Link Surveys

Share surveys via link anywhere on the web

Link surveys are standalone surveys that can be shared via URL. They work independently without requiring SDK integration, making them perfect for sharing via email, social media, QR codes, or embedding on websites.

How Link Surveys Work

Link surveys are hosted on your Formbricks instance and accessible via a unique URL. Unlike app or website surveys, they don’t require user tracking or SDK installation.

// Survey type definition
export const ZSurveyType = z.enum(["link", "app"]);

type TSurveyType = "link" | "app";

Creating a Link Survey

1. Create a new survey

   Navigate to your environment and click Create Survey. Choose a template or start from scratch.

2. Set survey type to Link

   In the survey editor, ensure the survey type is set to Link. This determines how the survey can be distributed.

3. Configure survey content

   Add your questions, welcome card, and ending screens. Link surveys support all question types including NPS, rating, multiple choice, and open text.

4. Get your survey URL

   Once published, navigate to the Summary tab and click Share to access your survey link.

Sharing Options

Multi-Use Links

Multi-use links can be shared with unlimited respondents. This is the default option for link surveys.

https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id

Use cases:

• Social media posts
• Email newsletters
• Website buttons
• QR codes

Single-Use Links

Single-use links work only once per unique ID, preventing duplicate responses.

Encrypted Single-Use

// Enable single-use with encryption
const survey = {
  singleUse: {
    enabled: true,
    isEncrypted: true
  }
};

// Generated URL format:
// https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id?suId=encrypted-id

Single-use links are perfect for personalized campaigns where each recipient should respond only once.

Advanced Features

Link Metadata

Customize how your survey appears when shared on social media or messaging apps.

interface TSurveyMetadata {
  title?: TI18nString;
  description?: TI18nString;
  ogImage?: string;
}

Configure metadata in the Link Settings tab:

1. Set link title

   The title appears in browser tabs and social media previews.

2. Add description

   A brief description shown in link previews.

3. Upload preview image

   An Open Graph image (recommended size: 1200x630px) for social sharing.

Data Prefilling

Pre-populate hidden fields with URL parameters to track responses.

https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id?source=email&campaign=winter2024

Access hidden fields in your survey:

// Define hidden fields in survey configuration
const survey = {
  hiddenFields: {
    enabled: true,
    fieldIds: ["source", "campaign"]
  }
};

Source Tracking

Track where responses come from using UTM parameters:

https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=launch

Custom Start Point

Start the survey at a specific question using the skipTo parameter:

https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id?skipTo=block-id

Embedding Link Surveys

iframe Embed

Embed surveys on any website without SDK integration:

<div style="position: relative; height:80dvh; overflow:auto;"> 
  <iframe 
    src="https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id" 
    frameborder="0" 
    style="position: absolute; left:0; top:0; width:100%; height:100%; border:0;">
  </iframe>
</div>

Embed Mode

Add ?embed=true to remove Formbricks branding and adjust styling for embedded contexts:

<iframe src="https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id?embed=true" ...></iframe>

QR Code Generation

Generate QR codes for offline distribution:

1. Access QR code tab

   In the Share modal, navigate to the QR Code tab.

2. Customize appearance

   Adjust size, colors, and add your logo.

3. Download and print

   Download the QR code as PNG or SVG for print materials.

Email Distribution

Link surveys work perfectly in email campaigns:

Email Button

<a href="https://your-domain.com/s/survey-id?source=email" 
   style="background: #00C4B8; color: white; padding: 12px 24px; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 6px;">
  Take Survey
</a>

Some email clients may block iframes. Test your email campaigns across different clients.

Best Practices

Keep URLs short

Use a custom domain or URL shortener for cleaner links in print and social media.

Set response limits

Use the autoComplete setting to automatically close surveys after reaching a target response count.

const survey = {
  autoComplete: 1000 // Close after 1000 responses
};

Enable single-use for sensitive data

Prevent duplicate responses and ensure data integrity by enabling single-use links.

Track conversion rates

Use hidden fields and UTM parameters to measure which channels drive the most responses.

Response Management

Link surveys don’t track individual users unless you:

• Use single-use links with custom IDs
• Include hidden fields with user identifiers
• Request contact information in the survey

// Single-use link tracking
const singleUseConfig = {
  enabled: true,
  heading: "This survey can only be taken once",
  subheading: "You've already completed this survey",
  isEncrypted: true
};

Troubleshooting

Survey not loading

• Verify the survey is published (status: inProgress)
• Check that the survey hasn’t reached its response limit
• Ensure the survey isn’t closed or expired

Single-use link shows 'already completed'

• Each single-use ID can only be used once
• Generate a new single-use link for each recipient
• Check if the link has been shared or forwarded

Hidden fields not capturing data

• Ensure hidden fields are enabled in survey settings
• Verify URL parameter names match configured field IDs
• Check for typos in URL parameters

Related Resources

Email Surveys

Learn how to send surveys directly via email

Hidden Fields

Track additional data with hidden fields

Custom Styling

Customize survey appearance for your brand

Multi-Language

Create surveys in multiple languages