A demographic survey is one of the most effective ways of identifying the type of respondents fit for your research study and the different kinds of perceptions toward a brand, product, or service. Following the completion of the survey and identification of the target market, marketing efforts may be concentrated in a more efficient and timely manner.

What questions should you include in your demographic surveys?

1. Age

Age is a typical demographic question that every survey should contain. It's an important variable to consider since people of different ages have a different set of values, beliefs, and attitudes toward different things. In most cases, a respondent in his twenties will likely respond differently than a respondent in his seventies.

A multiple-choice format with age ranges for each answer is the ideal approach to pose this question since some respondents are not comfortable sharing their exact age.

2. Gender

Gender can help companies identify whether to introduce their brand to other gender groups they have not considered previously. Including gender in survey questions, however, depends on what industry you belong to.

Gender is a sensitive subject and the way you ask this question can have a variety of effects on your audience. 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. Always give the option to "prefer not to say." Doing this will not make participants feel compelled to pass on sensitive information.

3. Ethnicity

Questions about ethnicity help you get a better picture of cultural origins composed of a variety of diverse customs and traditions that affect your clients. If you have this information, you'll have a better grasp of why certain customers answer questions in a different way than others.

Put in mind that many nations are melting pots of different cultures. In the United States alone, you may encounter respondents who identify as Latino, Native Hawaiian, African American, and many more, so it’s appropriate to make check-box type questions.

4. Location

The location enables you to pinpoint where your consumers come from and you may find out if they dwell in unexpected regions of interest. For example, you may be surprised to know that your company has a strong worldwide audience and that there are opportunities to promote in various regions.  

If you're doing business internationally, you may only need to know the country. On the other hand, the city or ZIP code is enough if you're conducting business locally. This question is frequently answered using a drop-down menu because there are so many possible answers.

5. Education

The educational level of your respondents is significant since it can influence how they react to questions. Different levels of education may entail different career experiences and perspectives.

6. Employment

Employment can be used as a substitute for asking about earnings since many respondents are hesitant to reveal their salaries. This question serves as a workaround to determine your participants’ average salary if you want to have an idea of how much they earn.

This question also addresses years of experience, industry, job title, organization size, and many more.

7. Language

Language is important to businesses for two major reasons. First, speaking your consumers' language strengthens your relationship with them. Second, understanding the languages they speak offers some significant cultural information about them. The fact that two persons are from the same place doesn’t indicate they speak the same language.

Asking the proper demographic questions will enable you to gain useful and actionable insights that can help you make better business decisions. Working with a credible market research facilitation service that understands your industry is critical since it will help you conduct research with the audience fit for your project needs.