The aytm platform handles everything from a quick one-question pulse check to multi-market studies with advanced research tests. Going the DIY route means you build the study yourself: you define who should answer, write the questionnaire, and launch when you're ready.
This article walks you through your first DIY survey, from the dashboard to checkout.
In This Article
- Creating Your First Survey
- Step 1: Define Your Target Market
- Step 2: Write Your Survey
- Step 3: Preview, Check Out, and Launch
- Other Ways to Start a Study
Creating Your First Survey
You can start a new survey from two places:
- Your dashboard—in the Create a new study box on the left, click Custom Survey.
- The main navigation—hover over Dashboard and click Create Custom Survey.
Clicking Custom Survey on the dashboard opens a new Target Market page, Define your target market, in a new browser tab.
⚠️ Note: Choose your survey type before you save. At the top of a new Target Market page, Source of respondents lets you pick Panel Survey (respondents from aytm's panel) or List Survey (you send the link to your own audience). This toggle is only shown while the Target Market is new. Once you save, the survey type is fixed.
Not sure which type you need? See List Survey vs. Panel Survey.
Step 1: Define Your Target Market
- Enter a title for your survey and choose a Research Type.
- Select your Country / language.
- For a Panel Survey, set up who should answer:
- Premium Profiling (US surveys only)—narrow your audience by behavioral and lifestyle characteristics.
- Estimated Incidence Rate—the share of your targeted audience you expect to pass any screening questions you'll add. This affects the price.
- Demographic quotas—choose Quota groups to set your own targets, or Quota balancing (where available) to match the census. Then adjust gender, age, income, and other traits.
- Total Sample size (N)—how many completed responses you need.
- Review the sidebar on the left. The Sample complexity meter shows how demanding your targeting is, from Blitz to Sophisticated. Below it are the estimated price, the delivery guarantee, and the estimated sample size (N), length of interview (LOI), and incidence rate (IR). Traits included with every response lists the demographics you get at no extra cost, so you don't need to ask them in your survey.
- Click Write Survey. This saves your Target Market and opens the survey editor. The button stays inactive until the required fields are filled in and the price estimate has loaded.
A List Survey's Target Market page is shorter: you set the language, response limits, device, and number of completes. For a field-by-field tour, see Target Market Page Overview.
💡 Tip: You can come back to your targeting at any time before launch. Click Target Market in the survey editor's sidebar. After the first save, the button at the bottom of the Target Market page reads Edit Survey.
Step 2: Write Your Survey
In the survey editor, add your questions. Question types range from simple Radio buttons and Checkboxes to advanced research tests such as MaxDiff, Conjoint, and Van Konan. To screen respondents, add prequalification questions at the start of your survey. See Custom Prequalification (Screener).
Which advanced question types you can launch depends on your subscription plan. For example, MaxDiff is included in Max, Enterprise, Edu, and Flex plans. For the full list, see Question Types Overview.
Step 3: Preview, Check Out, and Launch
- Click Preview in the editor's sidebar to take your survey the way a respondent will. See How to Preview Your Survey.
- Click Checkout to review your order and pay.
- Launch your survey. See How to Launch a Survey.
Other Ways to Start a Study
DIY isn't the only option. Next to Custom Survey in the dashboard's Create a new study box, you'll find:
- Solutions Center—pre-built Xpert Solutions with the questions, logic, and reporting already set up by research experts. You can still customize them. See Xpert Solutions Overview.
- Bridge—shown instead of Solutions Center on accounts with Bridge access.