When to Use a Text Block Instead of a Question¶
A Text Block is a question type that isn't really a question at all - it's a display-only block of formatted text, with no input control attached. In the chat and mobile taking experience, it auto-advances to the next real question after a moment (or a respondent can tap to continue early); in the Traditional taking experience, it's simply static text on the page. Either way, there's nothing for the respondent to answer.
That makes it easy to either overuse (turning every transition into its own screen) or underuse (skipping it entirely and cramming instructions into a question's own text instead, where they don't really belong). Here's how to tell which situation you're actually in.
When It Earns Its Place¶
A genuine transition between sections. "You're about to see three product concepts - for each one, we'll ask a few quick questions" gives respondents a real orientation before a section that might otherwise feel like it started abruptly, without forcing them through an empty question just to acknowledge reading it.
Context a question genuinely depends on. If an upcoming question only makes sense after some background information ("The feature we're about to ask about is currently only available on the mobile app"), a Text Block delivers that context cleanly, rather than stuffing it awkwardly into the question text itself where it competes with the actual question for attention.
A meaningful pause point in a longer survey. "Nice progress - about halfway there" costs nothing and can genuinely help completion on a longer survey, though it's worth using sparingly rather than after every section.
A Text Block in the builder - no answer options, just display text and how long it shows before auto-advancing.
When It's Better Left Out¶
As a substitute for a well-written question. If what you're tempted to put in a Text Block is actually instructions for how to answer the next question, that content usually belongs in the question's own helper text or placeholder instead - splitting instructions and the question they apply to across two separate screens makes the respondent hold context across a transition rather than seeing both together.
Stacked back-to-back. Two or three Text Blocks in a row, each adding its own screen and its own brief pause (or auto-advance delay, in chat and mobile), adds friction without adding proportional value - if you have that much to say before a section, consider whether it can be consolidated into one block instead of several.
As filler between every single question. A Text Block between each question in a longer survey turns a straightforward flow into a much longer one, and the auto-advance delay in chat/mobile compounds across every instance - reserve it for genuine transitions, not routine pacing.
FAQ¶
Does a respondent have to do anything to get past a Text Block?
In chat and mobile, it advances automatically after a configurable delay, or a respondent can tap to continue sooner. In the Traditional taking experience, it's just static content on the page alongside whatever comes next.
Can a Text Block use display logic to only show for certain respondents?
Check your survey builder for the specific display logic options available on this question type - it's worth confirming before assuming behavior that might differ from a normal question.
Is a Text Block counted as a "question" in my survey's question count or completion time estimate?
It doesn't collect an answer, so it's a different kind of thing than a normal question in terms of what it contributes to a response - but it does still take a moment of a respondent's time to read, which is worth factoring into how many you use.
For the full rundown of every question type available, see How to Build a Good Survey: A Practical Guide to Question Types, Structure, and Design.