Customer Experience
Article written by Mathew Maniyamkott
Regular contributor to various magazines. Passionate about entrepreneurship, startups, marketing, and productivity.
7 min read
13 January 2026
“You are requested to participate in this anonymous survey.”
Sonia sighed and clicked on the survey – a mental health questionnaire. It was a mail from HR so she couldn’t ignore it. But as the questions became increasingly personal, she hesitated. A few thoughts crossed her mind:
“Who’s going to see this?”
“Will they know it’s me?”
“What if they judge me?”
“Will I lose my privacy?”
“What if my answers are leaked?”
It’s perfectly normal to have these fears when we come across uncomfortable questions in a survey. That’s why we recommend anonymous surveys for such topics.
But are your anonymous surveys really anonymous?
Here are some of the best practices that your business can follow while creating an anonymous survey.
Doing an anonymous survey is like going on a blind date. You need to establish a rapport with the respondent first – you don’t want them heading for the nearest exit, do you? So it is best to start with light questions and then move on to more sensitive topics. Here are a few ice-breakers you can use:
To make your job easier, you can also use templates with readymade questions. If you wish to test them, it’s easy to create an anonymous survey for free.
Do you need informed consent on anonymous surveys? No, but it is best to share a privacy policy when you send your survey. This should be shown before the start of the survey and include the details below. These details will ensure that your surveys get a better response.
While introducing yourself again and again might seem like a waste of time, it’s absolutely necessary. That’s because there are chances that your respondents will share your survey link in different forums. People outside of your respondent list might not necessarily know who you are, even if they are part of your target audience.
What’s more, people are wary of responding to surveys from anonymous or generic accounts. White-labelling your survey helps establish your identity. This lets people know that you are a trustworthy entity.
When you make anonymous online surveys, it’s best not to include questions which can potentially identify the respondent. So avoid using custom data or custom variables like:
Even if we avoid custom variables, there are chances that we might accidentally ask a question that can potentially identify our respondent.
The solution? Pilot test your anonymous surveys by sending them to different stakeholders. The answers will reveal any irrelevant questions or answers that can potentially uncover the person’s identity.
Avoid vague language when conducting anonymous surveys, and limit the question only to what’s necessary. That’s because there’s a good chance that your question will be misunderstood. This might lead to unexpected results that are totally beyond the intention of the questioner.
Anonymous surveys tend to be online so it’s difficult to contact the respondent for clarification. So make sure that the questions are worded correctly, there are no typos and are easily understandable even for the common man.
Once the anonymous survey is done, you can share the report with your respondents. This follow-up has the twin benefit of making your respondents feel valued, and curious to know the overall results.
Yes, you can even send the survey results to the ones who didn’t respond. It will reassure them that your business is using the data for a valid purpose and has tangible benefits. If you want to restrict access to just your respondents, you can tell them how and when to access the results in the survey reminders.
In certain contexts, like government and healthcare, it’s required by law. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has strict safeguards for collecting, processing and managing personal information.
That’s why SurveySparrow is GDPR-compliant – so that you can protect sensitive data while using it to take action for growth.
We are conditioned to respect authority. So imagine having to fill out an employee disciplinary action form against a manager. Naturally, you will think twice about your answers because you don’t want that person to hear about it. The same goes if you were a student asked to give feedback about the teachers or the principal. This is where anonymous surveys can help.
Questions on sensitive topics such as psychological issues, criminal behaviour, religion, divorce, etc. are a grey area. Some might choose to answer, some won’t. But that is understandable because most people don’t openly discuss such topics, even with their friends – let alone a company. A layer of anonymity can make it easier for them to disclose sensitive or stigmatizing details.
National and international regulations exist for data privacy – especially in areas where personal data is strictly monitored. For example, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations in US want business establishments, including hospitals, to protect the privacy of patients. In such cases, it is illegal to gather patient details through surveys. Anonymous questionnaires make it possible to do research while respecting the patient’s privacy.
Below are some of the benefits of setting surveys to ‘anonymous’:
Unless you’re doing market research, segmenting customers or following-up on a location-specific complaint, personal details aren’t actually necessary (more like a good-to-have) for an insightful analysis.
But as discussed above, there are certain situations where anonymous surveys are not just vital but mandatory. Thus, the tips in this blog will help you craft secure anonymous surveys. After all, in order to gain insight, the first and most important thing you need is trust.
Thousands of brands trust SurveySparrow to turn feedback into growth. Try it free today!
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