Tracking Required Form Fields in Google Analytics

[kylesuss]

I tried searching for this elsewhere but am having a hard time finding a good answer.

Is it possible to track the effect of required form fields on conversions in Google Analytics? In other words, how do I track whether or not more/less people fill out a form if I make "Last Name" a required field?

Thanks

[Bevelwise]

Most statistics will tell us that contact forms with less fields usually look less "scary" and usually have better conversion rates.  So taking the 2 name fields and consolidating them into 1 field gave us the ability to get rid of 1 field and we actually found before/after that users were giving us their full name.

[heatherrobinson]

As far as I'm aware, both experiments work in a similar way, but the multivariate tests have more than one alternative. So instead of just having your original form plus a new trial version (A/B), you would have several trial versions running at the same time.

It's up to you to change the elements on the page and save as a new version to trial, I don't think Google can do that.

Good luck!

[kylesuss]

Hmm, intersting idea. What's the logic behind Full Name as opposed to First & Last?

[kylesuss]

Thanks Heather

I haven't used Website Optimizer too much but I have a basic understanding of what's going on. Are you thinking this would call for an A/B test?

Am I correct in thinking that A/B tests send users to different pages and multivariate tests change various elements for a single page?

[Bevelwise]

Hello Kyle,

That's a good question.  To my knowledge, I don't believe there is a way to split test that type of tracking in Google Analytics.  What I would recommend to facilitate the test is by using something like Website Optimizer to do a traditional split test and look at the abandonment rate per page to see if there is a large difference.

Another helpful strategy I have used in the past when people ask me about name fields is not using First & Last, but using Full Name.  Granted, depending on if you're feeding a database and those variable presets may not be very accommodating to that strategy.  Hopefully that could help as well.

[heatherrobinson]

Perhaps you could try Google's Website Optimiser. That way you could have two versions (or more) of your form, with and without required fields, then set the conversion page as your 'thankyou' page. Google will then display each version of your page an equal number of times and record the conversions.

You'll be able to report on which version of your page is the most successful at getting people to fill in and submit the form.

Hope that helps.