Website contact form vs mailto hyperlink html tag

Mailto html tag

When Mailto html tag is applied to an email address on a web page, clicking on the email creates a new email thread in the default email services like gmail, outlook etc. Users can send an email from it. Subject line can be added as part of mailto html tag. 

For example, the below code is to open a new email thread with to email hello@okrdigital and subject "grow my business online".

<a href=”mailto:hello@okrdigital.com?subject=Grow%20my%20business%20online">Send an email</a>

Form

When a form is added on the website, users can fill the form and an email will be sent from website server to your email address.

Mailto tag vs Form pros and cons

While both of them have their own pros and cons, mailto tag makes communication faster and reduce the number of steps required to initiate the discussion. 

When a user fills the form, form details will be sent to the website owner and website owner sends an email as an acknowledgement to the form fill and the discussion will be initiated. Some users who filled the form will not respond back to the email acknowledgement. There could be several reasons for no response. It could be email bounces, delay in sending acknowledgement email, email going to spam folder, or not going to primary inbox.

When user ends an email directly from their email, all these steps can be avoided. Also sending an email will help user to explain the requirement in detail.

Conclusion

By using mailto tag, form fill spam can be avoided as well as quality of leads can be improved. If someone is really taking time to draft an email it means they are really interested in the services.

The only disadvantage of using mailto html tag is sometimes it will take more time to create a new email thread in the browser.

Giving both options on the website will allow users to use the comfortable option to contact you.