The most comprehensive Google Forms guide you've ever seen

Still writing briefs in Word? Terrible awkward tables that need to be sent back and forth 5 times. The customer wrote to you - you send him a brief. He filled in wrong - send again. After all, he had already deleted it from the computer. This can drag on all day, taking up time for you and your clients.

In this article, I want to tell you about Google Forms. This is an online service for compiling feedback forms, tests and surveys. It can be of great help to anyone who works with clients over the Internet. Especially copywriters.

Many customers are afraid of the brief like fire. Filling it out is long and difficult. If you reduce their discomfort a little, they will be grateful to you.

By the way, this is not only a guide to writing a brief. I described in some detail the principles of working with the service. You can create anything in it.

So that you do not get lost in the manual, I made a small table of contents:

Benefits of a brief on Google Forms

• It's original. You stand out from your competitors.
• It doesn't need to be downloaded. You send the link to the customer. He fills out the brief and presses the button. You get answers.
• He won't get lost. The brief is stored in the cloud. Even if your hard drive burns out, the questionnaire remains and will work.
• No additional programs needed. What if your client doesn't have Word installed? With Google Forms, you don't care.
• Looks stylish. Everyone pays attention to design. Clients will appreciate if you send a beautiful and comfortable brief instead of a crooked table.
• Partially automates the process of receiving orders. You place a brief on your website. The client comes, fills it out and places an order.
• Easily created. A little more complicated than a table in Word.
• Free. You don't have to pay to use the service.

Still doubting whether an online brief is cool? Just look at this example.

And then to this one.

Which one would you like to complete more if you were a customer?

What is Google Forms

Forms is one of the services screwed into the Google Drive cloud storage. To work with it, you only need a Gmail inbox. Create right now if you haven't already, and let's move on.

The application works through a browser. In it you can is free create any number of forms. What is a form? In fact, this is a separate web page that hosts a survey or questionnaire. With it, you can do:

• Convenient brief for clients;
• Questionnaire for feedback;
• Page for collecting email addresses;
• Voting for subscribers. This is especially true if you work on multiple social networks.

Google Forms Basics

The system will prompt you to create a new file or use an existing one. It is unlikely that you have a prepared template for this plugin, so it's easier to choose "No, create one".

The service will create a new file directly on your Google Drive. If you rename or move it, do not forget to specify a new path. The file contains a template for compiling a report based on questions. If you need to correct something, this is done in the document, and not in the plug-in window. To do this, simply click on the link to it.

Everything is simple here. V <<скобках>> the name of the question is given. No links. What is written in your question is what you need to put in brackets. Everything else is plain text for your convenience. Edit it however you like.

You can format the document for yourself. Add paragraphs, separators. Anything, even graphics. I personally recommend adding blank lines between questions first. It's much easier to read that way.

When you're done editing, go back to Google Forms and click Next.

At the 3rd stage, you need to select the folder where the reports created according to the template will be saved. Specify an existing one or create a new one.

By default, the folder will be named "Form Publisher Output's Folder". If you rename it, don't forget to specify it in the plugin window.

Now you need to specify how to name the generated reports. By default, they will be named something along the lines of "Your Form Name - Number". In my opinion, it is convenient and nothing needs to be touched here. But if you don't like it, write something of your own.

The last step allows you to add the Email of the people to whom you want to send notifications when a new report appears. Enter your address so you know when someone filled out the brief.

If you need not only a document, but also a PDF file (you never know), click on the link "pdf recipients" and check the box next to "Keep a copy of PDF in Drive".

Everything. Now, when the client fills out your brief, a file with answers to all questions will be created. And you will receive an email notification.

Form Publisher gives you 100 free positives per month. If you get more orders, buy an annual subscription for $24. It's not that much.

We collect reviews

What feedback would you like more? “Thank you, everything is cool!” or expanded, describing the results of your work?

I have often met customers who simply do not know how to write reviews. From this, useless “I liked everything, I recommend it to everyone” is obtained. Therefore, customers should be given a little push in the right direction. How? Ask them questions, of course!

Once again, Google Form comes to the rescue. Make a simple survey:

• Position:
• Organization;
• Site;
• What was ordered;
• Text efficiency (conversion, reposts, likes);
• Evaluate the work on a 5-point scale;
• The text of the review.

It is much easier to answer a few well-defined questions than to think out a plan on your own and write something intelligible. With your profile, you make life easier for the client, save his time. And you increase the likelihood of getting a cool review, not outright trash.

Additionally, you can ask how the client found you. For statistics.

conclusions

All people appreciate good service. An emailed document with questions is a "so-so" service. A well-composed online questionnaire immediately catches the eye. Sets you apart from the same copywriters-competitors. Saves time. It is not lost in the vast expanses of the hard drive. Remember, in the end.

Try moving your brief to Google Forms. This will not take much time, but it will make life much easier for you and your customers. Or maybe it will become that missing item that will encourage you to place an order for you, and not for anyone else.