The four qualitative question types in brand and advertising research

The preference question tells you which option wins. The qualitative questions tell you why, and which parts of the losing options were worth keeping. Four formats, each suited to a different kind of answer.

1. Short open questions

These allow participants to provide concise answers, typically a word or a short sentence. For example: "What's the first word that comes to your mind after viewing this logo?"

2. Yes or No

Direct and binary, these questions demand a straightforward "Yes" or "No" response. For example: "Would you be interested in learning more after seeing this billboard?"

3. Rating scale

Participants evaluate a statement or a product on a numerical scale. For example: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how trustworthy do you find our website?"

4. Multiple choice

A question followed by multiple possible answers, from which the participant can choose one or more options. For example, "Would you say our visual identity fits with our mission to improve the world?"

How many qualitative questions should you add?

Two or three. Every additional question lengthens the time each respondent spends, which raises the credit cost per response and increases drop-off. goahead places open questions at the end automatically, so the preference result is captured before anyone abandons.

By diversifying the type of open questions in your survey, you can achieve a richer and more comprehensive understanding of your audience's perspective.

You can find our question templates written by pros here.