You can use variables (previously known as hidden fields) to pass known information in your videoask URL.
Check out the tutorial video below or read on for more details!
For example, if you already know your respondent's contact details, you don't have to ask them to fill out a contact form.
Add their contact details to the videoask URL before sending it to your respondent. When your respondent completes the videoask they will not see the contact form, but their contact details will still be recorded with their response.
Note: This only applies if consent is not required. If you have enabled the consent checkbox, known respondents will still see the contact form, but it will autofill with their contact information and they'll be prompted to give consent before continuing.
Here are some use cases where variables can come in handy:
- Passing contact information
- Adding tracking data for marketing (i.e., lead source)
- Identifying respondents by country
Variable formatting:
- Begin variables: #
- Separate multiple variables: &
- Multiple words: separate_words_with_an_underscore
- Phone number + prefix: %2B
- Space: %20
- All variables must be lowercase
💡Pro tip: You can add parameters with variables to your videoask URL. Just make sure to add the parameter first and use the & symbol to add any additional variable to your URL.
Your videoask URL will look something like this:
Jump to:
Add variables to your videoask
Remove variables from your videoask
Use variables to pass contact information from one videoask to another
Add variables to your videoask
1. Log in to your VideoAsk account and select the videoask you want to add variables to. Click the Share & Embed icon.
2. Click Add variables next to the videoask link.
3. Click a variable to add it to your URL.
4. You'll now see the variable at the end of your videoask URL starting with the # sign.
Note that the variable contains a placeholder (XXXX) for the information that you want to track. Before sharing your videoask link, be sure to replace the placeholder with the appropriate data.
5. To add another variable, click Add variables again and select from the list.
6. When finished, click Copy.
7. Paste the link and update the placeholder information. Send the updated link to your known respondent and watch the magic happen!
Note: Adding or removing variables to your URL in VideoAsk will not automatically update the link elsewhere. If you want to update the variables of a URL, you'll need to do so manually.
Remove variables from your videoask
1. Log in to your VideoAsk account and select the videoask you want to remove variables from. Click the Share & Embed icon.
2. Click Add variables next to the videoask link.
3. Click the trash can icon next to the variable you want to remove.
4. Your videoask URL will be updated to reflect the changes.
Note: Adding or removing variables to your URL in VideoAsk will not automatically update the link elsewhere. If you want to update the variables of a URL, you'll need to do so manually.
Use custom variables
If you are on a paid plan, you can also create custom variables to track just about anything! Any information collected using custom variables will be included in the .csv or .xlsx file when you export response data.
1. Click Add variables.
2. Select Add custom variable.
3. Type the name of your variable and click Save.
Note: Custom variables must be alphanumeric, and you must use_underscores_to_separate_words.
4. That's it! Now you'll see your custom variable at the end of the URL. Make sure to replace the placeholder information (XXXX) before sharing and you're good to go.
Note: You can also add variables to an embedded videoask, just replace the URL in the embed code with your updated URL that includes your variable.
5. Now when your contact responds to your videoask with variables, their contact information and any additional tracking information will display with their response.
Use variables to pass contact information from one videoask to another
Do you want to redirect respondents from one videoask to another, but don't want to ask for contact details in each videoask? Ask for contact information once and pass it to other videoasks using variables.
Using URL redirect variables, you'll need to match the contact fields of each videoask through these steps:
1. Copy the share URL of your second videoask (the one you want to redirect to).
2. In your first videoask, make sure a contact form is enabled for at least one of the steps.
3. In the Redirect to URL field, paste the link to your second videoask.
4. At the end of the URL, type #contact_name=
5. Type an @ symbol and select Contact name from the list.
6. After the Contact name variable, type &contact_email=
7. Type an @ symbol and select Contact email from the list.
8. Click Save.
That's it! Now when the contact information is entered into the first videoask...
...it'll end up in the second! 🤗
Note: When using multiple redirects in your workflow with contact variables–for example, redirecting from a first videoask to a second videoask, and from the second videoask to another URL– it's important to enable the contact form in your second videoask. This will allow you to add contact variables when setting up the next redirect.
Don't worry, respondents won't have to fill out the same contact form twice (they won’t actually see the contact form in the second videoask). Just make sure to set the contact form fields as required in the first videoask.
However, if there are additional contact details you want to collect in the second videoask, the contact form will appear for respondents to fill in the additional information.