Web form effectiveness relies on many different elements. As we’ve been discussing this month, getting results from your web forms means that you will need to think like a prospect. Today another tip on what not to do with your web forms!
Providing a time estimate on/in your form is a no-win effort. If you say, for example, it will take 3 minutes for the prospect to complete, either it takes 5 minutes and you lose the prospect’s trust, or the 1-minute prospect abandons the form before beginning. Progress indicators (“57% completed…”) are a turn-off, too, unless the form is the length of a job application or has more pages than you want to admit. In that case, re-evaluate and test your form design.
Think about how time-starved and want-it-now prospects view your form. Make it quick and simple for them and they’ll reward you with a completed form in your inbox to follow up on.
Share with us your best practices for your web forms. Perhaps you do use a time estimate on your form and have another form with no time estimate. Have you compared the response rates? You might surprise yourself if you compare them!
Amy Hausman
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