Prefilled Template Text in a Text Area A/B Test

Text submission rate

Compare visitors who explicitly submit the text; a prefilled field alone does not count.

• Form completion rateCheck whether submissions increase.
• Text originality rateSeparate unchanged drafts from meaningful edits.
• Average completion timeCheck whether time to complete falls.
• Recipient response rateMake sure the recipient response rate does not fall.

• DraftPlace one predefined, editable example in the selected field.
• Keep constantKeep required status, limits, validation and submission behavior unchanged.
• EditingTrack whether the draft is edited, deleted or submitted unchanged.
• AudienceReview new and experienced users separately.
• Separate testMultiple templates or an “insert template” button are separate variables.

1. 1Do not make the template impossible to delete or edit.
2. 2Clearly label it as a draft; do not imply the user wrote or approved text they have not submitted.
3. 3Do not change template presence and field required status together.
4. 4Consider whether submissions are becoming identical, even if volume rises.
5. 5Do not call a win from more completions without checking text originality.