Video Feedback question: Best practices – Alida Help Center

Make the preceding question an opt-out instead of an opt-in.

As a best practice, you should include a question preceding the Video Feedback question that asks participants to opt out. Author the question and answer text so that:

Responding by video is prioritized over responding by text.
Participants have to explicitly opt out, which means they opt in by default.
Participants are reassured about how their video responses will be used (for example, they will not be shared publicly).
Participants understand the impact and value that a Video Feedback response may have over a text-only response (for example, Video allows you to speak directly with our executive team).

Example: Opt-out question and answer text

We would like to hear your likes and dislikes about paperless billing. Would you like to share your feedback through a short video? Video allows you to speak directly with Marin + Rose executives and best influence the paperless billing experience. Your video will not be shared publicly.

Yes, I would like to share my thoughts in a video.
No, I prefer to type a text comment.

Inform participants of the video response opportunity as early as possible.

In your email invitation, advise participants that the survey contains Video Feedback questions.

Example: Email invitation text

During this survey, you'll have an opportunity to record a video response and tell us what you really think.

Use question text that encourages thoughtful qualitative responses.

A well-crafted Video Feedback question should:

Encourage participants to explore and discover problems and opportunities.
Be open-ended.
Be easy to understand and digest with no need for clarification.

Keep these considerations in mind when you are drafting the question text:

Keep question text short and concise, but be detailed in your prompt.
Ask open-ended questions that encourage participants to tell a story instead of giving you yes or no answers.
Write with key themes in mind. For example, if you ask Describe the brand in 3 words you can use the words to identify key themes in the Video Feedback Report later, as opposed to asking Tell me what you think about this brand which will result in less focused responses.
Use the following key words in your question text to encourage open-ended, thoughtful responses:
- How
- What
- Why
- Generate
- Discover
- Identify
- Describe
- Meaning
- Outline
- Show
- Explore

Example: Brand research

Question type	Question wording
Relationship	Describe the x brand in 3 words. If you had to describe x to a friend in three words, what three words would you use and why?
Relationship	Show us how x makes you feel. Using items within your home (excluding those related to x), please select an item that represents how x makes you feel. Show us that item in your video and talk to us about why this item represents how x makes you feel and share why.
Relationship	Describe x as a person in your life. If you were to describe your relationship to x as a friend, family member or someone else, who would x be and why?
Relationship	What is it about x that you connect with? What do you love about x that keeps you coming back to the brand? What does x brand do differently than any other x brand? What could x do even better?
Relationship	Please read through this question and complete it before recording your video response. For the next activity, you will write a love letter to the x brand. Within your letter please include when and how you met, how you knew you were in love, how/when you introduced them, if at all, to friends and family and what would make your relationship even better. Once finished, please read aloud your love letter to x.
Relationship	Show us how x brand makes you feel. Using items within your home (excluding those related to x activity), please select an item that represents how x brand makes you feel. Show us that item in your video and talk to us about why this item represents how x makes you feel and share why.
Relationship	If you were to describe your relationship to x brand as a friend, family member or someone else, who would x be and why?
Optimization	What would x need to change or do differently to ensure you purchase this concept/idea in the future?
Optimization	What are the top 3 ways your experience could have been improved?
Awareness	When have you experienced x? Thinking of the past 7 days, when and where have you experienced (i.e. heard, seen) the x brand or logo in your life? It can be a TV or digital ad, in a display at the store, anything that says x! Tell us about it and what impact it made on you, if any.
Drivers	Which brands do you think 'get you' and why?

Example: Concept testing

Question type	Question wording
Reaction	What is your initial reaction to this concept/idea? What do you like about it and what do you dislike? Why?
Reaction	Tell me the first 3 words that come to mind/describe x in 3 words.
Relevance	How relevant is this to you, and does it make you interested to learn more? Please be specific.
Willingness to Try	Would you try this concept/idea? Please explain why or why not.
Optimization	What, if anything, could further improve this concept/idea?
Optimization	What would x need to change or do differently to ensure you purchase this concept/idea in the future?
Performance	What is your perception of how the different concepts/ideas may perform? Which one do you think will be best? Why? Please speak specifically while referencing the name of each concept.
Recommend	Tell me about a time when you could have used a product like this. Would it have solved your need?
Recommend	Who would you recommend this product for and why?

Example: Journey mapping

Question type	Question wording
Catalyst	What triggers x? When do you begin thinking about x? How do you know when it's time? What or why typically inspires or triggers your x?
Preparing	Take us through your steps as you prepare for x - is there a goal, a plan, … what are you doing from the time that you first begin thinking about x to actually x? How do you feel each step of the way?
Reflection	Reflect on your entire x and tell us about the different emotions you experienced throughout the day/process. Was there anything unexpected? What was your favorite/least favorite part? How are you feeling now that it is over? What did your x set the stage for?
Reflection	Is there anything that could have helped you along the way - inspiration, motivation, tips/tricks/shortcuts, emotional support, etc.?
Occasion	What are you seeing and feeling the day of x? What are you doing, seeing, and feeling from the time you wake up until after the event is over?

Example: Product testing

Question type	Question wording
Reaction	Tell me the first 3 words that come to mind/describe x in 3 words.
Selection	When you are selecting your x products, what benefits are you looking for? Does x play a role? Are you loyal to specific brands and products you've used in the past, or are you open to using new products?
Optimization	If you had to create one "super product" for x, what attributes would you pull from all of your different solutions to create this product? What specific sensory experience (smell, touch, sound, see) or benefit is most important for that product to have? Name your "super product" and the ideal format.
Relationship	Show us how x product makes you feel. Using items within your home (excluding those related to x activity), please select an item that represents.
Recommend	Tell me about a time when you could have used a product like this. Would it have solved your need?
Recommend	Who would you recommend this product for and why?

Have realistic expectations about video length.

A typical video response should be somewhere between 30 and 60 seconds. On average, people speak at a rate of approximately 120 words per minute in any given language. That means if you ask participants to record a 3-minute video, you are asking for a very time- and effort-intensive response.

It's also best to avoid putting a timestamp in your question text. You may think that including a message like This question will take 60 seconds to respond to will reassure participants and encourage them to respond, but it could have the opposite effect. Participants may see the timestamp and feel overwhelmed or think it will take too long and skip the question.

Do not include more than 5 Video Feedback questions in a single survey.

Too many Video Feedback questions can cause participant fatigue.

Consider using incentives with Video Feedback questions.

Incentive guidelines vary by participant profile, but generally $1 per Video Feedback question can be effective.

Profile your community to find out who wants to respond with video.

Send a survey to community members and ask if they are willing to participate in video research going forward. In that survey, emphasize how their participation benefits them (for example, monetary incentives). You can then use their responses as a profile variable to flag who is willing to participate.

If you have already sent out surveys with Video Feedback questions without profiling your community, check those surveys and see which participants responded to the Video Feedback questions. Add a profile variable to flag these participants for future video research.

Here are other considerations to keep in mind when it comes to participation:

Business-to-business (B2B) audiences have lower participation rates than business-to-consumer (B2C) audiences.
There is no data to indicate certain demographics have higher participation rates than others.