What is a survey trigger?
A survey trigger is the event that opens a survey, such as a scroll, a click or a move to leave the page. It sets the moment a question appears, and that moment decides whether people answer.
The moment a survey opens
A trigger watches for something a visitor does, or a moment that passes, and opens the survey when it happens. Some triggers are about time: the page has loaded, 20 seconds have passed, the visitor has stopped moving. Others are about actions: scrolling halfway, clicking a button, sending a form or heading for the browser's tabs.
The same question can get many answers or almost none depending on its trigger. Asked as the page loads, “Did you find what you were looking for?” makes no sense yet. Asked after a scroll to the bottom, or as the visitor leaves, it fits the moment.
Triggers work with targeting. Targeting decides who can see a survey and on which pages, and the trigger decides when it opens for them.
- Decides
- When a survey opens
- Time triggers
- Page load, delay, time on site, idle
- Action triggers
- Scroll, click, form submit, exit intent, custom event
- Works with
- Targeting for who and where, show frequency for how often
Common survey triggers
Each trigger fits a different kind of question. Pick the one that matches the moment you want to ask about.
| Trigger | Opens when | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Page load | The page has loaded | Confirmation and thank-you pages |
| Delay | A set number of seconds pass | Giving visitors time to look around |
| Scroll | The visitor passes a share of the page | Articles, guides, long product pages |
| Exit intent | The visitor moves to leave | Asking why someone is leaving |
| Idle | No activity for a while | Visitors who seem stuck |
| Element click | A chosen button or link is clicked | Interest in a feature, help buttons |
| Custom event | Your code reports an action | A finished task in a web app |
How to choose a survey trigger
Start from the question. Ask about content after it has been read, about a task after it is done, and about leaving as people leave.
- “Was this article useful?” on a scroll near the end of the article
- “How easy was it to check out?” when the order confirmation page loads
- “What is holding you back?” on exit intent from the pricing or sign-up page
- “How important is this to you?” on a click on a feature that is coming soon
- “How was your first export?” on a custom event when the export finishes
Combining triggers
Many tools let a survey wait for more than one condition. Any opens on the first condition met, such as a scroll to 50% or exit intent, whichever comes first. All waits for every condition, such as 60 seconds on the site and three pages viewed, so the survey reaches only visitors who have looked around.
A short wait after the trigger helps too. Two seconds after a scroll lets the visitor finish the line they are reading before the survey opens.
| Setup | Opens |
|---|---|
| Scroll 50% or exit intent (Any) | On whichever happens first |
| 60 seconds on site and 3 pages (All) | Once both are true |
| Scroll 50%, then wait 2 seconds | Two seconds after the scroll |
Triggers on phones and tablets
Touch screens change a few triggers. There is no pointer that can leave the window, so exit intent on a phone usually watches for a fast scroll back to the top. Hover doesn't exist, and a popup covers more of a small screen.
A later trigger, such as a deeper scroll or a longer delay, often suits phones better. Set separate conditions per device when your tool allows it, and preview the survey on a phone before you publish.
Survey triggers in Usertick
On every plan, a Usertick website survey can open on page load, after a delay of up to 60 seconds, after time on the site, on scroll, after a number of pages viewed, on exit intent or when the visitor is idle. On 1 survey on Free and on every survey from Starter, it can also open on a rage click, a page error, a click on an element, a hover, an element coming into view, a form sent or abandoned, copied text, a video watched or a custom event your code fires.
Conditions combine as Any or All, Then wait adds up to 60 seconds, and each condition can be limited to desktop, tablet or mobile. From Pro, smart triggers open a survey on patterns such as frustration, finished reading or a visitor who can't find something, and Don't interrupt holds the survey for up to 10 seconds while the visitor is typing or scrolling.
A survey placed inside the page shows without a trigger, and link and email surveys open when someone follows the link. Targeting and show frequency decide who the trigger can open the survey for, and how often.
Mistakes to avoid with survey triggers
Small choices that keep the results useful.
- 01
Opening every popup on page load
A popup the second a page opens interrupts people before they have seen anything. Wait for a scroll, a delay or an action.
- 02
Firing in the middle of a task
A survey that opens while someone fills in a form can cost you the form. Trigger it after the submit.
- 03
Using exit intent everywhere
Exit intent on every page asks people who were happy to leave. Keep it to pages where leaving is a problem, such as pricing or the cart.
- 04
Forgetting about phones
Some triggers behave differently on touch screens. Preview the survey on a phone and set device conditions where needed.
Frequently asked questions
The one that matches your question. A scroll suits content, exit intent suits reasons for leaving, and a click or a custom event suits questions about a feature.
Long enough for the visitor to take in the page. Start with something like 10 to 30 seconds and adjust it to how long people need for the thing you ask about; in Usertick a delay can run up to 60 seconds.
Phones have no pointer that can leave the window, so exit intent on touch screens watches for a fast scroll back to the top of the page. Usertick's exit intent trigger works that way on touch devices.
Yes. Your code can report an action, such as a finished export, as a custom event. In Usertick the custom event trigger works on 1 survey on Free and on every survey from Starter.
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