1. Overview
User attributes are a powerful tool for showing surveys to specific groups of users and unlocking unique insights associated with this group. Asking the right questions to the right people leads to richer and more actionable insights.
Furthermore, user attributes can be used to analyze feedback by segment, uncovering trends and insights that might otherwise remain hidden in aggregate data. For example, a product team could identify how user satisfaction differs between new and long-time users or how feature adoption varies across different regions.
This article steps through the process of configuring and collecting user attributes.
2. What Are User Attributes?
User attributes are pieces of information that describe your users and help you understand them better. They can include basic details like age, location, and language, as well as more specific data like how often someone uses your product or what features they prefer.
These attributes give you a clearer picture of who your users are, allowing you to group them into meaningful segments. For example, you can create groups for new users, loyal customers, or people who use a specific feature.
Examples:
E-commerce: An online clothing store uses purchase history and browsing behavior to show in-product surveys, such as asking customers who recently browsed athletic shoes what features they look for in sneakers. This feedback helps refine product offerings and marketing strategies.
Fintech: A budgeting app uses transaction patterns to show in-product surveys, such as asking users about their saving priorities during months with fewer expenses. This helps the app offer more tailored financial advice and features.
SaaS: A project management tool tracks feature usage to identify teams that haven’t adopted a new feature and shows them an in-product survey to understand their challenges or hesitation. This feedback helps the tool improve the feature or provide better support for adoption.
3. Types of User Attributes
User attributes can be grouped into several categories based on the type of information they provide. Here are the most common types:
Demographic Attributes:
These include basic information like age, gender, location, and language.
Example: An ecommerce store uses location data to show in-product surveys that ask users about their preferences for region-specific products or shipping options. This feedback helps the store tailor its offerings to meet local customer needs.
Behavioral Attributes:
These capture how users interact with your product, such as their feature usage habits or frequency.
Example: A video streaming platform tracks viewing history to show in-product surveys, such as asking users for feedback on recommended shows to improve future recommendations.
Transactional Attributes:
These focus on a user’s purchases or financial interactions, such as subscription tier, purchase frequency, or payment methods.
Example: A subscription box retailer tracks subscription tiers and purchase frequency to show in-product surveys, such as asking premium members how satisfied they are with exclusive benefits. This helps refine the value offered to different subscription levels.
Psychographic Attributes:
These include information about user interests, values, and lifestyles.
Example: A fitness app uses lifestyle preferences (e.g., gym vs. home workouts) to show in-product surveys, such as asking users about their workout goals. This feedback helps refine workout plans and introduce features tailored to user needs.
Engagement Attributes:
These measure how engaged users are with your product, such as session duration, feature usage, or survey participation.
Example: A SaaS tool monitors feature usage to show in-product surveys, such as asking power users for feedback on advanced features. This helps improve those features and identify opportunities for new ones.
Understanding these categories helps you target the right users with surveys and gather actionable insights that improve your product and customer experience.
4. Configuring User Attributes
Pre-requisites
Ensure the Sondar SDK is correctly installed in your application.
Defined one or more user attributes to send along with the event.
Default Attributes
Every event sent will automatically include the following default attributes.
Language: e.g. English (en), Spanish (es), German (de)
Device: Mobile or Desktop
Timezone: e.g. San Francisco / United States
Defining a Custom Attribute
Before attributes can be sent, they must first be defined in the Sondar platform. This involves specifying the key details of each attribute, such as its name, type, and purpose.
To setup a new user attribute, follow these steps:
Click on "User Attributes" from the main menu.
In the user attributes view, click on "New" to define a new attribute.
Enter a descriptive name for the attribute, such as "subscription_tier".
Choose one of the attribute types. Learn more.
Optionally, provide a description to clarify the attribute’s purpose or how it will be used.
Click "Save" to finalize and add the attribute to your workspace.
5. Attribute Types
Sondar supports five types of user attributes.
String
A string attribute stores text-based information.
Example: User's country (United States)
Number
A number attribute holds numerical values.
Example: Order amount (99.90)
Boolean (True / False)
A Boolean attribute captures binary choices.
Example: Completed Onboarding (true)
Date
A date attribute records a specific calendar date.
Example: Joined Date (2025-01-24)
Date & Time (UTC)
This attribute records both a date and a specific time.
Example: Last Login (2025-01-24T23:59:59Z)
Sending Attributes
Pre-requisites
The Sondar SDK is correctly installed in your application.
Custom attributes are sent along with an event. Ensure you have defined at least one event to attach attributes to.
Use the following method to send one or more custom attribute...
SondarSDK.triggerEvent('event_name', {attr_a, attr_b, attr_c})
Example:
SondarSDK.triggerEvent('subscription_started', {
industry: 'Manufacturing', // String
order_amount: 99.90, // Number
completed_onboarding: true, // Boolean
joined_date: '2025-01-24', // Date
last_login: '2025-01-24T23:59:59Z' // Date & Time (UTC)
});
6. Next Step
7. Best Practices for Using User Attributes
Keep attribute names consistent and meaningful (e.g., start_date instead of st).
Avoid sending customer attributes that are similar to default attributes. e.g. A language custom attribute.
8. Get Help
If you have any questions or just need a hand with setting up user attributes, get in touch as we are standing to help. [email protected]