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Publishing

Once your survey is configured, you need to publish it to start collecting responses.

Preview mode​

Before publishing, test your survey using preview mode:

  1. Click Preview in the survey editor header
  2. The survey displays on your website exactly as it would for real users
  3. Responses collected in preview mode are not counted in your reports
  4. Surveys don't need to be activated to work in preview mode

Preview mode is useful for:

  • Testing trigger conditions
  • Verifying skip logic and branching
  • Checking customization and positioning
  • Validating multi-language translations
tip

You can also enable preview mode programmatically via the SDK:

told('init', 'SOURCE_ID', { preview: true })

Activating a survey​

To make your survey live:

  1. Go to the Publish tab in the survey editor
  2. Toggle the survey to Active

Once activated, the survey will appear to users who match your trigger and audience conditions.

Distribution methods​

In-app (SDK)​

The primary method. The survey displays inside your website or app as a widget, triggered by the conditions you configured. Requires the Told SDK to be installed.

Share your survey via a unique URL:

  1. Go to the Publish tab
  2. Copy the direct link
  3. Share it anywhere — social media, Slack, email, QR code

Link options:

  • Password protection — Require a password to access the survey
  • Single vote — Allow only one response per user
  • Language override — Force a specific language via URL parameter (e.g., ?lang=es)
  • Hidden fields — Pass data via URL parameters (e.g., ?name=John&[email protected])

Email embed​

Embed the survey directly in an email:

  1. Go to the Publish tab
  2. Copy the email embed code
  3. Paste it into your email template

Iframe embed​

Embed the survey in any webpage:

  1. Go to the Publish tab
  2. Copy the iframe embed code
  3. Paste it into your HTML

QR Code​

A QR code is automatically generated for your direct link. Download it and use it in print materials, slides, or physical locations.

Deactivating a survey​

To stop collecting responses, toggle the survey back to Inactive in the Publish tab. Existing responses are preserved.