How to Get Feature Ideas from Your Website Visitors
Your customers know exactly what they need. Here's how to ask them the right questions and turn their feedback into a product roadmap that drives growth.
The Problem with Building in a Vacuum
Every product team faces the same challenge: an endless list of potential features and limited resources to build them. Without direct customer input, teams often fall into one of two traps:
- Building what's easiest rather than what's most valuable
- Copying competitors instead of solving unique customer problems
- Following the loudest voices (usually internal stakeholders, not customers)
- Over-engineering solutions for problems that don't exist
The result? Features that nobody uses, wasted development cycles, and frustrated customers who churn because their real needs aren't being met.
Why Website Surveys Beat Other Feedback Channels
You could wait for customers to email you, leave reviews, or post on social media. But these channels are inherently biased toward extreme opinions—people who are either thrilled or furious.
Website surveys capture feedback from the silent majority: the customers who use your product regularly but would never think to reach out unprompted.
Right Place, Right Time
Catch users while they're actively using your product, when their needs and frustrations are fresh.
Low Friction
A quick in-app survey takes seconds to complete. No need to switch contexts or open email.
Contextual Data
You know which page they're on, what they were doing, and (with custom parameters) who they are.
Representative Sample
Get feedback from all types of users, not just the most vocal ones.
The Best Questions to Ask for Feature Ideas
The questions you ask determine the quality of feedback you receive. Here are proven question formats that surface actionable feature ideas:
1. The Magic Wand Question
"If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about [product], what would it be?"
This open-ended question removes practical constraints and encourages users to think big. You'll often discover pain points you didn't know existed.
2. The Frustration Question
"What's the most frustrating part of using [product] today?"
Pain points are feature opportunities in disguise. A frustration shared by many users is a high-value fix waiting to happen.
3. The Workaround Question
"Is there anything you're currently using another tool for that you wish [product] could do?"
When users rely on workarounds or external tools, they're showing you exactly where your product falls short. These are often quick wins.
4. The Priority Question
"Which of these potential features would be most valuable to you?"
(Multiple choice with 3-5 options you're considering)
When you have several ideas in mind, let customers vote. This validates assumptions and helps prioritize your roadmap.
5. The Job-to-Be-Done Question
"What were you trying to accomplish when you came to [product] today?"
Understanding the "job" customers hire your product for reveals opportunities to serve that job better—or expand into adjacent jobs.
When and Where to Ask for Feature Ideas
Timing matters. Ask at the wrong moment and you'll annoy users. Ask at the right moment and you'll get thoughtful, valuable feedback.
After Completing a Task
Users just accomplished something and are in a reflective mindset. Perfect for asking what could have been easier.
Example: After exporting a report, after completing a checkout
After Extended Usage
Users who've been active for a while have formed opinions about what's working and what's not.
Example: After 5+ sessions, after using a feature 10+ times
On High-Value Pages
Target surveys to specific pages where feature feedback would be most relevant.
Example: Dashboard page, settings page, pricing page
After a Support Interaction
Users who just got help may have suggestions for preventing similar issues in the future.
Example: After viewing help docs, after closing a support ticket
When NOT to Ask
- • During critical workflows (checkout, signup, onboarding)
- • When users are clearly frustrated (rapid clicking, error states)
- • Too frequently (limit to once per 30-90 days per user)
- • On first visit (they haven't formed opinions yet)
How to Process and Prioritize Feature Feedback
Collecting feedback is the easy part. The real work is turning hundreds of responses into a coherent product roadmap.
Step 1: Categorize Responses
Group similar requests together. You'll often find that different users describe the same underlying need in different ways. Look for themes, not individual requests.
Step 2: Quantify Demand
Count how many users requested each theme. But don't stop there—also consider:
- Are these requests from your most valuable customer segment?
- Are paying customers asking for this more than free users?
- Is this request correlated with churn risk?
Step 3: Assess Impact vs. Effort
Plot each feature idea on a simple 2x2 matrix:
Quick Wins
High Impact, Low Effort
Do these first
Major Projects
High Impact, High Effort
Plan carefully
Fill-ins
Low Impact, Low Effort
When you have spare time
Money Pits
Low Impact, High Effort
Avoid these
Step 4: Dig Deeper Before Building
Before committing to a feature, validate your understanding. Reach out to users who requested it and ask:
- Can you walk me through how you'd use this?
- How are you solving this problem today?
- If we built this, would it change your workflow significantly?
Closing the Loop with Customers
When you build something a customer requested, tell them. This simple act has outsized impact:
- Turns passive users into loyal advocates
- Demonstrates that you listen and act on feedback
- Encourages future feedback participation
- Creates opportunities for testimonials and referrals
Example follow-up message:
"Hi [Name], a few months ago you mentioned wanting [feature]. We listened! It's now live in your account. Would love to hear what you think."
Even when you decide NOT to build a requested feature, consider explaining why. Customers appreciate transparency and understanding your product direction.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Building everything customers ask for
Customers often ask for solutions, not problems. Dig deeper to understand the underlying need—there may be a better way to solve it.
Only listening to power users
Your most vocal users aren't always representative. Make sure you're hearing from casual users, new users, and churned users too.
Ignoring negative feedback
It's tempting to dismiss criticism, but frustrated users often point to real problems. Investigate before dismissing.
Analysis paralysis
Don't wait for perfect data. Start with the most-requested features from your best customers and iterate from there.
Start Collecting Feature Ideas Today
The best product roadmaps are built on customer insight, not guesswork. Here's how to get started:
- Pick one question from this article to start with
- Set up targeting to show it to engaged users (not first-time visitors)
- Collect responses for 2-4 weeks to get a representative sample
- Review and categorize the feedback with your team
- Pick one quick win to implement based on what you learned
- Close the loop by telling customers you built what they asked for
Start collecting feature feedback today
Popsee makes it easy to ask your website visitors for feature ideas with targeted, non-intrusive surveys. Your first 100 responses are free.
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