> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sourcemedium.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Best Practices for Post-Purchase HDYHAU Surveys

> How to set up effective 'How Did You Hear About Us?' surveys to collect zero-party attribution data

## What is a HDYHAU Survey?

A "How Did You Hear About Us?" (HDYHAU) survey collects **zero-party data**—information customers voluntarily provide about how they discovered your brand. This data is valuable because:

* **Privacy-resistant**: Not affected by cookie blockers, iOS privacy features, or ad blockers
* **Top-of-funnel visibility**: Captures awareness channels that tracking can't see (word of mouth, podcasts, TV)
* **Validates tracking data**: Cross-reference with your analytics to identify attribution gaps

<Info>
  Zero-party data complements (not replaces) your tracking-based attribution. Use both for a complete picture of your marketing performance.
</Info>

See: [Zero-Party Attribution](/help-center/core-concepts/attribution/zero-party-attribution)

***

## Survey Placement & Timing

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Thank-You Page (Recommended)">
    Display the survey immediately after purchase on the order confirmation/thank-you page.

    **Pros:**

    * Highest response rates (15-30%)
    * Customer is already engaged
    * Memory is fresh

    **Cons:**

    * Can slow checkout flow slightly
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Post-Purchase Email">
    Send survey via email after order confirmation.

    **Pros:**

    * Doesn't interrupt checkout
    * Can include follow-up questions

    **Cons:**

    * Lower response rates (3-8%)
    * Delay may affect memory accuracy
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>
  For optimal response rates, display the survey on the thank-you page. Most survey tools (Fairing, KnoCommerce, Zigpoll) support this placement out of the box.
</Tip>

***

## Survey Setup

### Question Copy

| Element               | Recommendation                     |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| **Question**          | "How did you first hear about us?" |
| **Introduction text** | Leave blank (keep it short)        |
| **Placeholder text**  | "Choose an option"                 |
| **Button text**       | "Submit"                           |

<Note>
  The word **"first"** is important—it prompts customers to think about initial discovery, not their most recent interaction.
</Note>

### Standard Response Options

Include channels where you actively market. Order matters for accurate data:

<Accordion title="Recommended response options">
  * Facebook / Meta
  * Instagram
  * TikTok
  * Google Search
  * YouTube
  * Podcast
  * Blog / Press / Article
  * Influencer / Creator
  * Email / Newsletter
  * Friend / Family / Coworker
  * I don't remember
  * Other
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Additional channels to consider">
  Add these if you have meaningful spend or presence:

  * Pinterest
  * Snapchat
  * Streaming TV / CTV
  * Linear TV
  * Radio
  * Billboard / Out of Home
  * Direct Mail
  * Reddit
  * Twitter / X
  * LinkedIn (B2B)
  * Bing Search
</Accordion>

<Warning>
  **Always include "I don't remember"** as an option. Without it, customers who genuinely don't recall will select a random channel, polluting your data. Research shows 10-20% of respondents legitimately don't remember.
</Warning>

***

## Survey Settings & Best Practices

### Response Order

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Randomize Options" icon="shuffle">
    Randomize the display order of channels to prevent position bias (first options get selected more often).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pin Bottom Options" icon="thumbtack">
    Keep "I don't remember" and "Other" pinned at the bottom—these should always be last.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Control Option (Validation Check)

Add a "control" channel you **don't** use to detect random clicking:

```
Example: If you don't advertise on TV, include "TV Commercial" as an option.
```

If this control option receives significant responses (>5%), it indicates:

* Customers are clicking randomly
* Your question may be confusing
* Response data quality may be compromised

<Tip>
  A well-designed survey should see \<3% responses for the control option.
</Tip>

### Response Settings

| Setting                    | Recommendation                                      |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Responses per customer** | One response only (prevents duplicate data)         |
| **Free-form "Other"**      | Enable—captures channels you haven't listed         |
| **Required vs Optional**   | Optional (required surveys reduce completion rates) |

***

## Improving Response Rates

<Steps>
  <Step title="Keep it short">
    One question is ideal. Each additional question reduces completion by \~20%.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mobile-friendly design">
    Ensure options are tap-friendly on mobile (most Shopify traffic is mobile).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Visual design">
    Match your brand's look and feel. A cohesive design feels less intrusive.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Consider incentives">
    Some brands offer discount codes for survey completion (use sparingly—can bias responses).
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Customer & Order Tagging

Enable tagging so responses flow into SourceMedium and your other analytics tools.

### Tag Format

Use a consistent prefix for easy filtering:

| Prefix    | Example Tag       |
| --------- | ----------------- |
| `HDYHAU-` | `HDYHAU-Facebook` |
| `PPS-`    | `PPS-TikTok`      |
| `survey-` | `survey-Podcast`  |

<Note>
  Most survey platforms (Fairing, KnoCommerce, Zigpoll) support both **customer tags** and **order tags**. Enable both for maximum flexibility in reporting.
</Note>

### Platform-Specific Setup

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Fairing" icon="chart-simple" href="/data-inputs/platform-integration-instructions/fairing-integration">
    Enterprise-grade surveys with advanced targeting and A/B testing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="KnoCommerce" icon="chart-pie" href="/data-inputs/platform-integration-instructions/knocommerce-integration">
    Zero-party data platform with multi-question flows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Zigpoll" icon="square-poll-horizontal">
    Lightweight surveys with Shopify-native integration.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Using Survey Data in SourceMedium

Once tagging is configured, HDYHAU data appears in these modules:

| Module                          | Tag Type Required |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| **New Customers Analysis**      | Customer tag      |
| **Last Order Analysis**         | Customer tag      |
| **Orders Deep Dive**            | Order tag         |
| **Post-Purchase Survey Module** | Order tag         |

<Info>
  The Post-Purchase Survey Module provides dedicated reporting for zero-party data. Contact the SourceMedium team for access.
</Info>

***

## Backfilling Historical Orders

If you have survey responses from before your tagging was configured (spreadsheets, old survey tools, manual records), you can backfill tags to historical orders.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Shopify Admin (Small Batches)">
    Best for tagging a few dozen orders manually.

    1. Go to **Orders** in Shopify Admin
    2. Filter or search for the orders you need to tag
    3. Select the orders (checkbox)
    4. Click **More actions** → **Add tags**
    5. Enter tag (e.g., `HDYHAU-Facebook`)

    <Note>
      You can select up to 50 orders at a time in the Shopify admin.
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Matrixify (Bulk)">
    Best for tagging hundreds or thousands of orders from a spreadsheet.

    1. Export your orders from Matrixify (or start with your survey response spreadsheet)
    2. Add/update the `Tags` column with your HDYHAU tags
    3. Import back via Matrixify

    ```
    Order Name,Tags
    #1001,HDYHAU-Facebook
    #1002,HDYHAU-TikTok
    #1003,HDYHAU-Podcast
    ```

    <Tip>
      Matrixify merges tags by default—your new tags will be added to existing tags, not replace them.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Shopify Flow">
    Best for rule-based tagging (e.g., tag all orders from a date range).

    Create a Flow that:

    1. Triggers on order criteria (date, product, customer segment)
    2. Adds the appropriate HDYHAU tag

    <Note>
      Shopify Flow requires Shopify Plus or the Flow app on Advanced plans.
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Warning>
  **Tag format matters.** Use the same prefix format (`HDYHAU-`, `PPS-`, etc.) as your survey tool to ensure SourceMedium can recognize and report on all your zero-party data consistently.
</Warning>

***

## Common Pitfalls to Avoid

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Missing 'I don't remember' option">
    Forces customers to guess, corrupting your data. Always include this option.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Too many options">
    More than 12-15 options overwhelms customers. Group similar channels (e.g., "Social Media" instead of listing every platform).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Non-randomized order">
    First options receive disproportionate clicks. Randomize to get accurate distribution.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Asking about last touchpoint">
    "How did you hear about us?" captures discovery. For last touchpoint, use "What brought you back today?"—but this is usually better captured via tracking.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related Resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Attribution Health Overview" icon="heart-pulse" href="/data-inputs/attribution-health/index">
    Strategies for improving your overall attribution coverage.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fairing Integration" icon="plug" href="/data-inputs/platform-integration-instructions/fairing-integration">
    Connect Fairing survey responses to SourceMedium.
  </Card>

  <Card title="KnoCommerce Integration" icon="plug" href="/data-inputs/platform-integration-instructions/knocommerce-integration">
    Set up KnoCommerce for zero-party data collection.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Channel Mapping" icon="map" href="/data-inputs/configuration-sheet/how_does_channel_mapping_work">
    How survey responses map to your channel groupings.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>