RKG Logo 434-978-4300

Google added a survey tool to their Google docs spreadsheet app. Nice email integration, too.

While it has basically the same functionality of a SurveyMonkey or Wufoo, the Google survey tool is already integrated with a spreadsheet program, making analysis easier.

With other web survey tools, the first thing you you do is dump the data to Excel, then you need to keep repulling the data as answers come in.

Google’s approach stores your survey responses in the spreadsheet itself, always available, easily shared, and always fresh.

Seth Godin suggests additional features (variable pricing, geo pricing), but even in its current form, the Google Surveys feature is quite useful.

My suggested additional feature: an open API, ala Wufoo’s survey API. It seems probable Google will do the same.

Possible uses include:

  • buyer surveys
  • most valuable customer surveys
  • prospect surveys
  • employee surveys

To create a survey, start a new spreadsheet in Google Docs, click “Share” tab on right, name your survey, then check the “fill out a form” option under “Invite people”.

Link: Google Docs

google docs survey tool

If you like this post, consider subscribing to our RSS feed. You can also have new posts sent to you via email.


Related Posts

Comments

  1. Erica DeWolf, February 17, 2008:

    Great announcement of this tool! It’s the first I heard of it, and your post certainly gave me the gist of it. Thanks!

  2. Dave Lovelace, February 21, 2008:

    Hi Alan,

    Found your blog using “google survey tool” keyword. I just discovered the Presentation feature this week and had heard about the Survey tool, but couldn’t recall how to set it up. This was helpful.

    My readers have been giving me great reviews using the Presentation tool (which is like Power Point). They say it helps them better absorb the training due to the interaction required). You can see how I used tool on my blog at http://davidlovelace.com/online-joint-ventures-explained/

    Thanks again,
    Dave

  3. Alan Rimm-Kaufman, February 21, 2008:

    Hi Dave — Some the slides on that link were jumbled, with text overlapping text. Just a heads up. Haven’t played w/ the presentation tool myself; I’ll check it out. Thanks for the comment — Alan

  4. Naveen, March 4, 2008:

    Hi,

    Request you to send me the tool demo or whatever sample which I Can use for my team outing purpose to capture the teams preferances.

    Thanks & Regards
    Naveen

  5. Alan Rimm-Kaufman, March 4, 2008:
  6. Debra Askanase, December 28, 2008:

    Hi Alan,
    Thanks for the quick overview. Just want to point out that the Wufoo outgoing link actually connects to Survey Monkey. I’m putting together a blog post on survey tools, and will include a link to this post when it is published. Thanks,
    Debra

  7. Velocipedus, January 12, 2009:

    Your description is no longer accurate: it is now done as New Document - Form, easy peasy (& free!)

  8. survey online, June 28, 2009:

    unfortunatelly i have to say that Google tools are the easiest survey web

  9. mt, July 19, 2009:

    Thanks for this post! I love Google tools but didn’t know about surveys until I searched and found this blog.
    It works great!

  10. eternity, August 18, 2009:

    Hi!
    I found your post useful. Thanks.
    Could you help me dealing with this tool?
    I’m making my paper to university. My survey is only for police officers, and I do not want to invite anyone to fill the form I made, I simply not allowed, cos the departement want to keep them anonim for me.
    Is there other way to gather data or only this e-mail invited?
    Please, help!
    eternity74@freemail.hu

  11. George Michie, August 18, 2009:

    I’m pretty sure any of the tools mentioned in the post can be used to create anonymous surveys. Somehow, the subjects (police officers in your case) need to get access to the survey link, but that can be done without sending individual emails.

    Good luck

  12. Jared, August 31, 2009:

    I think Google docs is a great way to quickly and easily collect data from a variety of sources. It can also be used for basic simple surveys which for most DIY’ers will suffice. Wouldn’t recommend it for business applications though but great for students, community groups or non-for profits. I just had a quick run through so I could get a feel for the process and have documented it here if you want to have a look. http://www.rockresearch.co.nz/blog/2009/09/01/using-google-forms-for-online-market-research/

Your Comment

Trackback

http://www.rimmkaufman.com/rkgblog/2008/02/11/google-docs-survey-tool/trackback/

Email Updates

Categories

Recent Comments

  • Curtis: Great study George! Along the same lines, I’m trying to find a study about which search engines have the highest conversion ratios....
  • registry cleaner: Thank you. I found your division of total time spent on priorities very useful!thanks again
  • George Michie: Ophir, thank you for your marvelous comment. I agree with you. Brand building is an important element of marketing, and a very...
  • Ophir: Hi George, Interesting post, very intereting. I find myself struggling with this issue day in day out and I mostly agreee with your...
  • Kevin Hillstrom: Oh, you are on to something! I can promise you that.
  • George Michie: I am eager to see what you’re thinking on the topic, Kevin. Some of our early early data scratchings suggest that we may be...
  • Kevin Hillstrom: This will teach me to not schedule posts … I have a half-dozen similar posts coming in the next week!!
  • TAMMY LANGWORTHY: I WISH TO CANCEL MY FUN FAMILY REWARDS AS I DON’T USE IT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TAMMY LANGWORTHY
  • George Michie: Thanks Dave, it is a hot topic for good reason. I’ve had some interesting conversations with Kevin Hillstrom about his...
  • Mark Ballard: I certainly don’t mean to discourage advertising with Yahoo at all as there’s plenty of value to be had there. Healthy...
  • Nathan L.: I have thought about advertising on Yahoo! for some time, but news like this makes me want to just stick with Google. Good useful...
  • Dave 2.0: George, thanks for the callout on the survey. I’m VERY interested in the topic.
  • Nancy Maiewski: Another charge on my J.C.Penney statement for $9.95 for Family Fun Rewards! This isn’t the first time I have opened my bill...
  • George Michie: David, I’m sure Shop.org will make the results available to participants. We’re talking about presenting them at the...
  • David: It’s not clear from the survey whether participants get a free copy of the results. Do you know?

Blog Stats

  • Posts: 938
  • Words: 441,342
  • Comments: 2,755

Administration