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Ask HN: Should I ask for user demographics on the registration form of our app?

5 points by gerasini ↗ HN
I am in the process of designing the registration page for our application. And I am in the middle of the dilemma on whether we should ask for user demographics.<p>From my experience as a consumer of cloud application, most apps do not ask for such demographics. And this is a trend emerged in the past few year. I can understand the "Why": more fields -> increased abandonment of the form and thus fewer customers.<p>But if you do not ask, how could you possibly get such information. Information that can help you ad-target specific demographics or build a new feature/product for a user group (eg lawyers) that seem to have adopted your app.<p>What is your view? Do you have any break-through solutions?

5 comments

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Sander_Marechal
Have a look at StackOverflow or pretty much any "social" site, like Facebook or LinkedIn. The registration process is as short as possible. Then, after they are registered and signed in, prompt them to flesh out their profile with more information. Remember that you need to entice them by doing so. SO gives out badges to users who filled out all fields. LI keeps a percentage score of "profile completed". Those things nudge users to want to fill out their profile.
gerasini
Sander, thank you for your prompt reply.

You are right. But a fine point is that the sites you mentioned are, as you say, "social". What about a stand-alone app?

Sander_Marechal
Take a good look at your app. Any extra features, credits, reputation or other thing that you can offer your customers for completing their profile? You haven't mentioned what your app or business model is, so I can't give much advice here. But, be creative. Extended trail period, a number of free uses or credits, lower (or no) subscription cost for the next term, access to some bonus feature normally only available in a more expensive version, etcetera.
lorax
If you ask for demographics you will not only get increased abandonment, you will also get a lot of incorrect information, would it surprise you to know that I'm a 95 year old sumo wrestler? Your users don't care that you will get higher advertising rates due to "ad-target specific demographics". Don't ask for demographic information unless the user can see how it will benefit them directly. Facebook gets peoples correct birthdays (most of the time) because if you put in the right one, you get birthday wishes from your friends.
gerasini
Sander, lorax thank you for your input.

We discussed the concept internally and decided that we won't ask for any user demographics on the registration form.

Later, when we have a clear way to use user demographic, we will create a value proposition for them to enter it. Eg tell us your profession so that it will be visible to other users and get new leads.