SurveyMonkey benchmarks are part of SurveyMonkey’s suite of benchmarking tools designed to help users interpret their survey results by comparing them to aggregated industry data. This means you can take your survey responses and see how they stack up against results from thousands of similar surveys conducted in your industry or market segment.

These benchmarks reflect average scores across responses to standard questions, such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), employee engagement metrics, and customer satisfaction indicators. When you ask common questions using SurveyMonkey’s benchmarking-ready question formats, your results are automatically eligible for comparison through their industry comparison tool.

How It Works

When you opt into benchmarking, your survey results are anonymized and added to SurveyMonkey’s massive benchmark database. In return, SurveyMonkey provides access to industry-wide comparison data pulled from other users who’ve asked the same question types. You'll see percentile breakdowns, median scores, and where your results fall compared to others.

Here’s a simplified breakdown of the process:

• Create your survey using benchmark-supported question types (like NPS or Likert scales).
• Distribute your survey to your target audience and collect responses as usual.
• Opt into benchmarking to compare your data against SurveyMonkey’s aggregated industry data.
• Analyze your results with benchmark visualizations showing how your scores measure up.

Example

Suppose your company runs a customer experience survey and receives an NPS of 45. You might wonder – is that OK? With SurveyMonkey benchmarks, you discover that the industry median for your sector (let’s say SaaS) is 38. That insight tells you your score is above average and potentially highlights an area of competitive advantage for your business.

It’s important to note that while these benchmarking tools provide valuable reference points, every business has unique goals. Interpreting results correctly still requires context – which is where insights experts can help. Seasoned professionals, like SIVO’s On Demand Talent, know how to dig deeper and make these comparisons truly actionable.

Without context, numbers from your surveys can easily be misinterpreted. A 60% employee satisfaction rate could signal disengagement – or above-average performance, depending on the industry norm. That’s why benchmarking is such a powerful part of survey data analysis. It transforms isolated metrics into meaningful insights.

Benchmarking Adds Context

Survey results don’t exist in a vacuum. By comparing your results to SurveyMonkey benchmarks, you add a layer of interpretation that allows you to:

• Understand if your scores are favorable or need improvement
• Spot outliers or red flags that might go unnoticed otherwise
• Support data-backed storytelling for stakeholders and leadership

For example, let’s say your employee engagement survey returns a score of 3.8 out of 5. Not too bad, right? But if the benchmark across your industry is 4.2, you might reconsider. You’re underperforming compared to your peers, and that knowledge might prompt deeper investigation or strategic changes.

Helps Prioritize What to Act On

SurveyMonkey comparison data can help you focus your energy where it counts. Benchmarks highlight which areas are thriving and which fall below standard performance. This allows teams to prioritize strategy, whether it’s improving onboarding, customer service, or internal workflows.

Build Credibility with Internal Stakeholders

Benchmarking tools also strengthen your ability to communicate insights. When presenting data to leadership teams or cross-functional partners, showing how your company stacks up against industry standards builds trust and urgency. It moves conversations from “just a number” to a compelling call to action.

How Insights Experts Add Value

While SurveyMonkey provides the tools to compare survey data to industry standards, interpreting it correctly is another challenge. That’s where working with an experienced consumer insights expert becomes essential. SIVO’s On Demand Talent professionals are skilled at translating raw benchmark comparisons into clear narratives and strategic guidance.

Our professionals can help you:

• Uncover underlying patterns behind benchmark disparities
• Ensure your survey questions align properly for accurate comparison
• Coach internal teams on how to contextualize and communicate results effectively

Ultimately, benchmarking improves survey insights by adding relevance, comparison, and clarity. But for the best results, pairing DIY survey research tools with expert interpretation ensures that the insights are not only understood – but actionable.

How to Compare Your Data to Industry Benchmarks in SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey’s benchmarking tools are designed to help you answer one essential question: How do my survey results stack up against others in my industry? Whether you're collecting customer satisfaction scores, measuring employee engagement, or assessing brand awareness, benchmarks allow you to put your numbers into broader perspective.

SurveyMonkey gathers aggregate data from millions of responses by industry, geography, and company size. When you opt into benchmarks, your anonymous survey data contributes to – and becomes comparable with – this global dataset. This means you’re not just analyzing your results in isolation, but seeing how they rank against similar businesses.

Step-by-Step: Using the SurveyMonkey Industry Comparison Tool

To start using benchmarks effectively, follow these steps within the platform:

• Enable benchmarks when designing your survey: Not all survey types are benchmark-eligible. Choose templates like Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), or Employee Engagement, which typically include benchmarking options.
• Select your industry and size: SurveyMonkey allows you to filter benchmarks by sector and company size for a more relevant comparison.
• Toggle benchmark view in results: Once responses start to come in, access your results dashboard and turn on the benchmark comparison view. This enables a side-by-side comparison between your data and the applicable benchmark range.

These features offer a clear visual representation of how your scores compare to industry standards. For example, if your NPS score is 45, and the industry average is 32, you’ll immediately see that you’re performing above the norm. On the other hand, if you fall below average, it’s a prompt to dig deeper.

Tips for Interpreting Benchmarked Survey Data

Benchmarking tools for survey analysis are powerful, but only if applied thoughtfully. Context is everything. Look beyond whether your numbers are above or below average. Ask:

• Are specific demographic segments outperforming others?
• Is performance consistent across regions or time periods?
• Can small gaps in satisfaction or loyalty be linked to specific experiences?

Understanding benchmarking in surveys involves both critical thinking and business context. That’s why many teams collaborate with insight professionals to deepen their interpretation of these comparisons, ensuring that their DIY survey research yields actionable outcomes.

This approach transforms benchmarks from surface-level stats into meaningful indicators of growth potential – and often, a roadmap for smart improvements.

Common Benchmarking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Using benchmarks can elevate your survey data insights, but incorrect or incomplete usage can lead to misinterpretation – or worse, misguided actions. Below are some of the most common benchmarking pitfalls and how to navigate around them with clarity.

1. Using Irrelevant or Broad Benchmarks

Not all benchmarks are created equal. One of the easiest mistakes is comparing survey results to data from unrelated industries or audiences. For example, a SaaS startup comparing its Net Promoter Score to the retail industry average might draw misleading conclusions.

How to avoid it: Always select the most relevant filters within the SurveyMonkey industry comparison tool. Use criteria like industry, company size, and geography to match your business context as closely as possible.

2. Ignoring Data Collection Differences

Benchmarks are based on aggregate data – but the way that data was collected may not match your methodology. Timing, question phrasing, and distribution channels all influence outcomes.

How to avoid it: Try to mirror industry best practices and question formats when you intend to benchmark. That ensures comparable customer survey results and reduces variance caused by method, not sentiment.

3. Over-Focusing on the Average

Benchmarks often highlight median or mean values. While these numbers provide directional insight, they don’t tell the whole story. Being slightly below average may be acceptable depending on your goals. Likewise, being above average doesn’t mean there’s no room to improve.

How to avoid it: Look at the range (25th–75th percentile) to understand where you truly stand. Use benchmarks as one input in decision-making, not the final word.

4. Using Benchmarks to Dismiss Unfavorable Results

Sometimes teams fall into the trap of pointing to low industry averages as a way to rationalize weak performance.

How to avoid it: Benchmarking should guide improvements, not excuse gaps. If your satisfaction scores are low, focus on root causes and identify actionable fixes – even if your competitors score the same.

5. Relying on Benchmarks Without Expert Insight

Benchmarks are great for context, but without experience interpreting subtle variances or connecting results to strategy, insights can fall flat.

How to avoid it: Consider tapping into insights professionals who are experienced in interpreting survey results with benchmarks. They can uncover patterns, explain anomalies, and tie the data back to your business decisions.

In short, benchmarks are a helpful guidepost – but effective application takes both context and caution. With the right mindset and approach, you’ll be able to use benchmarks to improve survey insights in a way that focuses less on comparison for comparison’s sake, and more on finding smart paths forward.

How SIVO’s On Demand Talent Helps Maximize SurveyMonkey Insights

SurveyMonkey is a powerful DIY research platform – but like any tool, its true value depends on how it’s used. SIVO’s On Demand Talent helps brands go beyond the dashboard, translating benchmark data into strategic action. Whether you’re new to DIY survey research or looking to scale your insights function, our professionals provide the expertise needed to ensure quality doesn’t get lost in speed or scale.

Bridging the Gap Between DIY and Strategic Insight

The rise of agile tools and AI capabilities means teams are under greater pressure to move quickly – often without added headcount or budget. This is where On Demand Talent makes all the difference. Instead of investing in permanent hires or relying on external consultants unfamiliar with your business, companies turn to SIVO for flexible, experienced support.

On Demand Talent can:

• Interpret benchmarking data: Deliver clear, actionable takeaways from SurveyMonkey industry benchmarks that go beyond surface comparisons.
• Train internal teams: Show you how to use SurveyMonkey benchmarks effectively and build data literacy across your organization.
• Ensure objectivity: Provide unbiased analysis so you get decisions rooted in insights – not assumptions.
• Guide survey design: Help teams ask the right questions to get reliable benchmark-eligible data up front.

Flexible Support for Your Evolving Needs

When you use SIVO’s On Demand Talent, you gain access to proven professionals who work as an extension of your team. That means:

• No long onboarding timelines – talent can typically start in days or weeks.
• No junior team members who need handholding – only seasoned consumer insights experts.
• No compromised quality – just efficient, high-impact survey data analysis aligned with your business needs.

Whether you need temporary help to meet a launch deadline, strategic input on interpreting benchmarks, or want to increase internal capabilities, our On Demand professionals help your insights stay grounded, human, and future-ready.

SurveyMonkey comparison data is just the beginning. When paired with expert interpretation, it becomes a catalyst for growth – one that your team can use with confidence.