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Where to fit in a feedback form into website

by Nate Cat
10 replies
I am running a comparison site and I have outbound links to companies (using affiliate links obviously). The outbound links are currently uncloaked/ unmasked because I am being wary of breaching TOS etc. I have not actually set any of the links to open in a new window either (t.arget=_blank). This was done because I have been led to believe that it is not considered normal behaviour and the user should be able to open links in new tabs/windows if they so choose.

Here is my main problem. Does anyone know the best way to get some customer feedback into the equation in the least intrusive manner?

I was thinking of doing the t.arget=_blank and then going straight to the feedback page on my site. The link opened in the new window would be the product page that was chosen through the comparison selection. Does this sound reasonable or does this imply deception?

Either way I would need to ask for feedback. If they refuse then they can simply close that window or whatever. The problem is that I would also maybe be pushed into having a link that performs unusual behaviour - I do not want to be seen to be misleading people with a "strange" link!

I have got to get this feedback form in somewhere. I really do not like popups by the way (that is of course my personal opinion but I do not wish to annoy visitors either).
#feedback #fit #form #website
  • Profile picture of the author Riki Stein
    Are you trying to force your visitors to leave feedback? If I was a visitor on a random site, the only way I'd be motivated to provide feedback (assuming I didn't have a horrible experience and really want to let it out is if there was some sort of incentive.

    I don't really know who you're targeting here - is it customers, random visitors, etc. - but on random sites I end up on I usually don't have the patience to leave feedback.

    Would putting a link somewhere help?
    Or y'know the way a "customer service" chat pops open on some websites? (On the bottom right - not in your face annoying that you can't move until you 'x' it.)
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    • Profile picture of the author Nate Cat
      Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

      Are you trying to force your visitors to leave feedback?
      This is one of the main points - I do not want to "force" it but I would to see as much feedback as possible without being too annoying.

      Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

      If I was a visitor on a random site, the only way I'd be motivated to provide feedback (assuming I didn't have a horrible experience and really want to let it out is if there was some sort of incentive.
      An incentive has not been worked on yet but this is something I will look into. I know it has a tendency to work quite well. I am more interested in the technical way in which I can get people to fill it in (by any reasonable means possible).

      Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

      I don't really know who you're targeting here - is it customers, random visitors, etc. - but on random sites I end up on I usually don't have the patience to leave feedback.
      Mostly customers but some of the questions could be asked of anyone who just simply visits the site. I have spent quite a few days now developing a dynamic feedback system that I can alter. I have the ability to create new templates and test which questions (or possibly layout) get the most useful results. The template only deals with the questions and order at the moment by I can hard code new layouts quite easily.

      Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

      Would putting a link somewhere help?
      But where exactly? I believe the most pertinent point at which I wish to get feedback is after the customer has actually found a product that they like based on the comparisons. I want to post a link to my site feedback page but I have this feeling that I do not like posting links to my new site on here (internet marketing forums). I have just started a thread about that actually.

      Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

      Or y'know the way a "customer service" chat pops open on some websites? (On the bottom right - not in your face annoying that you can't move until you 'x' it.)
      I may have to look into that because that may be necessary. I would like to try to set it/ locate it at the right (optimum) position though.
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      • Profile picture of the author Riki Stein
        I may not be understanding it correctly - but if a visitor ends up purchasing a product through your recommendations, I'd think they'd be long off your site by the time they end up buying.

        Once they click away they're gone, aren't they? Do you have a means of bringing them back? An email list perhaps? (Which you can offer something free related to what you're site is about - a free comparison chart, or what to look for when purchasing _______, or some other type of cheat sheet or helpful guide.) This way you can email them whenever you want and ask for feedback.

        But I know, I know. All you really wanted to know was where to place the option for feedback. I think bottom pop up. Tiffany has one on her blog Create the Connection Your Audience Craves - see the little thing pop up? Maybe ask her what she used?

        Oh - and I've seen plenty of people come on here and ask for feedback on their site.
        As for fear of people stealing your idea...I don't know! I'm a bit naive I think.
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        • Profile picture of the author Nate Cat
          Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

          I may not be understanding it correctly - but if a visitor ends up purchasing a product through your recommendations, I'd think they'd be long off your site by the time they end up buying.

          Once they click away they're gone, aren't they?
          This is precisely the problem Riki. Thank you again for your time.

          This was my quandary with regards to hoping that they may possibly spend a bit of time answering a quick questionnaire if I opened the affiliate page in a new window but also then take them immediately to a request page for feedback. I was thinking of something really simple like asking right in the centre of the page if they could answer a quick questionnaire before they go to the merchant page.

          I guess this could be silly if they have not even purchased the product yet - or even worse distracting them from that product purchase.

          Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

          Do you have a means of bringing them back? An email list perhaps? (Which you can offer something free related to what you're site is about - a free comparison chart, or what to look for when purchasing _______, or some other type of cheat sheet or helpful guide.) This way you can email them whenever you want and ask for feedback.
          I am trying to take it one step at a time. I do not think any serious marketer or internet business person would not have a mailing list. It is on the agenda but I need to sort this out first. I could possibly even incorporate this into it. It is an idea and I thank you for that.

          Originally Posted by Riki Stein View Post

          But I know, I know. All you really wanted to know was where to place the option for feedback. I think bottom pop up. Tiffany has one on her blog Create the Connection Your Audience Craves - see the little thing pop up? Maybe ask her what she used?

          Oh - and I've seen plenty of people come on here and ask for feedback on their site.
          As for fear of people stealing your idea...I don't know! I'm a bit naive I think.
          I will look into that then. I am a web programmer so I could work out how to do that with JQuery (but it is always handy to have a bit of code to use!).

          I think that maybe I should forget about nasty people who steal content and just forge ahead with blinkers on. I guess it matters what I do rather than the people who plagiarise. If I am running a good business then maybe those people are irrelevant. It probably does all come down to making sure we are better than the competition rather than worry about what they copy from us.
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  • Profile picture of the author Abe Archer
    What do you want the feedback for? Maybe you might consider paying for it?

    I can't see you getting many random visitors to provide feedback on your site, unless they're invested in it, or somehow being compensated. If you do a pop-up type thing you're taking away from the user experience on your website.
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    • Profile picture of the author Nate Cat
      Originally Posted by Abe Archer View Post

      What do you want the feedback for? Maybe you might consider paying for it?

      I can't see you getting many random visitors to provide feedback on your site, unless they're invested in it, or somehow being compensated. If you do a pop-up type thing you're taking away from the user experience on your website.
      Just feedback to provide insight into improvements mainly. The questions are just radio button answers on a scale of five:

      What do you think of the site color scheme? Awful, not very good, satisfactory, etc...
      How easy was it to find what you want? Very difficult, not very easy, etc...

      Most people would not give feedback. I am aware of that but every little bit helps. I have left feedback for people when it is asked for nicely. People do it occasionally. Like I said, I was not too happy about popups but I simply need to explore avenues.
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  • Profile picture of the author mentat47
    I'm thinking somewhere at the tail end of the post. That seems to be the most logical place to put it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Nate Cat
      Originally Posted by mentat47 View Post

      I'm thinking somewhere at the tail end of the post. That seems to be the most logical place to put it.
      That is a good point actually. I was thinking mostly about the comparison page or related areas but I can also catch some feedback on article pages. I do have articles on the site so I could do specific feedback forms for those pages and grab any bit of feedback that someone feels like leaving. I have created a very dynamic feedback system so I can place appropriate questions in specific locations on the site.

      I think MSDN does that on each of their pages. I have left feedback on them when the information sucks. I am more interested in negative feedback. Positive feedback is not as much use unless you wish to use it as a selling point for the site as a whole.
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  • Profile picture of the author camohit
    Feedback are easier to get when you have some sort of relationship built already with people. So, I would request my subscribers (who know me already) or FB or any other social media community to provide the feedback. I don't think you would get much success to request random visitors to provide feedback, unless of course, as Riki mentioned, they have some incentive to do so.
    May be provide them some free report (which should be of quality) against the favor of feedback.

    Another suggestion, the feedback would be easier to fill if they are objective type question rather than descriptive.
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    • Profile picture of the author Nate Cat
      Originally Posted by camohit View Post

      Feedback are easier to get when you have some sort of relationship built already with people. So, I would request my subscribers (who know me already) or FB or any other social media community to provide the feedback. I don't think you would get much success to request random visitors to provide feedback, unless of course, as Riki mentioned, they have some incentive to do so.
      May be provide them some free report (which should be of quality) against the favor of feedback.

      Another suggestion, the feedback would be easier to fill if they are objective type question rather than descriptive.
      I will get to email marketing as soon as possible. I should maybe have sorted that out first before doing the feedback system but at least it is there now and ready to go. It was a case of making sure that I do not waste any opportunities when I really start driving traffic to the site.

      Email marketing is something I should probably do before any serious traffic driving as well. The problem is that that is most likely going to be something that costs extra - as much as I like programming I am not too keen on spending another few days developing a mailing list system. My hosting plan does not have SSL yet either so it is a bit dodgy constructing an email auto-responder (possibly). Aweber has a fairly good system so I think it is false economy making my own mailing system.

      I will get around to producing some give-away material like reports or a free ebook but I am kind of snowed under. I will have to make it a priority at some point. The project is in fact probably too large to do all by myself but I want to at least have a lot of material already prepared and running for when I do form any kind of joint venture.

      Thank you camohit and everyone else all for the advice so far. I am getting some useful ideas.
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