How many fields your Wi-Fi sign-up form needs
Summary
Wi-Fi sign-up forms fail in two ways: too many fields and guests quit, too few and you miss useful data. Here is where the optimum sits and what to ask for.
The right number of fields on your Wi-Fi sign-up form balances a quick login against useful guest data.
For most web forms, the rule for the optimum number of fields is simple: less is more. For Wi-Fi sign-up forms, the answer is not as straightforward.
It is about finding the balance between a smooth customer experience and guest Wi-Fi as a marketing tool that increases revenue and builds loyalty. Wi-Fi sign-up forms tend to fall into one of two categories.
Case 1: too many fields
If your sign-up has a large number of fields, the login becomes time-consuming. The outcome: customers either start filling in wrong information to speed up the process, or quit before finishing.
Remember that customers are looking for a quick login. They do not want to scroll through pages of form fields just to get Wi-Fi access.
Case 2: not enough fields
The opposite problem is not asking for enough. If you only ask for an email address, you miss out on useful data.
You can still reach those guests by email, but you are very limited in how far you can personalise messages, and your conversion rates will be low.
The ideal number of fields
Use the minimum number of fields that removes friction, while still capturing all the data you need.
The graph below shows how the number of fields trades customer experience against the value of the data captured. Where the two lines cross, around four to five fields, is the optimum we recommend. For the wider evidence on form length and conversion, Priceonomics analysed conversion rate data for Forbes.
Start by thinking about what you want to do with the information. How do you want to build audiences from your data, and what kind of campaigns do you want to send?
Must-have fields:
Email address
First name
Date of birth
Nice-to-have fields:
Phone number
Last name
Postcode
Custom questions, like reason for visiting or how you heard about us
With a carefully chosen custom question you can build specific audiences with ease, such as students, and run better-targeted customer research.
One more tip: enable social media sign-up, because the auto-fill makes connecting fast and convenient for customers.
Start capturing data through your guest Wi-Fi and build your mailing list. Book a demo with our team to find out more about Stampede.
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