Live website test sections allow you to set tasks and ask participants questions while they navigate a live website. Test your marketing website, web app, or even a competitor’s—no downloads or code implementation required.
Live website testing is only supported on desktop devices using Chrome, Edge, or other Chromium-based browsers. When recruiting from your own participant pool, remember to include this information as part of your test invitation.
Adding a live website test section
From your dashboard, click +Create study, then select Test or survey
Next, add a Live website test section. This test section is only supported on desktop devices. Adding this section will set your entire test to desktop-only participation.
You can add multiple tasks for participants to complete. Each task will require a starting URL, instructions, and an estimated duration. You'll also have the option to add one or more follow-up questions for each task.
Screen and audio recording will be enabled by default. To toggle camera recording on, click the 'Record' button on the top-right of your live website test section:
Test-taking
At the beginning of a live website test section, participants will be informed that recording is about to begin and that they will be redirected to an external website in a new browser tab.
The task instructions and any follow-up questions will be shown in a floating picture-in-picture window as they navigate the website.
If there are multiple follow-up tasks, the participant will complete all tasks before returning to their original browser tab to finish the remainder of the test or submit their response.
Results
The Results page will break down each task as follows:
Task instructions and URL
Average and estimated task completion time
Participant recordings
Responses to follow-up questions
Results for live website test sections are currently unavailable when exporting a CSV, but this will be added in the coming weeks.
Common Questions
Do I need to add a code snippet on my website?
No code snippet is required, allowing you to quickly test any website, no technical setup required.
I'm on the free plan, can I test my website?
Live website testing is a paid plan feature, but you can also test parts of your website using any of our other test sections.
Are there any restrictions on what I can test?
Yes, when recruiting participants from the Lyssna panel. You can find a full list in our help article: What you can't test with Lyssna.
Can I test a live website on mobile devices?
Live website testing is currently limited to desktop devices.
Can I set a task to end automatically when a participant reaches a specific page?
Participants will need to manually end the task by clicking the "I'm done" button in the floating picture-in-picture window.
Why are participants required to use a Chromium-based browser?
Our live website testing feature relies on the participant's browser to support Document Picture-in-Picture. This allows us to display your instructions and questions while they navigate the website. If you would like to see wider browser support in the future, please contact our team and let us know.
What happens if my participants are not using a Chromium-based browser?
Participants will be shown a message indicating that their browser is not supported and advised to switch to a compatible Chromium-based browser to begin the test.
How can I share my feedback on the feature?
If you have any feedback or suggestions, we'd love to hear them. You can contact our team using the in-app chat or via email support@lyssna.com.