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Have you ever abandoned a quiz you were excited to take because the questions just didn’t hit home? Maybe they were confusing, felt irrelevant, or made you stop and think, “What are they even asking here?” It’s disappointing—and all too common.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right phrasing, your quiz becomes an activity customers enjoy. Thoughtful, well-crafted questions make it easy for them to engage, share, and stay curious—all while giving you the insights you need.
In this guide, we’ll share how to craft quiz questions that build relationships and reduce drop offs.
Every question in your quiz sends a message. It’s either saying, “We get you” or “This isn’t worth your time.”
With a small tweak in wording, you can change a dry question to a compelling one. Instead of asking something broad like, “What’s your skincare routine?”, try getting more specific with “Do you use serums in your skincare routine? If so, what’s your favorite?” It’s friendlier, easier to answer, and acts conversation starter.
Here’s what you risk with poor phrasing:
- Confusion: When your question isn’t clear, customers have to work harder to figure out what you mean. That extra mental effort (cognitive overload) makes them more likely to give up on the quiz. Keep it simple, and you’ll keep them engaged.
- Disengagement: If questions feel clunky or out of touch, people tune out and move on to the next, more interesting, thing.
- Inaccurate responses: Vague or overly complicated questions generate surface-level or confusing responses.
- Quiz abandonment: When answering feels like work, your customers will start eyeing the exit.
For example, the meal kit question below makes it simple for customers to weigh in. It gives them a list of flavor profiles and asks them to pick one or two that look appealing.
If it had been phrased more generally—”What kind of meals do you like the most?” the customer wouldn’t know if you’re asking about meal types (breakfast, lunch, dinner) or specific dishes.
How to create a quiz your customers love
How you ask your questions is just as important as what you’re asking. Here’s how to keep your quiz questions engaging and irresistible:
Keep it simple and conversational
Complicated questions make people think too hard—and thinking too hard is the enemy of engagement. Skip the overly formal tone and keep your forms friendly. Write like you’re chatting with someone over coffee.
- Instead of “How frequently do you consume caffeinated beverages?”
- Try: “How many cups of coffee (or tea!) do you drink in a day?”
Suddenly, the question feels clearer.
Use dynamic question formats
Quizzes don’t have to feel one-size-fits-all. With image-based options, sliders, and conditional logic, you can create an interactive experience and collect helpful responses.
With Typeform Logic, you can tailor questions to what your customers share in past answers so each quiz is unique.
For example:
- If they choose “beach” as their ideal vacation, you might follow up with “What’s your go-to beach essential: sunscreen or a good book?”
- If they pick “mountains”, ask about hiking boots or cozy cabins.
Logic is not just about personalization—it’s about making the quiz feel fun and unique. You can ask “What’s your ideal vacation?” with vibrant images of a beach, mountains, and a cityscape instead of plain text. It’s quick, visual, and feels fun.
Test, tweak, repeat
Don’t worry if your first version isn’t perfect—it’s all part of the process. Check your quiz stats to see where customers lose interest and adjust the phrasing, shuffle questions, or switch up the format. Even small changes—like replacing “Describe your ideal dinner” with “Which of these meals looks delicious to you?”—can entice your customers to keep moving.
When questions flow smoothly, your customers feel at ease and enjoy the process. Here’s how to design it:
- Start simple and fun. Your first few questions should be quick, easy, and lighthearted. These “warm-up” questions help customers settle in. Once they’re rolling, you can introduce more specific or personal questions that require a little more thought.
- Keep it short and clear. No one wants to spend ages on a quiz. Stick to 7–10 questions, max. If you need more, break your quiz into sections with a progress bar so customers know how far they’ve come.
- Brand it well. Stick to your familiar logo, colors, and fonts because a top-notch, familiar design shows your customers you’ve put thought into creating something just for them.
- Design for mobile. Many of your customers take quizzes on their phones. Use big, tappable buttons, image-based answers, and sliders to reduce typing. And make sure your quiz loads quickly—nothing crushes engagement like a sluggish survey.
For example, this mobile form is easy to skim and the options are easy to select.
A great quiz doesn’t just look good—it gets answers. And not just any answers—the kind you can use to inform business decisions, make changes to your product, and more. To get there, write thoughtful questions, avoid common mistakes, and keep tweaking. Here’s how:
Make the most of multiple-choice questions
Multiple-choice questions are quick and easy to answer. But too many in a row can feel overwhelming.
Guide your customers with clear, thoughtful options, but leave enough room for them to express themselves if needed. For example, adding an “Other” option with a text field shows you’re listening—even when their answer doesn’t fit neatly into a box.
Skip leading or biased questions
Nothing turns customers off faster than a loaded question. Phrasing like, “Don’t you agree this product is amazing?” screams bias and puts people on the defensive. Ask in a way that invites your customers to share what they really think: “How would you describe your experience with this product?”
Monitor quiz performance (then tweak and improve)
Your first version is just the start. Dive into the data to see what’s working—and what isn’t. Ask:
- Where are customers dropping off?
- Which questions get skipped?
- Are there questions taking longer to answer than the rest?
- Do certain options feel too obvious, like everyone’s picking the same one?
Use those insights to refine your quiz. A simple change, like rephrasing a confusing question or reordering your options, can increase your response rates.
Great quizzes start with great questions. Thoughtful phrasing doesn’t just keep customers engaged—it turns a simple interaction into an opportunity to understand, connect, and inspire action. Every question is a chance to say, “We see you.”
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Credit: Original article published here.