to be extra cautious. Some of the information from these materials becomes fast and quickly outdated. For example, a person who is single today could be married in a few years. In addition, people’s lifestyles change at every turn. So, you need to factor this into all your marketing campaigns. What may once have been the ordinary might not be the case today.
Demographic Data can be Too Blurry.
Though demographic information gives you helpful information about a person, such as gender or age, it will not offer you insights into their dislikes, likes, or personality.
And this could be something that many brands would like to know to target each person as an individual. So, in short, demographic questions leave a lot to be desired. Nonetheless, they are still valuable for giving you a general feel of your target population.
Demographic Survey Questions Examples
Demographic questions assist your company in developing correct buyer personas. Buyer personas have a significant impact on your marketing campaigns, sales strategies, and customer service. The more specific your personas are, the better your understanding of your customer’s values and needs.
So, be sure to include the following questions in your survey.
Relationship/ marital Status
It is a norm for moms to prioritize their children over themselves. Consider this when carrying out your survey and contrast this with a single childless woman. In addition, marital/ relationship status impacts how an individual responds to survey questions.
Suppose you question a single woman about her priorities. In that case, she will likely give replies that revolve around herself, her jobs, friends, and parents. On the other hand, if you ask a married lady about her priorities, she’ll probably prioritize her kids, husband, and home.
Example: “Are you married/ engaged?
A. Yes
B. No
C. I would rather not disclose
Gender/ sex
Gender or sex is the one question you’ll find in practically every survey. This is because a person’s gender significantly impacts their way of thinking and affects the survey’s outcome.
Women can balance both hemispheres, although men have a stronger left hemisphere. This explains why women are more aware of their emotions than men. In contrast, men prefer to think in a more unbiased, task-oriented manner.
Make sure you use the word “gender” instead of “sex” when phrasing this inquiry.
Gender is more of a matter of perspective, providing the respondent more leeway in their responses. You should also always give the option to “Would rather not answer.” That way, participants will not feel compelled to divulge sensitive information as a result of this question.
Example: “What gender do you like identifying as?”
A. Male
B. Female
C Prefer not to disclose
Employment Status
Inquiring about a person’s annual income is an extremely sensitive question, up to a point where some people consider it intrusive.
That’s why it is preferable to inquire about your respondents’ employment status rather than their annual salary. Take note of the responses of the employed versus those of the unemployed.
There’s a significant difference between employed and unemployed responses as their perspectives may differ regarding financial matters.
You might also need to include a query inquiring what sector they work in. This can help you determine which business field to target.
Example
Are you currently…?
- Employed for wages
- Self-employed
- Out of work and looking for work
- Military
- Retired
- Out of labor but not currently looking for work
- A homemaker
- A student
- I prefer not to say
Education
Education is a crucial demographic question as it reveals the type of work a candidate could be doing. If all of your respondents have a Ph.D., you know their jobs require critical thinking. As a result, you can make a logical instead of a psychological one. These could be pointers as to why your company is more appealing to them.
When asking education-related queries, include some options for trades and apprenticeships. Most of your target population may have picked a different career path, and the survey responses should mirror this factor.
Example: Name the highest degree or level of education you have attained. If you are currently enrolled, state your highest degree earned.
- Associate degree
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- High school graduate, diploma, or any equivalent
- Some college credit, no degree
- Trade/technical/vocational training
- No schooling completed
- Nursery school to 8th grade
- Some high school, no diploma
- Professional degree
- Trade School
- Doctorate
- I prefer not to say
Age
The age of the respondent is a standard demographic question you find in almost every survey.
You’ll need to know how old the candidate is and whether or not they fit your target demographic. This question is best asked in a multiple-choice style with age ranges for every answer.
Because some customers may be uncomfortable disclosing their exact age, this format allows them to participate while still safeguarding their unique information.
Other demographic survey questions include:
- Location
- Ethnicity
- Place of Birth
- Household Income
- Employment
- Family and Dependents
- Religion
- Political Affiliation
- Voting Status
- Language
Closing Thoughts
These are the demographic questions you should include in almost every survey. Always reconsider and upgrade the demographic questions you use in your research surveys for professional and ethical reasons.
The respondents’ answers will surprise you as most of them might not be what you were expecting. So, be ready for it. The most critical thing is that you collect enough information and use it to steer your business to the next level.
