More than often I get the question: can we also do a quiz at our event? The same goes for BuzzMaster, more and more requests are coming in to organize an interactive quiz, for example during a customer or staff event. That is perfectly logical. A quiz creates a buzz, competition and it is a fun way to transfer information.
Nevertheless, making good quiz questions is extremely difficult. Before you know it, the questions are not the right level of difficulty, or – worse – just plain boring. Therefore, 5 tips for making interesting quiz questions!
Tip 1: Is the answer interesting enough for a birthday party?
The idea behind a the quiz is entertainment and the transfer of information. For both cases it is important that answers are interesting or funny (or both!). Litmus test: the answer to the quiz question must be so interesting that it is a good story at a birthday party.
Tip 2: Avoid numbers
The biggest pitfall during the quiz: asking too much numbers. That happens a lot, because they are the easiest questions to make. But usually it does not meet tip 1. And if you already use numbers, focus on the trend instead of the number. So rather, ‘how much % of our CO2 emissions have dropped in 10 years?’, then: ‘how much CO2 do we emit now?’
Tip 3: Combine facts
To avoid those number questions, you could tip 3. You take another fact and link it together. For example, for KLM we have had the question: ‘how many visitors does our lounge get every year?’, converted into ‘which Dutch attraction has as many visitors as our own lounge per year?’ Answer: The Rijksmuseum. And with that you meet Tip 1 again.
Tip 4: Use all the senses
Of course you already show pictures in a quiz question. But be more original! Take something away, for example a movie title. Or combine two pictures and ask what the similarities are. Or show a movie (something like those #fail movies on Youtube), put it in the middle stop, and ask: ‘what will happen later?’. Or let a voice of a known person be heard, but then slightly slowed down. ‘Who is this?’
Tip 5: Dig into history
The best thing about a quiz is when people do not know the answer, but it’s dangling off the tip of their tongue. How do you make those questions? Well, start by knowing the average age of your audience. Then search in their youth for TV programs, news facts, artists or things that were generally known at the time, and make the connection with the now. For example: “Unemployment is now extremely low. That was different in the 1980s. Which band started as an unemployment project?’
These are my most important tips for good quiz questions. Do you also want to keep a good quiz? Creating a bit of competition among your employees or customers? At BuzzMaster we also gladly help you on your way!
