# Adding a Why We Ask Note Beside a Form Field A/B Test

Page: https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/lab/ab-test-library/tests/adding-a-why-we-ask-note-beside-a-form-field-ab-test

## Hypothesis

If a short, accurate note right beside a field explains why the information is needed, visitors may be more willing to fill it in than to skip it. That could raise the valid completion rate for the selected field and lower the selected-field omission rate.

## When to run this test

Look at this test for a field such as company size or annual budget that form-field analytics show is often left blank, that visitors pause on in session recordings, or that prompts support questions about why you ask. If the note works, visitors who see it fill in the field more often and with valid values. If the field asks for sensitive information, first check whether you really need that data and whether an alternative exists; a note alone is not the answer.

## Primary metric

**Valid completion rate for the selected field**: Compare valid values entered in the selected field per eligible assigned form visitor.

## Other metrics

- **Form completion rate**: Compare overall valid form submissions.
- **Qualified opportunity rate**: Compare qualified opportunities per assigned form visitor over the same follow-up period.
- **Average form completion time**: Measure time among form starters and report non-completions separately.
- **Selected-field omission rate**: Compare eligible assigned form visitors who leave the selected field blank.

## What to check before and during the test

- **Explanation**: Add one short statement that explains the actual reason for asking the selected field.
- **Scope**: Keep other fields and help text unchanged.
- **Copy**: Fix the explanation before launch; testing a different example or tone is a separate comparison.
- **Placement**: Place the note beside the field; a tooltip is a different interaction.
- **Audience**: Review predefined industry groups.

## What to watch when reading the result

- A higher valid completion rate for the selected field is not a reason to ship if the form completion rate drops. Track qualified opportunities per assigned form visitor, giving both arms the same time to mature, to see whether the extra information is useful. Measure completion time among form starters and report non-completions separately.
- Validate again before using this on another field; the result covers only the field, the wording and the industry groups you tested. Keep the field's required or optional status unchanged so that the note is the only thing that changes. Do not make the note larger or more eye-catching than the field itself; that weighs the form down and measures visual weight instead of the explanation.
- If the difference is small, enter the visitors who saw the field and the valid entries in each arm into the [A/B test significance calculator](https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/calculators/ab-test); it tells you whether the gap between the two completion rates could be explained by chance. Significance alone is not enough; also weigh whether the relative uplift is large enough to justify adding copy to the form.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Which field should receive an explanation?

Choose one predefined field whose purpose is unclear, such as company size or annual budget. Keep other fields and helper text unchanged. Explaining every field would not isolate the selected explanation.

### Does higher field completion prove the explanation helped?

Valid completion of the selected field is primary, with overall form completion as a guardrail. Track qualified opportunities per assigned visitor over equal windows. Report form time among starters and noncompleters separately.

### Is an explanation sufficient for a sensitive field?

Also assess whether the data is necessary and whether alternatives exist. State its real purpose and avoid oversized helper text. Use valid completion of the selected field as the primary outcome.