On Atlas Advanced, every form has a Public URL. You’ll find it on the form itself and in Data Collection, with Open in a new tab to preview what respondents see and a copy button to grab the link. The question is where to put it.
Where the link works best
On your website. Put the link behind a clear button — “Request service”, “Book an inspection”, “Apply now” — near the top of the relevant page. A button with a specific verb outperforms a generic “Contact us”.
In email. Replies to inquiries, appointment confirmations and follow-ups are natural places for a link. Include one sentence about what the form asks for and roughly how long it takes.
In a text message. For customers you speak to on the phone or meet in person, a text with the link is often the fastest path from conversation to submission. The Atlas tutorial’s example is a customer “standing in their driveway”.
On printed material. Flyers, invoices, door hangers and signage can carry the link or a QR code that points to it. Pair it with the printable version of the same form for people who prefer paper.
In your signature or social profiles. For forms that are always open, like a general service request, the link can live wherever people look for how to reach you.
Keep one form per purpose
Resist creating a new form for each channel. Because every Atlas form is built from your data schemas, one well-designed form can serve the website, email and texts alike, and every submission lands in the same place with the same shape. If your organization is split into teams, you can publish a form for a specific team so that whatever comes in goes straight to them.
Treat the link as public
The Atlas tutorial puts it plainly: nobody signs up, and nobody waits to be approved — if they have the link, they can answer. Treat it as public, because it is. A few practical consequences:
- Don’t use a public form for internal-only information. If a form should only be filled in by staff, don’t share its public link.
- Ask only what you need from the public. Every field on a public form is visible to anyone with the link.
- Rely on identity capture, not secrecy. Atlas asks every respondent for their name and email before the form starts, so you know who each submission came from. That’s a better control than hoping a link stays private.
Set expectations on the page
The public page lists every step down the side — details, each section, and a final review — so respondents know how long it will take before they begin. You can help further with a clear form description and section headings. Tell people what happens after they submit, too: when you’ll respond and how.
Measure what’s working
Because every submission lands in Data Collection with a count beside each form, it’s easy to see which forms are being used. If you want to compare channels, a simple approach is to note in your follow-up how the customer found the form, and adjust where you place the link over time.
Writing the words around the link
The link itself is only part of the experience. What you write around it decides how many people click:
- Use a verb that matches the outcome. “Request service” beats “Form”.
- Say what’s needed. “Takes about two minutes — you’ll need your address and a short description of the work.”
- Say what happens next. “We’ll reply within two business days.”
- Put it where the question arises, such as next to service descriptions or in the reply to an inquiry.
A channel checklist
| Channel | What to include | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Website button | Clear verb, one-line description | Burying it below the fold |
| Context sentence, then the link | Long URLs in plain-text emails | |
| Text message | Short sentence and the link | Sending without context |
| Printed material | QR code and short URL | Codes too small to scan |
| Phone call follow-up | Text the link while on the call | Spelling a long URL aloud |
Keeping links current
Because a form’s public link is tied to the form, keeping one form per purpose keeps links stable. Some habits that help:
- Keep a short internal list of which links are published where, so you know what to update if a form is retired.
- Prefer editing an existing form to creating a replacement. Publishing a new version of a schema updates what’s collected without changing where the link lives.
- Check the link after changes using Open in a new tab.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same link on paper and online? Yes — a QR code or short URL on printed material points to the same form. The printed version of the form asks the same questions, so people can choose.
Does sharing more widely risk spam? Every respondent gives a name and email before starting, so submissions aren’t anonymous. If a form starts attracting unwanted entries, consider what’s on the form and where the link is published.
Should each campaign have its own form? Usually not. One well-designed form per purpose keeps submissions together and comparable.
