What Is The Custom Variable In Online Survey And How Can I Use It?

Receiving a ton of responses is the ultimate aim of every survey. However, analyzing and interpreting all that data can be a challenge. Take advantage of custom variables to avoid this headache and make survey data analysis easier.

Custom variables are a kind of tag that gives you additional information about where the survey traffic comes from. SurveyCrest lets you add custom markers directly into the survey URL. Follow this short tutorial to learn how to insert custom variables in your SurveyCrest survey.

Step #1. Go To ‘Launch’ Tab In The Survey Editor

The Survey Editor has a tab called ‘Launch’, click on this to access the customization settings.

Step #2. Click The ‘Personalize’ Icon

Now click on the small icon labelled ‘Personalize’. Check the above image for reference if you have trouble locating the right option.

Step #3. Customizing Your Survey

Choose the ‘Personalize’ button to all URL customization options.

Step #4. Editing The ‘Custom Url’ And ‘Custom Field’ Options

The ‘Custom Url’ option lets you edit the Survey URL. You can only enter alphanumeric characters and the _ (underscore sign) in this field. Whatever you enter will be appended to the suffix:

https://www.surveycrest.com/s/[chosen string]

The ‘Custom Field’ option lets you assign a tracking variable to your survey URL. This variable can be anything that you find useful, such as the survey source, category of respondents, etc. Keep in mind this variable is hidden so you won’t be able to see it in the actual URL of the survey. The system stores it whenever a respondent fills out the survey, thus enabling you to track your survey. These variables can also be passed to a database or another application if you prefer.

Creating A Customized Tracking URL

There are many ways to customize survey URL and track which source sent you the responses. For example, you can track the following variables:

• Source (Facebook, Twitter, Landing Page)
• Medium (Cost-per-click, email)
• Content (useful for A/B testing)
• Audience Type (customers, clients)

Example custom variable that returns the social media source and medium type: source=facebook&medium=post

Tracking too many variables can be a hassle, so stick to a select few that are meaningful enough to help you during the analysis phase.

Are you still having trouble with the Custom Variable feature? Contact our support team, comment below, or connect with us on Twitter, our team will be happy to help you out.