Event feedback survey
Event feedback surveys that improve the next event
The best post-event survey arrives the same evening, takes two minutes and asks about the one session that mattered most. Here is how to build one, plus templates for conferences, webinars and workshops.
In short
An event feedback survey asks attendees to rate the overall value of an event, its logistics and its sessions, and what to change next time. Send it within 24 hours, keep it to six to eight questions, and ask about the single most valuable session rather than rating every one.
Send it the same day
Response rates for event surveys drop quickly once people are back at their desks. Put a QR code on the final slide, send the link in the closing email the same evening, and send one reminder two days later. For webinars, show the survey on the exit page.
What to ask (and what to leave out)
Ask about value first: 'Overall, how valuable was the event for you?'. Then the practical things you control — length, venue or platform, food, registration — and one recommendation question. Finish with two open questions: the most valuable part and what to change.
Do not ask attendees to rate every session in one long grid. Ratings for sessions people did not attend creep in, and fatigue flattens the scores. Use a short per-session QR card instead, or ask which single session was the highlight.
Compare attendees, speakers and sponsors separately
A speaker's view of the venue is not an attendee's view of the content. Add a 'You attended as…' question at the start and use it to filter results, or send separate surveys to sponsors and volunteers. Sponsor feedback in particular decides next year's revenue, so ask about lead quality and value directly.
Do not forget the pre-event survey
Four to six weeks out, ask registered attendees what they want to get out of the day, which topics interest them and what access or dietary needs they have. You will build a better agenda — and you will know what to measure afterwards.
Example questions and why they work
| Question | Type | Why ask it |
|---|---|---|
| Overall, how valuable was the event for you? | Rating 1–5 | The headline measure; compare it across events. |
| Was the length about right? | Single choice | The most common fixable complaint. |
| How would you rate the venue or platform? | Rating 1–5 | Separates logistics from content. |
| How likely are you to recommend this event to a colleague? | NPS 0–10 | A proxy for next year's word of mouth. |
| Which part was most valuable, and why? | Open text | Tells you what to keep. |
| What should we change next time? | Open text | Tells you what to fix. |
How to run an event feedback survey
About 10 minutes
Pick the template
Choose the event, conference, webinar or workshop template that matches your format.
Add an attendee-type question
Add 'You attended as…' so you can compare attendees, speakers and sponsors.
Create a QR code and link
Put the QR code on the final slide and the link in the closing email.
Send the same day
Send within 24 hours with one reminder two days later.
Share what you will change
Email attendees three changes you will make, which raises response rates next time.
How teams use it
Illustrative examples of how the templates are typically used, not customer case studies.
A regional trade association
- Goal
- Decide whether to keep a two-day format.
- Set-up
- The conference template with a length question and an attendee-type split.
- What they learned
- Members rated day two lower and most said the event was too long; the next event was a single day with a longer networking block.
A SaaS company running monthly webinars
- Goal
- Turn webinar attendees into qualified leads.
- Set-up
- The webinar template on the exit page with a 'What would you like next?' question.
- What they learned
- Attendees who asked for a demo were routed to sales the same day through a webhook.
Templates to start from
- Event feedbackPost-event survey for workshops, webinars and in-person events: value, logistics and what to do next time.6 questions · ~2 min
- Conference feedbackMulti-day conference evaluation: keynotes, sessions, networking, venue, food, app and value for the ticket price.6 questions · ~4 min
- Webinar feedbackContent, presenter, platform and the follow-up question that turns attendees into leads: recording, demo or call.6 questions · ~2 min
- Workshop evaluationHands-on workshop feedback: objectives met, facilitator, materials, pace, confidence gained and next steps.5 questions · ~3 min
- Pre-event surveyGoals, topic preferences, access and dietary needs and how attendees heard about the event, before the agenda is final.5 questions · ~3 min
- Session and speaker feedbackPer-session rating card for content, delivery, relevance and slides, shared by QR code at the end of each talk.5 questions · ~1 min
Frequently asked questions
How soon after an event should I send the survey?
Within 24 hours, ideally the same evening. Response rates fall noticeably after a few days.
How long should an event survey be?
Six to eight questions, around two minutes. Use separate short session cards if you need per-session ratings.
Should event surveys be anonymous?
For honest feedback on speakers and organisation, yes. Ask for contact details only in an optional final question.
Can I collect feedback at the venue?
Yes. Use a QR code on slides or tables, or kiosk mode on a tablet at the exit, which resets the survey after each response.
Start free in under a minute
No credit card. Free plan includes 3 surveys and 100 responses a month.