Lengthy sign up forms – Are they web2.0 ?

I should ask this question probably to Mr. O’Reilly, but since he is not a reader of my blog (anyone who refers him will get a prize of umm….err…US $100! ) I’m happy asking this to you.

How many of you really like those lengthy signup forms? To be honest, I really hate them and I’d love to see someone disagree with me.

Every time I get an invitation to join e a web 2.0 service, the first criteria for me to help decide if these guys are here to stay or not is their length of the signup/registration form. I know what you firefox fans are thinking right now. “Mani, there’s a plugin that will help you fill in all those regularly asked details on any sign up form.”

My friend, you may be right in all senses, but I’m someone who looks at testing services from the most un-coolest perspective. When I test a web 2.0 service, I know no Firefox, I ain’t no CSS guy and I know no Social bookmarking. All I know is that when I use youtube, I can upload my video in “n” number of steps.

Click>Browse>Upload>Tag>Share – that would probably be the shortest process layout I’d accept in a web 2.0 service. Or else, I prefer call it Web-1 or beyond that. Hey I can give you a reference point. Commission Junction, which has been there for quite really a long while, is very web -1. I agree that their concept is awesome and they are one of the premiers for click fraud..errr..I mean affiliate marketing. But have you ever had a look at their signup form?

Man, that is one signup form you don’t wanna fill. It could ask you anything from your grandmas middle name to your first car model. Honestly, that is not anywhere near the web 2.0 bracket.

At the same time, I just love the new concept of short..extremely short sign up forms, where it asks for your email id and name, that’s it. There are cool sites like this one, which doesn’t even require those bare minimum information. 

I think it’s high time companies realized that surfers don’t have that extra time to sign up those lengthy forms, no matter how good the service is. I mean, there is no need for those details it’s just a waste of time.

When we are thinking of innovations that will elevate the user friendliness of a website, elements like this one are missed and spoils the whole show. User friendliness starts right from a visitor landing on a page, it’s not just limited to having a nice shopping cart or price calculator, as many so called web 2.0 services like to believe.