MiniForm: Forms in Telegram

You asked your subscribers a question in the comments and got fifty messages mixed in with talk about the weather. MiniForm fixes that: it builds a form right inside Telegram, in your channel or group, and neatly collects the answers. 📋

The bot has around 144 thousand users, and the project's community speaks Russian. Here is why a form beats comments and how to build a good one.

A form instead of comments

The builder lets you create and publish forms inside channels and groups. People answer without leaving Telegram, and you do not send them to an outside site.

The fewer the steps, the more likely a person reaches the end. That is the main argument for this format.

Question types

A form can hold many questions of different types. Not only yes or no, but longer answers too.

• Choice questions, including several options at once.
• Short text for a name, a city or an order number.
• Long text for reviews and wishes.
• Other formats available in the builder.

Building a form without a headache

1. Pick one goal for the form: a survey, a request or a registration.
2. Word each question so it can be answered in a few seconds.
3. Publish the form in a channel or group.
4. After a day, see which question people drop out on and simplify it.

A short form almost always beats a long one. Ask only what you really need. ✂️

What you can collect

Typical jobs: an audience survey, product feedback, event signup, a service request, gathering project requirements. A teacher can use it for a small student questionnaire.

The format works where the audience already lives in Telegram and there is no point pulling them to another platform.

Other people's data: be careful

If you ask for names, phone numbers and email, you are responsible for that data. Tell people why you need it and who will see it.

• Do not collect extras: never ask for ID numbers or payment details in a form.
• Storage should last only as long as the data is needed.
• Consent should be asked for explicitly, especially for mailings.

When forms pile up

Name your forms clearly so you do not get lost: "Menu survey, March" beats "Form 3". Delete old forms you no longer need. 💡

Do not publish several forms in a row. Subscribers get tired, and the response count drops fast. One good survey a week gives more value than five rushed ones.

When a survey closes, share the results with your audience. People answer more willingly next time if they see their replies changed something. A short post with the results and your conclusions pays off the effort.