SMS surveys help you collect data — especially from audiences with the most basic mobile phones
Launch text message surveys in minutes to enhance your programs in low- and middle-income countries.
Create complex or simple SMS surveys. No coding required.
Lots of powerful features for collecting data from, and connecting with, hard-to-reach populations.
Skip logic
Configure the survey to jump to a later part based on the respondent’s answer to a question.
Contact subscriptions
Subscribe participants to other relevant campaigns based on their responses to your SMS survey.
Simultaneous surveys
Run multiple, different SMS survey campaigns at the same time using the same two-way SMS number.
Various answer types
Configure your survey question to allow specific answers, open responses, and number ranges.
Triggered actions
Send SMS alerts, update contact profiles, and more based on a respondent’s answer to a question.
Campaign scheduling
Schedule your SMS survey to go live immediately or on a specific date and time.
Conditional logic
Set certain questions to be asked only if conditions are met, e.g., if the respondent’s gender is female.
Multi-lingual
Set up campaigns in multiple languages, so respondents can take surveys in the language of their choice.
Real time reports
Download your survey results in real-time to Excel, laid out in a clear and intuitive way.
Automate incentives
Incentivize your participants with instant airtime top-ups (mobile credit) when they complete a survey.
Two-way numbers
Get two-way SMS numbers in 100+ countries, with toll-free short codes in more than 40 countries.
Key word opt-in
Set up different key words for people to opt into your surveys in real time.
Personalized texts
Add any personalized information from your contact database to your SMS survey questions (e.g., “Hello Jane!”)
Update contact data
Update your contacts’ profile instantly based on their answers to the SMS survey questions.
Error handling
Specify what should happen when your respondents reply with an invalid answer or don’t answer quickly enough.
Response flexibility
Set up many possible answers for each response, e.g., configure that “yeah”, “yup”, “y”, also count as “yes”.
How YLabs helped hundreds of at-risk youth in Kenya access HIV testing and follow-up care
YLabs used engageSPARK’s SMS Survey and Drip campaigns to engage with a historically hard-to-reach population in Kenya—providing HIV education, testing, and treatment services.
Using motivational marketing materials, YLabs encouraged at-risk youth to text a keyword to a local toll-free number to enroll in a campaign, which then sent them SMS messages over time to nudge them to get tested for HIV. When a participant replied that they were “ready” to be tested, they’d get an SMS survey with a few back-and-forth questions where they could choose to get an OTS (on-the-spot) test or to have an HIVST (self-test) kit delivered to them.
Of those who subscribed to the campaign, 1,070 (61% of subscribers) texted that they were “ready” to test for HIV. 980 (92%) of those youth were connected to a peer educator. Overall, 973 respondents (99% of those connected) received HIV testing.
“710 young Kenyan men got tested for the first time ever or in over 12 months during the 3-month pilot. I’m certain many more tested before or after our official tally, and that that number will only grow if we’re able to continue this program. And I never once heard of any technical difficulties using the platform from the team in Kenya or from the participants they interviewed.”
Revolutionize your data collection capabilities with SMS surveys
Critical Data Collection
NGOs use engageSPARK's SMS survey platform to communicate with and collect critical data from their beneficairies
- Collect quick data points and key information during crises to inform operations.
- Survey participants on the effectiveness of your educational programs and gather feedback on what can be improved.
- Allow participants to report issues with aid distribution using an SMS hotline.
- Gather feedback at any time from recipients of MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning) and non-MEAL assistance.
Education and best practices
Academic researchers leverage SMS surveys to collect data at scale from hard-to-reach populations across the globe.
- Conduct public health research through SMS surveys and then reward participants who have completed the survey with airtime (mobile credit) top-ups.
- Follow up with people who have reported certain behaviors or symptoms during times of health crises.
- Gather important data regarding your participants’ daily activities through simple yes or no questions or open-ended questions.
How SMS surveys work
1. Create your survey
Set up your survey questions and the possible answer choices, then configure the settings.
2. Launch the survey
Our system will send out the first question in your SMS survey and wait for SMS responses.
3. Collect answers
Your respondents answer the questions by replying to the texts they get. The back and forth continues until the survey ends.
4. Get survey results
Get results in real-time. Visualize answers with charts. Export the data to Excel or via API.
Why choose engageSPARK?
Respondents don't need a smartphone
Your participants can take SMS surveys from any mobile phone, even a basic phone. They don’t need an internet connection or a smartphone.
Integrated with telcos globally
We’re connected with mobile operators across the world, so you can survey anyone—without needing to engage with phone companies.
Exceptional customer support
Our global support team goes above and beyond to help you succeed. Time and again, our clients highlight that our support sets us apart.
Easy-to-use, fast and powerful APIs
Easily integrate SMS survey campaigns with your server or any CRM. Use our APIs to trigger SMS surveys directly from your server or to push results into your CRM.
Trusted by the largest organizations worldwide. Used in 180+ countries.
