Input options for pages

There are a range of options for entering data into fields in your preferences and unsubscribe pages. 

This article describes each input options' advantages and limitations, so you can choose the right ones for you. 

Quick reference

*Binary values could be any two options, e.g. Y/N, true/false, 1/0, elephant/banana, etc.

Checkboxes

Use checkboxes if you want your contacts to be able to select multiple choices, e.g. subscribing to different types of marketing, or different content.

The data you collect can be stored in Ometria as Y/N options for custom fields and used to segment your subscribers 

Checkboxes offer easy selection and clear representation of choices.

Be careful not to overwhelm your contacts with options - if there are too many options in a list they are easily missed.

Where does the data go?

You can use checkboxes to add contacts to or remove them from static segments 

I.e. If a contact selects two out of four checkboxes then they're added to two segments corresponding with the boxes they ticked and removed from two segments corresponding to the boxes they left blank. 

You can also store the values in custom fields in one of two ways:

1. One field populated with the value of the option selected, e.g. A custom field called Clothing preference with the options 'Menswear', 'Womenswear', 'Childrenswear' and 'Home'. If a contact selected Menswear and Home, the field would be populated with 'menswear, home'.
2. Multiple fields; one per checkbox option populated with a binary value (e.g. Y/N, true/false, etc.). In this case if the contact checked 'Menswear', that custom field populates with 'Y' and the others (Womenswear, Childrenswear, Home) populate with 'N'.

Radio buttons

Radio buttons are ideal if you only want your contact to select one option from a list, e.g. email frequency preferences.

Radio buttons make the choices clear to contacts, but we don't recommend using too many options as it can make your page look overcrowded.

If you have a long list of options, you might want to use a drop-down menu. 

Where does the data go?

You can use radio buttons to add contacts to or remove them from static segments 

I.e. If a contact selects a radio button then they're added to a segment, if they leave one blank they are removed from a segment. 

You can also store the values in a custom field populated with the value of the option selected, e.g. A custom field called Clothing preference with the options 'Menswear', 'Womenswear', 'Childrenswear' and 'Home'.

Drop-down menus

Drop-down menus present users with a compact list of options.

The contact can only select one option. 

Drop-downs save space on the page but sometimes get missed if the contact doesn't click to reveal the options.

Where does the data go?

The data you collect from drop-downs can only be stored in Ometria as a single custom field.

You'll need to create a custom field for your drop-down, and the field is populated with the value from the option the contact selects.

Free text input

Free text fields allow contacts to enter customised responses or feedback. 

Free text inputs allow for flexibility and collecting user-generated content which might not be covered by predefined options like checkboxes and radio buttons.

However, processing and analysing free text requires more effort and can't be used to create segments in Ometria.

Free text input is also susceptible to inconsistencies, misspellings and ambiguity.

Where does the data go?

The text contacts enter in your free text fields can be stored in Ometria as the value of a custom field or Ometra’s default fields.