Want to improve event planning, boost engagement, and deliver a more personalized experience before your event even starts?

It all starts with asking the right questions.

Event registration survey questions help you uncover what your attendees want, need, and expect (so you can meet them where they are and surprise them in the best way!).

You can think of these survey questions as your backstage pass to smoother logistics, and fewer “wait, do we have gluten-free meals?” moments. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

• 45+ attendee-ready registration survey questions.
• When (and how) to ask them for the best response.
• How to avoid overwhelming your attendees with form fatigue.

Whether you're planning a conference, summit, or networking dinner, these questions will help you create an experience that feels less one-size-fits-all and more "you read my mind."

What Are Event Registration Survey Questions?

Event registration survey questions are used to collect key attendee information before an event. When used correctly, they help you plan smarter and reduce the number of surprises on event day.

These survey questions can be presented in one of two ways:

• Integrate into the registration form: You can include survey-style questions directly within your registration form, allowing you to to collect details like dietary restrictions, accessibility needs ,or session preferences. This approach ensures attendees provide critical information upfront while they’re registering.
• Send as a separate pre-event survey: Want to dig a little deeper? A separate survey gives you room to ask more detailed questions without overwhelming your attendees during the registration process.

How Registration Survey Questions Improve Your Event

1. Maximize the attendee experience

By understanding attendees’ interests, event planners can tailor activities, session content and perks to align with attendee expectations. A well-personalized event leads to increased attendee satisfaction and a greater likelihood that attendees return to the event.

2. Improve logistics and operations

Survey responses help determine head counts, catering needs, seating arrangements, and more. Having this data in advance minimizes last-minute adjustments and ensures a seamless experience for both attendees and organizers.

3. Drive stronger engagement

The more insight you have on attendee interests and preferences, the easier it is to segment your audience and optimize for better networking opportunities or session recommendations. This “matchmaking” approach boosts engagement and the event’s perceived value.

4. Gather valuable marketing insights

Understanding how attendees initially heard about your event or what they expect to gain from the event is helpful for optimizing future marketing efforts. You can focus your marketing efforts on the most effective channels and refine your messaging to speak to what attendees care about.

45+ Event Registration Survey Questions (by Category)

1. Basic attendee information

When creating your event registration form, you'll already be collecting basic details like name, email, and phone number. With a registration survey, you can broaden the scope to ask more personal or demographic questions, such as industry, experience level, age, or gender identity.

Since some of these questions can be more personal, it’s important to use good judgment and ask only when the answer will genuinely improve the attendee experience. For example, if attendees can join age-based networking pods, then asking about age makes sense.

And to keep things respectful and streamlined? Use conditional logic to show these questions only when relevant.

Sample questions

• What is your industry?
• What is your revenue size?
• What is your job title and company name?
• What is your LinkedIn profile (optional)?
• In which country and state do you reside in?
• What is your level of experience in your field?
• What is your gender?
• What are your gender pronouns?
• What is your age group? (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, etc.)

2. Event logistics & planning

Great event experiences rely on smooth logistics — and that starts with good information. These questions help you plan for dietary needs, accessibility, transportation, childcare, and other practical details that make a big difference on event day.

Using a registration tool with conditional logic can be really handy here. For example, let’s say an attendee says “yes” to a question about transportation assistance. You can set up your form so that it displays a follow-up question to gather additional information (without disrupting the experience for those attendees who don’t need help with transportation).

This keeps your form clean and helps you prepare without last-minute surprises.

Sample questions

• Do you have any dietary restrictions (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Preferences)?
• Do you require any accessibility accommodations?
• Will you need hotel recommendations or travel assistance?
• Do you require on-site childcare services?
• Will you need shuttle transportation to the venue?
• What is your expected arrival date and time?

3. Session and interest preferences

Every attendee arrives with one or more goals in mind: to learn, network, solve a specific problem, or all of the above.

These questions in this category will help you tailor sessions and content to their interests, making their experience feel more relevant and less generic.

Want to go further? Use advanced forms to personalize their path. For example, if someone selects “hands-on workshops” as an interest during registration, display a follow-up question to refine topic preferences or timing. 

It's a smarter way to curate value without overwhelming anyone.

Sample questions

• Which sessions are you most interested in attending?
• Do you prefer workshops, networking, or keynote sessions?
• Would you like to receive personalized session recommendations?
• Are you interested in hands-on training sessions?
• Would you like to attend exclusive VIP sessions (if available)?
• Do you have a specific challenge you are looking to overcome?
• Are you looking for specific solutions/technology at the moment?
• Would you like to be introduced to a sponsor ahead of time?
• Are you interested in one-on-one coaching or mentoring sessions?

4. Engagement and networking

From peer discussions to sponsor intros, great events create great connections. This category of questions reveal how your attendees prefer to engage. For example, are they open to group networking, one-on-one matches, or something else?

The more you know about how they want to connect, the easier it is to make that happen.

Sample questions

• Are you interested in networking with other attendees?
• Would you like to be part of a peer discussion group?
• What topics are you most interested in discussing with fellow attendees?
• Would you be interested in a matchmaking service for networking?
• Are you comfortable being contacted by sponsors or exhibitors?
• Would you like to receive introductions to attendees with similar interests?
• Do you plan to attend any networking receptions or social events?

5. Marketing and feedback

Marketing doesn’t stop once someone registers. Use these questions to understand how attendees found you, what they’re hoping to get from your event, and how you can make this event better than the last.

You’ll walk away with sharper messaging, smarter targeting, and feedback you can actually use.

Sample questions

• How did you hear about this event? (Social Media, Email, Website, Referral, Other)
• What are your primary goals for attending this event?
• Have you attended this event before? If so, what did you like or dislike?
• Would you be interested in receiving updates about future events?
• What topics or speakers would you like to see at future events?
• Where do you read/receive your industry news?

6. Sponsorship and exhibitor interests

For sponsors and vendors, your event is an opportunity to connect, showcase, or build partnerships. 

Use the questions in this category to help you identify potential leads, business interests, or attendees looking to explore sponsorship themselves.

A few thoughtful questions here can lead to better meetings, more value, and happier sponsors.

Sample questions

• Are you attending on behalf of a sponsor or exhibitor?
• Are you interested in exhibiting at the event?
• Would you like information on sponsorship opportunities?
• Do you want to schedule meetings with exhibitors or vendors?
• Are you looking to partner with other businesses at this event?

7. Post-event and follow-up preferences

Just because the event ends doesn’t mean the connection has to. These questions help you understand who wants access to recordings, who’s open to follow-up content, and who might be interested in future events.

Sample questions

• Would you like access to session recordings after the event?
• Are you interested in joining a follow-up discussion or webinar?
• Do you want to receive a post-event summary with key takeaways?
• Would you be willing to provide a testimonial for future promotions?
• Would you like to participate in future event surveys?

How to Write Better Registration Survey Questions

1. Keep it short and relevant

The longer your survey, the fewer people complete it. Stick to essential questions in your registration form, and if you need more detail, send a separate pre-event survey. Remember that respecting your attendees’ time goes a long way towards earning their trust.

2. Use multiple choice or checkbox options

Whenever possible, offer structured choices instead of open text fields for responses. This speeds up completion and gives you cleaner, more usable data.

3. Clearly label required fields

Mark mandatory questions clearly and keep optional questions to a minimum to avoid overwhelming attendees.

4. Use conditional logic to simplify the experience

No one needs to see 25 questions if only 10 actually apply to them. With features like conditional logic, you can show or hide questions based on how someone answers a previous one. That means shorter forms, better completion rates, and a smoother experience for your attendees.

5. Optimize for mobile, always

An ever increasing number of attendees are registering on their phones. So, use mobile-friendly formatting, big enough tap targets, and simple layouts. Also, make sure to test the form on multiple screen sizes and browsers before opening registration.

6. Be transparent about data use

If you’re collecting personal information, let attendees know why. In addition, stay compliant with regulations like GDPR or CCPA, and link to your privacy policy if applicable.

Final Tips to Increase Response Rates for Event Surveys

The best survey questions won’t do any good if no one answers them. These final tips will help you get more responses and better insights, without overwhelming your attendees or your team.

1. Ask at the right time

Timing is everything and it has a big impact on event survey response rates. If you’re integrating your questions into your online registration form, do so in a way that doesn’t frustrate registrants.

That means asking only the most essential questions as outlined in the previous sections of this article. If your form starts getting too long-winded, you can use conditional logic to display questions only when necessary, or you can send a follow-up survey after registrants are done signing up.

2. Provide context for why you're asking

People are more likely to answer a question when they understand the purpose behind it. A simple note or tooltip like “This helps us personalize your session recommendations” builds trust and shows respect for their time. 

You don’t need to do this for every question; just offer a little context when it’s not obvious.

3. Prioritize what you really need

It's very tempting to ask everything up front, but more questions can lead to fewer completions and a negative pre-event experience.

Before adding a question to your form, ask yourself: Will we actually use this information to improve the attendee experience or event planning?

If the answer is no (or even "maybe"), it's probably better left out.

4. Design for usability, not just looks

The format and flow of your form matter just as much as the content. So, use clear section headings to group related questions together, and avoid overly long scrolls, especially on mobile. 

Simple UI choices like large tap targets, visible progress indicators (if you have a multi-step registration form), or autofill can dramatically improve completion rates and the overall user experience.

5. Test the form like a brand new attendee

Always preview your form before launch, not only for typos, but for flow, logic, and clarity.

Run through it as if you were seeing it for the first time and ask yourself questions like:

• Are there any questions that feel redundant?
• Is the tone consistent with your brand?
• Is it easy to complete on a mobile device?
• Are there any questions that sound vague or might make someone pause?

It’s amazing how much a quick internal test run can reveal friction points that could impact response rates.

6. Do a light touch follow-up

If you didn’t get the responses you needed during registration, it’s okay to follow up...as long as you do it with care. 

Keep the follow-up short, explain the purpose again, and if possible, offer a small value-add (like early access to the agenda or entry into a giveaway). The key is to make this feel like a helpful reminder, not just another ask.

FAQs About Event Registration Survey Questions

What are good survey questions to ask after an event?

Post-event survey questions focus on gathering feedback about the overall experience, specific sessions, logistics, and what attendees would like to see improved or repeated. They’re key to understanding what worked and what to change for next time.

For a deeper dive (with examples), check out our full guide to mastering post-event surveys.

What questions should I ask on an event registration survey?

Focus on questions that help you simplify planning and personalize the experience. Ask about event logistics (like dietary restrictions or accessibility needs), session preferences, networking interests, and basic demographics if relevant. 

You can also include a few marketing questions ( like how they heard about the event or what they hope to gain) to inform future planning.

How do I increase responses to event registration surveys?

The most important rule of thumb is to keep the survey simple and relevant. Short surveys with multiple-choice or checkbox questions are easier and quicker to complete, compared to those with lots of free-form answers.

Also, remember to label all required questions so that attendees can easily scan the form and see which fields they must fill in. Last but not least, if you need more information before the event, consider sending a follow-up survey after users have completed registration. This reduces overwhelm and friction during the registration process.

Make the Most of Your Registration Survey

Event registration survey questions are a great tool for learning about who’s coming, what they need, and how to make the experience better for them.

To get the most out of your survey, focus on being succinct and making the process as smooth as possible. If you're incorporating these questions into your online registration flow, this guide to high-converting registration pages will help you check all the right boxes.

Whether your event is free or paid, big or small, Guidebook’s registration tools are designed to help you build forms with ease and drive sign-ups.