When configuring your collection forms, you might notice a common source of confusion: the form builder shows "Video AND Text" options, but your actual form displays "Video OR Text" to users. This article explains why this happens and what it means for your testimonial collection.
The Confusion Explained
Many users expect that when they select both video and text options in the form builder, customers will be able to submit both a video testimonial and a text testimonial in a single submission. However, this isn't how Senja forms work.
Here's what actually happens:
Form Builder: You can enable both "Video AND Text" options
User Experience: Your form displays "Video OR Text" to customers
Submission Behavior: Customers can only choose one format per submission
Why Forms Display "Video OR Text"
When you enable both video and text options in your form settings, you're giving customers the choice between two testimonial formats, not requiring them to provide both. The "OR" in the form interface clearly indicates this choice:
Customers can record a video testimonial
OR customers can write a text testimonial
But they cannot submit both in a single form submission
This design ensures a streamlined user experience while giving customers flexibility in how they want to share their feedback.
How to Configure Your Form Options
You have three main configuration options for testimonial collection:
Option 1: Video Testimonials Only
If you want to collect only video testimonials, you can configure your form to be video-only. This removes the text option entirely.
Option 2: Text Testimonials Only
Similarly, you can set up your form to collect text testimonials only by disabling the video option.
Option 3: Give Customers a Choice (Video OR Text)
Enable both options to let customers choose their preferred format. Remember, they'll see "Video OR Text" and can select one option per submission.
Why This Design Makes Sense
There are several reasons why Senja uses this "OR" approach rather than requiring both formats:
User Experience: Asking for both video and text would significantly increase the time and effort required from customers
Response Rates: Simpler forms with fewer requirements typically get higher completion rates
Flexibility: Some customers are more comfortable with video, others prefer writing
Technical Considerations: Not all devices or situations are suitable for video recording
Getting Both Video and Text from the Same Customer
If you need both video and text testimonials from the same customer, you have a few options:
Multiple Form Submissions: Ask customers to fill out your form twice with different format preferences
Follow-up Requests: After receiving one type, send a separate request for the other format
Video Transcription: Use Senja's automatic transcription feature for video testimonials to get text versions automatically
Best Practices
To maximize your testimonial collection success:
Be Clear in Your Requests: When asking for testimonials, explain that customers can choose their preferred format
Consider Your Audience: Some customer segments may prefer video while others prefer text
Test Both Options: Try collecting both formats to see which generates better responses from your audience
Use Automatic Transcription: Video testimonials automatically generate text versions, giving you both formats