HubSpot Surveys vs Google Forms: Which is Best for Your Business?

HubSpot Surveys and Google Forms allow users to create and distribute surveys, but some key differences exist. For users trying to determine which survey method is best for them, we've broken down the key differences between the two platforms. 

Business Applications of Surveys

Before we dive into which survey platform may be best for you, it's essential to understand why your business may want to use a survey and how it can be used. 

Surveys are valuable for businesses and organizations–particularly regarding sales and marketing. Surveys allow businesses to gather valuable insights and feedback from customers, employees, and other relevant stakeholders. Surveys can collect information on customer satisfaction, product or service feedback, team member engagement, and more. 

They're also beneficial for measuring customer satisfaction, understanding changing needs, and, ultimately, identifying areas for improvement. Companies can offer a survey to determine what's working and what isn't. As such, it's an excellent way to measure progress, track changes, and get answers. 

The insights gained from a well-built survey can help your business make informed decisions, improve your products and services, and ultimately drive growth and success. Plus, surveys are a highly cost-effective way of gathering data as it's much cheaper than other forms of research, such as focus groups or interviews. 

When it comes to hearing from the people who matter, surveys are among the simplest and least expensive methods, making them highly popular among businesses. However, you must determine the best method (and platform) before building a survey. To get started, ask yourself these questions:

• What's the purpose of the survey?

• What insights do you hope to gain?

• Who is the target audience for the survey?

• How will the survey be distributed and promoted?

• How will the survey responses be collected and analyzed?

• How will the survey data be used and shared?

• Will the survey be incentivized?

• How will you measure the survey's success and evaluate its business impact?
  
  

Some of these questions may seem obvious, but answering them will help you begin to frame your survey, set expectations, and determine the right platform for your survey. For various reasons, two highly popular survey platforms are Google Forms and HubSpot Surveys. If you're considering one of these platforms for your business survey, here's what you need to know. 

What's the Difference?

Google Forms

Google Forms is a free, web-based survey creation tool part of the Google Suite of productivity tools. It's simple and allows users to create and distribute surveys quickly and easily. Google Forms can also be integrated with tools like Sheets, allowing easy data analysis. 

One significant benefit of using Google Forms is its ease of use and wide availability. Anyone with a Google account can use Google Forms, and it's an excellent choice for simple, standard surveys. 

Key Features:

• Simple and intuitive form builder
• Offers a variety of question types
• Provides essential data visualization and analysis
• Has the ability to collect responses in real-time
• Has the ability to integrate with other Google Suite tools, such as Sheets and Docs
  
  

HubSpot Surveys

HubSpot Surveys is a survey creation tool within the HubSpot Service Hub. It includes more advanced features such as logic and branching and allows for more customization of the look and feel of your surveys. HubSpot Surveys can also integrate with the rest of the HubSpot platform, allowing survey data to be easily incorporated into other sales and marketing activities. 

In addition to creating custom surveys, HubSpot Service Hub Core Features include several industry-standard surveys, ready-to-go:

• Customer Effort: CES Surveys

• Customer Satisfaction: CSAT Surveys

• Customer Loyalty, Net Promoter Score: NPS Surveys 

In contrast to Google Forms, HubSpot Surveys is more robust, including features such as survey logic and branching. Additionally, this platform allows for more customization, allowing users to make the survey their own. Typically, HubSpot Surveys is more suitable for businesses requiring advanced survey capabilities and integrating survey data with other marketing and sales activities. 

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Key Features:

• It has a drag-and-drop survey builder

• Offers customizable templates

• Provides real-time analytics and data visualization

• Has built-in list segmentation and personalization capabilities

• Has the ability to trigger automated follow-up actions based on survey responses

When Should I Use One Over the Other?

When deciding between using HubSpot Surveys or Google Forms, it's essential to consider your survey's specific requirements and goals. 

When to Use Google Forms

If you're looking for a straightforward and easy-to-use tool for creating and distributing surveys–and you don't require advanced features–Google Forms may be the best option. It's free, widely available, and highly user-friendly. As such, it's a popular option for small businesses. 

Google Forms may also be the right option if your company uses other Google Suite tools and wants to integrate your surveys with those. For example, if you're looking to use your survey data in a Google Sheet. 

When to Use HubSpot Surveys

On the other hand, if you need a more advanced and customizable survey tool to integrate with other marketing and sales activities, then HubSpot Surveys may be a better choice. For example, if you plan to use survey data to inform your marketing and sales strategies. In that case, HubSpot Surveys will work best as you can integrate it with other elements of the HubSpot platform, like analytics, email, and CRM. 

If you're looking for a survey with segmented responses, triggered follow-up actions, advanced data visualization, or analysis capabilities, HubSpot Surveys may be your preferred option. 

Take Your Pick

Overall, both HubSpot Surveys and Google Forms have their unique features and use cases and are both excellent tools for business surveys. Whichever platform you choose, it's essential to evaluate the specific needs of your business and the type of survey you want to conduct. Both tools have their strengths and weaknesses, and each should be considered when your business makes its decision. 

With the proper survey, your business can gain valuable information and insights from customers and employees. As knowledge is power, this data can help you take your business to the next level.