Home Google How to Use Google Forms for Online Data Collection: 4 Easy Steps

How to Use Google Forms for Online Data Collection: 4 Easy Steps

Google forms serve as the best alternatives to the tedious paperwork of gathering varied responses from people. Whether it is a single or a multiple-question form, these handy forms eliminate the cumbersome work of compiling and tallying given responses on a paper shit. Also, a Google form is a respectable option of gathering information from respondents via email.

Google forms are versatile as they are capable of compiling all the necessary survey fields, from multiple-choice questionnaires, linear scales, to drop downs and grids to capture all the required data. They can be used for several purposes, such as collecting data on a website, collect votes, inventory data, get feedback on a product or service, or to test customer knowledge with questions. A good example is when sites like Betway want to get responses from their customers on how to improve user experience.

Below are four easy steps that can help you collect data with Google Forms.

Step 1. Creating Questions

The first step is always coming up with your specific questions. For a simple form that gathers details such as email, name, and the message, you may opt to draft the questions in the Google form. For more sophisticated surveys, however, it is advisable to prepare the questions in a Google Doc to give you an open basis for coming up with a solid form. The questions need to be relevant both to you and the respondents, and you should always ensure that you have a well-prepared action plan to go with the responses you get.

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Create New Google Forms

Step 2. Creating a Form

After creating your questions, the next part is the most crucial one. In your browser, go to https://forms.google.com and create a new form. A title and a brief description going with the form are required before inputting the questions. There is a provision for adding questions at the right side of the given form where you may also add images, text, or even videos. You can make changes to the question types by choosing your preferred option on the dropdown list at the top right corner of each question segment.
You can also turn your form into a quiz by choosing the sprocket in the top right, selecting ‘quizzes’ tab, then choose ‘make this a quiz’ on the slider.

Step 3. Sending your Form

When you feel ready to receive responses from your targets, submit the form by selecting ‘send,’ a conspicuous button at the top right of your page. There are six ways through which you can choose to share your form, so select the one that you feel comfortable with; Google+, email, Facebook, Twitter, an embed code, or a link.

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how to receive response with Google forms

Step 4. Receiving Responses

There are three ways of reviewing responses. Right on the ‘Responses’ tab, you can review each individual reply, view summarized responses, or view data in columns and rows by selecting the Google Sheet icon. The Google Sheet option comes with timestamps and is produced in spreadsheet format.

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You may choose to get email notifications once a response arrives by enabling the same on the ‘Responses’ page. This option is quite helpful, especially when a Google Form is embedded as a contact form like on a website.
That is pretty much about it. When betting site Betway and other top brands want to collect data online, they use these four simple steps that you, too, can apply to capture all the necessary information related to your business.