Getting honest feedback from your users can be tough. You want to improve your SaaS product but don't want to constantly interrupt your user workflow. Finding the right balance between gathering feedback and respecting your users' time and focus takes time and effort.
The answer to this problem lies in a feedback widget. These handy tools sit subtly within your software and help you collect thoughts from your users at a moment's notice. A well-designed feedback widget can boost engagement and capture issues or suggestions your team might otherwise miss.
Imagine a user trying a new feature and encountering a snag. Instead of leaving in frustration, a feedback widget lets them report the problem directly to you with just a few clicks.
Want to see feedback widgets in action? Read on for templates and best practices.
Best Examples of Feedback Widgets in Action
Let's examine some excellent examples of these tools in action. You'll see how subtle design changes and strategic placement make a big difference.
Grammarly
Grammarly understands the power of timely feedback. That's why they've designed their product experience surveys to gather insights at the perfect moment. A simple star-rating survey discreetly appears when users interact with Grammarly within other apps. This lets users express their satisfaction immediately while the experience is still on their minds.
This strategy has several advantages:
- Fresh Impressions: Users don't recall past experiences, which may be hazy. They're rating the tool based on their current feelings.
- Higher Response Rates: The survey's brevity and immediate placement make users more likely to complete it.
- Valuable Insights: Grammarly receives real-time, context-specific feedback. It allows them to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Slack
The Slack feedback form appears to be a short, two-question survey to capture user sentiment. Let's break down the possible ways Slack uses this feedback form:
- Measure User Satisfaction: This type of survey, known as a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey, often uses a 0-10 point scale to gauge how likely a user is to recommend the product to others.
- Maintain a Pulse on User Needs: Regularly deploying short surveys allows Slack to keep its finger on user needs and expectations. This can help the product development team prioritize features and ensure they align with users' wants.
Google strives to deliver the most relevant and useful results for every search query. The feedback widget you see is one way they gather user input to improve their search algorithms. Here's how it works:
- Identify Low-Quality Results: If you find a search result unhelpful or irrelevant, click "This is not helpful" to indicate to Google that the result doesn't meet your needs. This feedback helps Google identify and remove low-quality content from their search results.
- Report Issues: The widget also allows you to report specific issues with search results, such as misleading information, offensive content, or technical problems. This helps Google maintain the quality and accuracy of its search engine.
- Highlight Useful Results: If you find a search result informative, click "This is helpful" to let Google know it's on the right track. This data helps Google prioritize high-quality content in their search rankings.
Jira
Jira's feedback mechanism seems to function differently from many customer satisfaction surveys. Here's what makes Jira's widget unique:
- Unobtrusive Design: Rather than disruptive pop-up surveys, Jira places a small widget in the top right corner of the page. This keeps the user interface clean and avoids interrupting the workflow.
- User-Initiated Feedback: Customers who want to provide feedback can conveniently click on the widget. This puts the user in control and ensures they provide feedback when they have a specific thought or experience.
- Contextual In-App Feedback: Jira also leverages in-app notifications to gather feedback. It includes a quick question alongside relevant notifications to gather targeted insights related to specific app features or actions users take.
YouTube
YouTube feedback survey asks users to rate their recent ad experience on YouTube. The answer choices range from "Awful" to "Excellent," with the option to skip the survey altogether.
The platform offers this quick and easy rating system to gather significant data to inform their advertising strategy. Here's why it works:
- Ease of Use: A feedback widget should be simple and intuitive. One click should open up a clear and concise form or survey. This minimizes friction and encourages more users to leave feedback.
- Non-Intrusive: Pop-ups can be disruptive, but a subtle feedback widget (maybe a small tab or icon) blends seamlessly into the interface. Users can choose to interact with it when they have something to say rather than being forced into a feedback loop.
- Contextual Relevance: Position the feedback widget strategically. Consider placing it near the end of a video or within a user's profile settings. This encourages feedback related to the user's specific experience at that moment.
- Visual Appeal: While subtle in placement, the widget should still be visually appealing and easy to locate. This might involve using a contrasting color or a clear icon (like a speech bubble) to subtly draw attention.
Steps to create a Feedback Widget
Ready to turn customer feedback into actionable insights? Let's build a feedback widget that works for you. Follow these steps to create a seamless feedback experience that benefits your users and product development process.
Define Your Goals
Before you start building, ask yourself what kind of feedback you want to gather. Are you most interested in overall satisfaction? Specific feature requests? Bug reports? Your goals will shape the design of your widget.
Choose a Widget Style
Consider how you want your feedback widget to appear and function. Olvy provides flexible widget options to suit your needs:
- General Widget: Capture overall feedback with customizable questions and file attachments.
- Rating Widget: Gather quick sentiment ratings for fast insights.
- Screenshot/Video Widget: Empower users to visually document issues and provide context-rich feedback.
Design Your Widget
Your feedback widget should seamlessly extend your product's overall look and feel. Here's how to ensure it provides a smooth user experience:
- Visual Appeal: Use colors and fonts that align with your brand. Make sure the widget is clear and easy to locate. A small contrasting color or an eye-catching icon (like a speech bubble) can help it stand out.
- Intuitive Interaction: Users should immediately understand how to use the widget. Limit clicks or input fields to keep feedback submission quick and easy.
- Focus on Your Goals: Design your widget's questions or inputs to match the feedback you hope to collect. A rating scale and simple text box might be enough if you want general impressions. For specific features, consider targeted questions.
Olvy takes the complexity out of widget design. Start with customizable templates that you can easily adapt to match your brand perfectly. Olvy's intuitive interface lets you fine-tune colors, fonts, and layouts to ensure a cohesive user experience. Plus, Olvy offers specialized widgets for screenshots and videos so you can capture richer user insights.
Place it Strategically
Where you place the widget matters! Consider putting it near high-traffic areas of your app or after specific actions. The goal is to make it visible but not so disruptive that it annoys users.
Collect and Analyze Feedback
This is where a tool like Olvy shines. It centralizes all your feedback from various sources, including your widget. Olvy offers analytics features to help you identify trends and actionable insights.
Use the feedback to make improvements, address bugs, and build features that your users want. Consider using Olvy's announcements feature to inform users about changes made based on their input.
Things to Keep in Mind While Creating the Feedback Widget
A feedback widget is more about strategy than design. To truly capture valuable user insights, you must consider how your widget interacts with your overall user experience and aligns with your feedback goals. Here are a few key things to keep in mind as you build your widget:
- Keep it Short and Sweet: Long, complicated forms discourage feedback. Focus on a few targeted questions or a simple rating system. Users are more likely to provide input when it's quick and painless.
- Placement is Key: Place your widget where it's visible without being intrusive. Consider putting it near relevant features, after key actions, or in a dedicated feedback section of your app.
- Context is Everything: Sometimes, you need feedback about specific things. Use targeted questions or embed your feedback widget within relevant sections of your app to gather immediately relevant and actionable feedback.
- Don't Forget Design: Your widget should look and feel like a seamless part of your app. Maintain consistency with your branding and user interface.
- Respond and Iterate: Collecting feedback is just the first step. Analyze the insights, take action to improve your product, and consider closing the loop by informing users about updates inspired by their suggestions. This fosters trust and encourages further engagement.
Wrapping Up
A feedback widget may seem like a small addition, but it has a big impact. It gives your users a voice and allows them to help shape the products they use. This direct line of communication helps you create a loyal audience and drives continuous improvement.
Olvy is a powerful tool that helps you create and manage your feedback widget. Its flexibility, customizable widgets, and powerful AI-driven analysis will help you turn feedback into actionable insights. Taking user input seriously and using tools like Olvy will help you create a product that consistently exceeds expectations.
