Sharing Your Idea Bank
Once you’ve created an idea bank, you can share it with participants by sending them a unique link. This page explains how sharing works and what participants experience.
Finding the Share Link
For any idea bank with external access (Suggestion Box, Closed Voting, or Open Voting):
- Open the idea bank from your dashboard
- Look for the Participant Link section in the idea bank overview
- Copy the link using the copy button
The link looks like: https://votito.com/idea-bank/panelist?key=abc123...
Note: Internal idea banks do not have a share link since they are private to the researcher.
What Participants See
When someone opens the share link, their experience depends on the access level:
| Access Level | Participant Experience |
|---|---|
| Suggestion Box | Submit ideas only, cannot see other proposals |
| Closed Voting | View all proposals, vote, but cannot submit |
| Open Voting | View proposals, vote, and submit new ideas |
How Participant Identity Works
Votito uses a privacy-preserving approach to participant identity:
- No login required: Participants can access the idea bank immediately without creating an account
- Browser-based identity: Each browser session is assigned a unique participant ID stored locally
- Vote tracking: The system remembers which proposals a participant has voted on to prevent duplicate votes
- Returning participants: If someone returns using the same browser, their previous votes are restored
Session Keys
Each participant receives two keys:
| Key | Purpose | Persistence |
|---|---|---|
| Panelist Key | Identifies the participant | Stored in browser, persists across sessions |
| Session Key | Validates the current session | Changes each visit |
This means:
- Clearing browser data creates a new participant identity
- Different browsers or devices are treated as different participants
- Participants cannot transfer their identity between devices
Link Security
The share link uses a cryptographically secure token that:
- Cannot be guessed or predicted
- Does not contain your idea bank title or any identifying information
- Works for anyone who has it (no login required)
Important: Anyone with the link can participate according to the access level. Treat the link like a password:
- Share it through private channels (email, direct messages)
- Avoid posting it publicly unless you want open access
- If a link is compromised, you cannot invalidate it (contact support if needed)
Sharing Best Practices
| Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Customer feedback panel | Email link directly to selected customers |
| Team brainstorming | Share in team chat or meeting invite |
| Public roadmap | Embed in your website or share on social media |
| Controlled study | Include link in study invitation email |
Embedding (Coming Soon)
Future versions will support embedding the participant view directly in your website using an iframe. This is currently not available.
Tracking Participation
As a researcher, you can see:
- Total number of votes per proposal
- Which proposals have the most activity
- When proposals were last voted on
You cannot see:
- Individual participant identities
- Which participant voted for which proposal
- Participant email addresses or other personal information
This preserves participant anonymity while still giving you aggregate insights.
Learn More
- Access Levels - Choose the right access level for your use case
- Proposal Statuses - Manage proposals as you act on ideas