The rapid development of the internet and internet data collection methods offers a multiplicity of research opportunities. Even though web surveys became a commonly used approach, research in this field still has to cope with coverage, non-response and self-selection issues. Beyond these challenges in sampling design, web surveys still mimic paper questionnaires with respect to their layout and appearance. Even though the internet offers various graphic and multimedia design features, very little is known about the influence of animated web surveys especially for the question-answer-process. Research has focused on designs reducing non-response while the influence of visual presentation of questions itself is still vague. In a survey among the university journal readers (N=1,000) we conducted an experiment exploring the effects of implementing visually animated smiley questions. Respondents were randomly assigned to one out of three versions: The first version presented a fixed design, the smileys in version two changed their color and size when the cursor hovered over while in version three the smileys zoomed out and a text answer category was displayed. In addition every respondent had to answer a control item referring to the same content as the smiley questions on a rating scale. Results will help understanding the direct influence of visual design elements on the question-answerprocess. The use of animated scales and in particular of smiley scales is often considered critically since answers are generated on a more emotional affective basis than a rational cognitive one. By varying the accentuation of cognitive and affective elements in combining smileys and text elements we will elaborate the direct influence on the question-answer-process and on data quality.