WhatsApp Survey: how to create and choose the ideal platform
21 min read
Brazil has about 147 million active WhatsApp users. This means that, for a large part of the population, the app is already part of their routine. For CX, market research, and insights professionals, this change in behavior has brought an interesting opportunity: conducting surveys via WhatsApp. But how to do it and what is the best platform? Here you will find out.
Why conduct surveys via WhatsApp?
Getting responses has always been one of the biggest challenges of any survey. After all, it's not enough to create a good questionnaire: it needs to reach people at the right time and through the channel they actually use.
This is precisely where WhatsApp stands out. With about 147 million active users in Brazil, the app is part of the daily routine of a large part of the population.
Messages are viewed quickly, interactions happen naturally, and answering a question requires much less effort than opening an email or accessing an external link.
In practice, this is reflected in the results. Surveys conducted via WhatsApp usually record response rates between 45% and 57%, in addition to open rates that can reach 95% or 98%. These numbers are significantly higher than those observed in many other digital channels.
But the benefit is not just in the volume of responses. WhatsApp also contributes to a more fluid experience for the participant.
Questions can be presented conversationally, in small steps, making the process lighter and increasing the chances of survey completion.
How does a survey conducted via WhatsApp work?
A market research conducted via WhatsApp uses the application as a contact channel and for collecting responses from participants. Instead of receiving an email invitation or accessing a questionnaire in another environment, the respondent interacts directly through the application that is already part of their routine.
The process usually begins with sending a message inviting the person to participate in the survey. From this first contact, questions can be presented in different ways, depending on the platform used. Some solutions direct the participant to an external questionnaire, while others allow the entire survey to take place within the WhatsApp conversation itself.
Quantitative or qualitative research: which works best on WhatsApp?
One of the most common questions among research and customer experience professionals is whether WhatsApp works better for quantitative or qualitative research.
The answer is simple: the channel can be successfully used in both approaches. The choice depends much more on the study's objectives than on the technology used.
When to use quantitative research on WhatsApp?
Quantitative research is indicated when the objective is to measure, compare, or monitor indicators at scale.
In this type of study, questions are usually structured and follow standardized formats, such as rating scales, multiple choice, or closed-ended questions.
WhatsApp can be an excellent alternative for:
- Satisfaction surveys (CSAT)
- NPS surveys
- Organizational climate surveys
- Market studies with large samples
- Campaign evaluation
- Continuous monitoring of indicators
As responses are quick and simple to provide, the channel usually generates high participation rates and accelerates data collection.
Example
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?
In this case, the main objective is to obtain a significant volume of responses for statistical analysis.
When to use qualitative research on WhatsApp?
Qualitative research is more indicated when the objective is to understand opinions, motivations, emotions, and behaviors in depth.
Instead of just seeking numbers, this type of research seeks to understand the
The conversational environment of WhatsApp favors this format because it allows for more natural and spontaneous interactions.
Some common applications include:
- In-depth interviews
- Concept testing
- Behavioral studies
- Campaign and communication evaluation
- Customer journey research
- Product and UX testing
- Research communities
Does WhatsApp have any advantages for qualitative research?
Yes.
Although widely known for high response rates in quantitative research, WhatsApp offers an important differential for qualitative studies: the familiarity of the environment.
Participants usually feel more comfortable responding in an application they use daily. This tends to generate more spontaneous reports, more detailed comments, and communication closer to natural language.
Furthermore, the channel allows for the collection of different response formats, including text, audio, image, and video, enriching the quality of the insights obtained.
And when to use a hybrid approach?
In many cases, the best strategy is not to choose between quantitative or qualitative, but to combine the two.
A company can start with a quantitative question to measure an indicator and then deepen the answer with open-ended questions.
For example:
Quantitative question
On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your shopping experience?
Qualitative question
What most influenced your evaluation?
This combination allows for uniting the certainty of numerical indicators with the depth of qualitative insights.
Is it worth replacing email or SMS with WhatsApp?
The short answer is: it depends on your research objectives and the audience profile you want to reach. But, in many cases, WhatsApp has proven to be a more efficient alternative for increasing engagement and response rates.
For many years, email was the main channel for sending surveys. The problem is that inboxes are increasingly competitive. Survey invitations compete for attention with newsletters, internal communications, promotions, and dozens of other messages received daily. As a result, many surveys are not even opened.
SMS, in turn, usually presents higher viewing rates, but offers a limited experience. Messages have format restrictions, less personalization capability, and generally rely on external links for the participant to answer the questionnaire.
What results do companies usually get when migrating to WhatsApp?
Although results vary according to the audience, survey topic, and strategy used, some benefits often appear frequently after migrating to the channel. Here are some of them:
Increased response rates
One of the most noticeable gains is the increase in respondent participation. As WhatsApp is part of the daily routine of most Brazilians, messages tend to be viewed more quickly than invitations sent through other channels.
Collections completed in less time
Projects that previously took days or weeks to reach the desired number of responses can be completed in shorter periods. This allows CX and Insights teams to get feedback more quickly and accelerate decision-making.
Less abandonment during the survey
The conversational format helps reduce friction throughout the participant's journey. Instead of encountering long forms, the respondent interacts with questions presented more naturally, which contributes to higher completion rates.
Feedback closer to the moment of experience
Surveys sent immediately after a purchase, service, or interaction allow capturing perceptions while the experience is still fresh in the participant's memory. This increases the relevance and accuracy of the feedback collected.
More agility to monitor indicators
With responses arriving in real time, teams can monitor satisfaction, experience, and behavior metrics more quickly. This facilitates the identification of problems, opportunities, and trend changes.
Reduced operational effort
When associated with a specialized platform, WhatsApp research allows for automating invitations, reminders, segmentations, and results consolidation. This way, teams spend less time on operational tasks and more time analyzing the insights generated.
Greater proximity to participants
In addition to quantitative indicators, many companies observe more spontaneous interaction from respondents. The familiar environment of WhatsApp tends to encourage more detailed comments and more natural responses, enriching the quality of the information collected.
What are the limitations of WhatsApp research?
Although WhatsApp offers important advantages in terms of engagement, open rate, and proximity to participants, it is not the ideal solution for all types of research. Like any collection channel, it has limitations that must be considered during study planning.
When is WhatsApp not the best channel?
WhatsApp usually works best when the objective is to get quick responses, collect feedback close to the moment of experience, or conduct interactions in a conversational format.
On the other hand, extremely long surveys, with dozens of questions or complex questionnaires, may not offer the best experience for the participant within the application. In some cases, traditional survey platforms may be more suitable for studies that require advanced visualizations, extensive matrices, or very detailed statistical analyses.
Furthermore, when the target audience has low familiarity with WhatsApp or uses the application infrequently, other channels may yield better results.
Are there audience profiles that respond less?
Despite the widespread adoption of WhatsApp, not all audiences exhibit the same behavior.
In B2B research, for example, some professionals may prefer communications via corporate email, especially when the topic involves work matters or formal processes.
It is also important to consider differences related to age group, usage context, and individual preferences. While some participants feel comfortable responding through the app, others may consider the channel more suitable for personal communications and choose not to participate in the survey.
Therefore, the choice of channel should always take into account the profile of the respondents and the objectives of the study.
Is there a risk of blocking or perception of spam?
Yes. As with any communication channel, inappropriate approaches can generate rejection from participants.
Messages sent without context, excessive reminders, lack of personalization, or contacts made without a prior relationship with the respondent can increase the perception of spam and reduce engagement.
Furthermore, improper use of WhatsApp can lead users to ignore, report, or block the number used for the survey. This reinforces the importance of working with authorized databases, following good communication practices, and respecting the platform's rules and the LGPD.
Should WhatsApp replace all other channels?
Not always.
In many projects, the best results come from combining different collection channels. Email, SMS, phone, respondent panels, and WhatsApp can work complementarily, expanding the reach of the research and increasing the representativeness of the sample.
More than replacing other channels, WhatsApp should be seen as a strategic alternative within a multichannel approach, chosen according to the audience profile and the objectives of each study.
What types of research can be conducted on WhatsApp?
The combination of high open rates, ease of interaction, and conversational communication allows different methodologies to be adapted to the WhatsApp environment. Everything depends on the study's objectives and the platform used.
Check out some of the main types of research that can be conducted through the app.
Satisfaction surveys (CSAT)
One of the most common applications is measuring satisfaction after an interaction with the company, such as a purchase, service, or use of a service.
As the request arrives right after the experience, participation rates tend to be higher, and feedback is usually more accurate.
NPS (Net Promoter Score) surveys
WhatsApp is also an efficient channel for NPS surveys, allowing companies to measure customers' willingness to recommend a brand, product, or service.
In addition to the score, it's possible to collect open comments that help understand the reasons behind the evaluation.
Customer experience (CX) surveys
Companies can use WhatsApp to monitor different points of the customer journey, identifying opportunities for improvement in processes, service, products, and services.
The proximity of the channel contributes to more spontaneous and detailed responses.
Market research
WhatsApp can be used to validate hypotheses, understand consumption habits, evaluate product categories, and monitor market trends.
Depending on the platform, it's possible to segment specific audiences and automate the entire collection process.
Concept testing
Before launching a new product, campaign, or service, many companies conduct concept tests to understand public perception.
In this type of study, participants can receive images, videos, descriptions, or proposals and share their opinions directly through the app.
Opinion and behavior surveys
The channel can also be used to investigate consumers' preferences, habits, expectations, and behavioral changes.
As it is a tool present in people's daily lives, WhatsApp favors more natural and contextualized responses.
UX and product surveys
Product and UX teams can use WhatsApp to validate functionalities, collect quick feedback, and understand users' experience throughout the use of digital platforms.
In some cases, the survey can function as a complementary step to interviews or usability tests.
Qualitative studies and communities
In addition to structured surveys, WhatsApp can also support qualitative studies, such as consumption diaries, research communities, and long-term follow-ups.
How to create a WhatsApp survey?
Creating a WhatsApp survey goes far beyond adapting a traditional questionnaire for a new channel. To obtain good response rates and quality data, it is important to consider the participant's experience from the first contact until the end of the survey. In addition, it is worth following some steps, such as:
Define the survey objective
Before drafting any questions, it is important to be clear about what you want to discover.
The objective can be to measure satisfaction, evaluate an experience, validate a concept, understand consumption habits, or collect perceptions about a product. The more specific the objective, the easier it will be to build a relevant and objective questionnaire.
Choose the right audience
A good survey depends as much on the questions as on the people who will answer them.
Define which profiles should participate in the study, considering demographic, behavioral characteristics, or those related to the experience being evaluated. Adequate segmentation contributes to more representative and actionable results.
Build an objective questionnaire
On WhatsApp, less is often more.
Prioritize questions that are truly necessary to answer the study's objectives. Whenever possible, use simple and direct language, avoiding technical terms or excessively long questions.
More concise surveys tend to have better completion rates.
Adapt questions to the conversational format
WhatsApp does not function like a traditional form.
Instead of presenting several questions on a single screen, the ideal is for them to be distributed in short steps, simulating a natural conversation. This reduces the feeling of effort and makes participation more pleasant for the respondent.
Personalize communication
A generic message can go unnoticed.
Presenting the purpose of the survey, explaining the importance of participation, and personalizing communication help build trust and increase participant engagement.
Automate reminders and follow-ups
Not everyone responds on the first contact.
Sending automatic reminders to those who have not yet participated can significantly increase the response rate without requiring additional effort from the research team.
Monitor results in real time
Monitoring the survey's performance during data collection allows for quick identification of adjustment opportunities.
Open, participation, abandonment, and completion rates help understand how respondents are interacting with the survey and indicate possible improvements for future campaigns.
Use a specialized platform
While manual sending is possible on a small scale, recurring projects or those with a large volume of participants usually require more advanced features.
A specialized platform allows for automating the respondent's journey, segmenting audiences, monitoring indicators in real time, ensuring LGPD compliance, and centralizing all survey management in a single environment.
Examples of WhatsApp surveys
The channel can be used for different types of research, from quick satisfaction measurements to more in-depth qualitative studies. Check out some examples.
Example 1: Satisfaction survey after a service interaction
Immediately after a service interaction, the company can send a message to understand the customer's perception.
Initial message
Hello, Ana! We'd like to know about your experience with our service. Your opinion helps us improve.
Question 1
On a scale of 1 to 5, what is your level of satisfaction with the service received?
Question 2
What contributed most to this evaluation?
In this scenario, the proximity between the experience and the survey helps generate more accurate and relevant responses.
Example 2: NPS survey
WhatsApp can also be used to measure customer loyalty through the Net Promoter Score (NPS).
Main question
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?
Complementary question
What was the main reason for your score?
In addition to the score, collecting comments allows for understanding the factors that influence customer perception.
Example 3: Customer experience (CX) survey
Companies can monitor different stages of the consumer journey using conversational surveys.
Question 1
How was your experience during the purchase process?
Question 2
Were there any difficulties or steps that could be improved?
Question 3
What stood out most during your experience?
This type of survey helps identify opportunities for improvement in products, processes, and service.
Example 4: Market research
WhatsApp can also support studies to understand consumption habits and consumer behavior.
Question 1
How often do you buy products in this category?
- Every week
- Once a month
- A few times a year
- Rarely
Question 2
What factors most influence your purchasing decision?
Question 3
Is there any need you feel is missing in the options available today?
The responses help companies identify innovation and positioning opportunities.
Example 5: Concept testing
Before launching a new product or campaign, it is possible to validate ideas directly with the target audience.
Initial message
We would like to present a new proposal and hear your opinion.
Question 1
What did you think of this idea?
Question 2
What stood out most to you?
Question 3
Would you consider using this product? Why?
Depending on the platform, images, videos, and supporting materials can be sent during the conversation to enrich the feedback.
Example 6: AI-driven qualitative research
In qualitative research, the conversation can flow dynamically, with probing questions asked automatically.
Participant
I often have difficulty finding products that truly meet my needs.
Probing question
Could you explain further what needs are typically not met?
Participant
There's a lack of personalization in the available options.
New question
What would an ideal experience be for you in this context?
This format allows for exploring motivations, feelings, and behaviors in much greater depth than a traditional questionnaire.
Example 7: Product and UX research
Product teams can use WhatsApp to validate functionalities and collect quick feedback.
Question 1
Were you able to complete the task you intended to perform in the app?
Question 2
Did you encounter any difficulties during the process?
Question 3
If you could change one thing about the experience, what would it be?
This feedback helps identify pain points and opportunities for improvement in the user experience.
What do all these examples have in common?
Regardless of the type of research, the best results usually come when questions are objective, conversational, and sent at the right time. The more natural the experience is for the participant, the higher the response rates and the quality of the insights collected tend to be.
What are good practices that increase the response rate on Whatsapp?
Before starting data collection, evaluate whether each question is truly necessary to achieve the study's objectives. More concise questionnaires reduce participant effort and increase completion chances. Additionally, keep an eye on a few points, such as:
Explain why the person's opinion is important
People tend to participate more when they understand the purpose of the research.
A brief introduction explaining how the responses will be used helps build trust and shows that the time invested by the participant will be valuable to the company or the study.
Adopt simple and natural language
WhatsApp is a conversation environment, not for complex forms.
Questions written clearly, directly, and close to everyday language make the experience more fluid and facilitate respondent understanding.
Send the survey at the right time
Context directly influences participation.
Satisfaction surveys, for example, tend to generate better results when sent immediately after a purchase, service interaction, or brand interaction. The closer the evaluated experience, the higher the engagement tends to be.
Personalize communication
Generic messages tend to generate less interest.
Whenever possible, use information such as the participant's name or a reference to their experience. Personalization makes the approach more relevant and increases the likelihood of a response.
Use reminders strategically
Lack of response doesn't always mean lack of interest.
Often the message was viewed at an inappropriate time and was forgotten. Automated reminders sent moderately help re-engage participants without causing communication fatigue.
Prioritize the mobile experience
While it seems obvious, not all surveys are designed with mobile devices in mind.
Very long questions, heavy pages, or excessive steps can harm the experience. The simpler the interaction on a mobile phone, the better the results tend to be.
Show transparency about privacy and data usage
Participants need to feel secure sharing information.
Explaining how data will be used and ensuring compliance with LGPD helps increase trust and reduce potential barriers to participation.
How to choose a WhatsApp survey platform?
An appropriate platform can help increase response rates, reduce operational activities, and make data collection more efficient. On the other hand, a choice based solely on price or basic functionalities can limit the channel's potential and generate rework for teams.
When evaluating a solution, some criteria deserve attention.
Check if the experience happens within WhatsApp
One of the main advantages of the channel is its convenience for the respondent.
Platforms that allow answering questions directly in the conversation tend to reduce friction and increase participation. When the participant needs to leave the application to access external forms, some of that convenience may be lost.
Evaluate automation features
Managing surveys manually can work for small projects, but it quickly becomes unfeasible for larger operations.
Therefore, it's worth checking if the platform allows automating invitations, reminders, segmentations, trigger rules, and survey closing. These features help achieve scale without increasing operational effort.
Consider segmentation options
Not every survey should be sent to the entire database.
A good platform allows selecting specific audiences according to criteria such as demographic profile, behavior, purchase history, or customer journey stage. The more precise the segmentation, the more relevant the results tend to be.
Analyze reporting and dashboard features
Collecting responses is only part of the process.
It's also important to understand how the platform transforms data into actionable information. Intuitive dashboards, filters, cross-tabulations, and real-time visualizations facilitate analysis and accelerate insight generation.
Check integration possibilities
Surveys are usually part of a larger data ecosystem.
Therefore, it's worth evaluating whether the solution integrates with tools such as CRM, service platforms, marketing automation systems, databases, and Business Intelligence software.
Confirm LGPD compliance
The protection of participant data must be a priority in any research project.
Before contracting a platform, it's important to understand what security mechanisms are offered, how information is stored, and what resources support compliance with data protection legislation.
Understand the solution's scalability
Today's needs may be different from tomorrow's needs.
A platform that serves a one-off project may not be sufficient for continuous research, Voice of Customer (VoC) programs, or operations with thousands of respondents. Evaluating the solution's growth capacity helps avoid tool changes in the future.
Observe the quality of support and implementation
Technology is important, but support also makes a difference.
Having a team that assists with implementation, clarifies doubts, and shares best practices can accelerate platform adoption and contribute to better results over time.
What are the WhatsApp survey platforms?
Among the solutions available on the market, ZapTAP stands out for transforming WhatsApp into a complete environment for qualitative research.
Instead of limiting data collection to forms or structured questions, the platform allows participants to respond by text, audio, or video, using the format they feel most comfortable with.
This contributes to richer and more natural responses, bringing the experience closer to a real conversation.
The platform's differential lies in Helena, ZapTAP's artificial intelligence. She conducts each interview individually via WhatsApp, asks probing questions, explores relevant topics, and keeps the conversation aligned with the study's objectives.
This way, participants can respond at their own pace, while the research continues to advance in a structured manner. ZapTAP also offers a simple and intuitive experience. Take a look:
Simplified script creation
The survey design was also conceived to reduce the operational time of teams.
Researchers can start from ready-made templates, create a script from scratch, or simply inform the study's objective so that artificial intelligence can help structure the questions.
Additionally, it's possible to include images, videos, and other stimulus materials to enrich the participants' experience.
Flexible distribution and recruitment
The platform allows sending surveys directly via WhatsApp to proprietary participant databases.
It's also possible to share access links, use qualification questions (screener), and apply quota controls to ensure that the sample aligns with the defined criteria for the study.
Automatically conducted interviews
During data collection, Helena assumes the role of survey moderator.
She interacts with each participant individually, asks complementary questions when necessary, and seeks to delve deeper into the most relevant topics. This allows scaling qualitative studies without losing depth in responses.
Automated insights and readout
After data collection, the platform organizes and analyzes the data generated in the conversations.
The results are presented in an executive readout with identification of recurring themes, sentiment analysis, relevant quotes, and the audio or video excerpts that support each insight. This way, researchers and CX teams can dedicate more time to decision-making and less time to manual consolidation of information.
For companies that want to use WhatsApp not just as a sending channel, but as a complete environment for qualitative research, ZapTAP represents an evolution of the traditional interview and feedback collection model, combining automation, artificial intelligence, and insight analysis in a single platform.
Want to know how it works? Schedule a demo.