Want more leads from your website without a complicated setup? Embedding a survey is a smart way to grab attention and get contact info—if you do it right. This guide is for marketers, founders, or anyone who just wants a straightforward way to use surveys for lead gen. You’ll see how to embed a SurveyMonkey form on your site, keep it user-friendly, and actually get useful leads (not just junk data).
Why Use Embedded Surveys for Lead Generation?
Forms are everywhere, but most people ignore them. A well-placed survey can feel more inviting and less like you’re begging for an email address. If you ask the right questions, you can qualify leads and start real conversations—not just harvest emails you’ll never use.
But let’s get real: surveys aren’t magic. If your questions are boring or your survey is clunky, people will bail. The trick is making it easy, fast, and relevant to your audience.
Step 1: Create Your SurveyMonkey Survey
First things first, you need an actual survey. SurveyMonkey is a popular choice because it’s easy to use and doesn’t require coding.
What to do: - Sign up or log in to SurveyMonkey. - Click “Create Survey.” - Either start from scratch or use a template (they have plenty, but don’t overthink it). - Add your questions. For lead generation, keep it short—think 3-5 questions max. - Pro tip: Always include a required email field if you want leads. - Ask questions that actually help you qualify the lead (like company size or budget), but don’t make it a quiz.
What works:
Short, relevant surveys work best. If you’re just asking for an email, a form would be simpler. Use a survey if you want context—like why someone’s interested, what they’re looking for, or how you might help.
What to ignore:
Don’t ask for unnecessary details (“What’s your fax number?”) or include a dozen questions because you’re curious. People don’t owe you their life story.
Step 2: Set Up Survey Logic and Lead Capture
If all you want is contact info, SurveyMonkey’s email question is fine. But if you want to qualify leads, use skip logic or question piping. This lets you show or hide questions based on previous answers.
How to do it: - In your survey, look for “Logic” or “Skip Logic” options. - Set rules like “If answer is X, show question Y.” - Make the email question required. - Double-check what fields you’re collecting—don’t ask for more than you need.
Pro tip:
SurveyMonkey’s lead capture features are only as good as the questions you ask. If you’re planning to pass leads to your CRM, make sure you collect the right fields (name, company, email).
What doesn’t work:
Don’t just collect emails and hope for the best. If you want quality leads, ask at least one qualifying question.
Step 3: Adjust Survey Settings for Embedding
Not all surveys are set up for embedding by default. You’ll need to tweak a few settings:
- Go to the “Collect Responses” section.
- Choose “Embed on Website.”
- Decide if you want the survey to show up directly (“inline”) or as a pop-up.
- Inline: The survey appears as part of your page.
- Pop-up: The survey shows up when a user clicks a button or after a set time.
What works:
Inline is smoother if you want the survey to feel like part of the site. Pop-ups can work if you want to capture attention, but they’re easy to ignore or block.
What to ignore:
Don’t turn on every setting “just because.” For lead gen, you usually don’t need anonymous responses or fancy survey navigation. Keep it simple.
Step 4: Grab the Embed Code
Once you’ve adjusted your settings, SurveyMonkey will give you a bit of HTML code.
- Copy the embed code provided (usually an
<iframe>). - Note: Some older website builders may not allow iframes. If that’s the case, you’re out of luck unless you switch platforms or use a pop-up link instead.
Pro tip:
If you want to track conversions or leads in Google Analytics, you’ll need to set up event tracking manually—SurveyMonkey won’t do this out of the box.
Step 5: Add the Survey Embed Code to Your Website
How you do this depends on your website platform:
WordPress
- Use a Custom HTML block in the page editor.
- Paste the embed code and update.
- Preview to make sure it displays correctly.
Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, etc.
- Look for an “Embed” or “Code” block.
- Paste the code.
Custom HTML sites
- Drop the code wherever you want the survey to appear.
Heads up:
Make sure the area is wide enough for the survey. Some templates make embeds look cramped or cut off.
What works:
Test on mobile. A lot of embedded surveys look fine on desktop but are a mess on a phone. If it’s not responsive, people won’t bother.
What doesn’t work:
Don’t hide your survey at the bottom of a long page. If you want leads, put it where people actually see it—like after a blog post or in your sidebar.
Step 6: Connect Survey Responses to Your CRM (Optional, But Recommended)
If you want to do more than just download a CSV of leads every week, connect SurveyMonkey to your CRM or marketing tool.
SurveyMonkey Integrations
- SurveyMonkey connects natively to Salesforce, Mailchimp, HubSpot, and others—but only on paid plans.
- You can use Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat) to send new responses straight to your CRM, email list, or Slack.
How to do it: - Set up the integration in SurveyMonkey or your automation tool. - Map fields correctly (name, email, company, etc.). - Test with a fake submission before going live.
What works:
Automated integrations save you hassle and cut down on errors from manual copy-paste.
What to watch out for:
- Free SurveyMonkey plans have limited integrations.
- Some integrations are clunky or require extra setup—don’t assume it’ll just work.
Step 7: Make It Worth Their Time (and Yours)
Lead gen is only as good as what you offer in return. If you want someone’s contact info, give them a reason—like a free resource, a discount, or a chance to talk to a real person.
Tips: - Add a short intro above your survey explaining why someone should fill it out. - Set expectations: “We’ll follow up within 24 hours,” or “Get your free guide instantly.” - Don’t oversell. If you promise something, deliver it.
What doesn’t work:
Bait-and-switch tactics. If you promise a download and then just add them to a mailing list, expect a lot of unsubscribes (and maybe some angry emails).
Step 8: Test and Iterate
Don’t just set it and forget it. Test your embedded survey:
- Fill it out yourself on desktop and mobile.
- Check that emails come through.
- Make sure integrations work.
- If possible, ask a coworker or friend to try it and give feedback.
If you’re not getting leads, try changing your questions, offer, or survey placement.
What works:
Small tweaks usually beat big redesigns. If people aren’t finishing the survey, it’s probably too long or confusing.
That’s it. Keep it simple, focus on asking the right questions, and don’t expect miracles on day one. A good embedded survey can absolutely help you qualify and capture leads—just remember to make it easy, honest, and actually useful for both sides. Iterate as you go, and don’t let “perfect” slow you down.