Web-Based Surveys – AskNicely

Introduction

Web-Based Surveys allow you to collect feedback directly from users inside your app or website using a pop-up survey experience. This approach can achieve response rates comparable to email surveys, especially if your platform has high user engagement.

Web Surveys respect your Global Contact Rule (for time between surveys) but do not support delay settings for new users. They offer a frictionless way to capture immediate impressions of your website, app, or brand.

Is This Approach Right for Your Business?

🛠️ Developer Support Required

Web Surveys use JavaScript to embed surveys in your website or app
You’ll need a web developer to create a container to control how and when surveys appear

⏰ Timing Matters

Trigger surveys after meaningful interactions (e.g., completing a purchase or onboarding)
Avoid disrupting the user experience mid-task

🎯 Targeting Considerations

Surveys only reach logged-in or active website users
Stakeholders who don't access your platform won't be surveyed
Combine with Email Surveys for broader coverage

✉️ Email Address Handling

Capturing an email enables:
- Triggered Workflows
- Enforcement of the Global Contact Rule
If no email is captured, AskNicely assigns an anonymous email automatically

⚖️ Privacy Notes

Web Surveys do not show Privacy/Unsubscribe links because you control access via your app
Follow-up emails from Workflows still offer opt-out options

🔄 Contact Records

Every survey response creates a new Active Contact in AskNicely
If mixing Web Surveys with scheduled email sends, you’ll need to regularly maintain your Contact list

Step-by-Step Instructions

✅ Step 1: Choose Your Survey Template

Go to App Store > Discover > Web-Based Surveys > Configure
Click Create a New Survey Template
- You’ll be taken to the Survey Builder page
Customize your Web Survey:
- No scale labels
- No Privacy/Unsubscribe links
Save and return to the Web Survey App
Select your template from the dropdown

🧠 We recommend a dedicated Web Survey Template for easier filtering and reporting.

✅ Step 2: Implement the Web-Based Survey

Scroll to Embedding in your Website in the Web Survey App
Choose:
- Traditional Website or
- Single Page Application (SPA)
  (Ask your developer if unsure.)
Copy the provided JavaScript code
Insert it into the appropriate webpage or app container

🔥 Best Practice: Create a container to control display rules (e.g., after a specific action or page load).

Update the code’s configuration:

Set domain_key to your AskNicely domain
Set template_name to match your selected Survey Template

Optional: Add user email, custom fields, and timing details

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://static.asknice.ly/dist/standalone/asknicely-in-app-conversation.js"></script>
<link href="https://static.asknice.ly/dist/standalone/asknicely-in-app-conversation.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8">

<script type="text/javascript">

    document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
        askNicelyConversation({
            config: {
                domain_key:    "matico", // Required
                template_name: "Default", // Required - the survey template you wish to use
                alignment:     "center", // Optional - "left", "center" or "right"
                name:          "PersonA", // Optional - but nice to have
                email:         "persona@gmail.com", // Optional, if no email provided, the survey will be anonymous
                email_hash:    "879dd18b19f6d8712b528f36b9c5467b21869799d2fc581cb2256ca3bebc6efd", // Required if email is provided - *security hash of this customers email - see below
                created:       1733428800 // Highly desired - unix timestamp when this customer joined your service.
                auto_close:    true // Optional - default to always automatic close the survey
            },
            customData: { // Optional - Send extra data about this customer for reporting and leaderboards
                a_custom_property:       "business",
                another_custom_property: "New York"
            }
        });
    });

</script>

⚙️ Additional Settings

auto_close: true → Survey closes automatically after submission
auto_close: false → User must manually close the survey

✅ Step 3: Turn On Web-Based Surveys

Set Your Global Contact Rule:
- Go to the Send page (📨 paper airplane icon)
- Recommended minimum interval: 90 days
- Leave "Delay" setting at 0 (Web Surveys do not support it)
Set Display Limits:
- Navigate back to App Store > Installed Apps > Web-Based Surveys
- In the Display Limits section:
  - Set Daily Limits (e.g., number of surveys per day)
  - Optionally set Hourly Limits to throttle traffic

📈 Start conservatively, then adjust based on early response patterns.

🧪 Testing & Monitoring

Before launching widely:

Add the parameter force: true to the config JavaScript options to force the survey to pop-up for testing (this will ignore your contact rules!). force: false will not work, please just remove or comment out force: true when you’re done testing

Test surveys in a development or staging environment
Monitor survey triggers and contact creation
Confirm Contact rules are being respected

FAQs & Common Issues

Q: What if no email is captured during the survey?
A: AskNicely will create a random email address for tracking, but you’ll lose the ability to trigger personalized follow-ups.
Q: Can I target different surveys to different pages?
A: Yes—use multiple containers or logic within your site to embed different Survey Templates.
Q: Are Web Surveys mobile responsive?
A: Yes, the widget adapts to mobile layouts.
Q: Can I show the survey automatically after login or transaction?
A: Absolutely! Trigger it programmatically within your app after specific user events.

Next Steps & Related Articles

✅ Setting Up Your Global Contact Rule
✅ Email to Survey

Need Help?

If you need assistance, reach out to our team via the chat icon in AskNicely or email support@asknice.ly.