To CAPTCHA or not CAPTCHA, that is the question.

If you have a contact form, login page or signup form, your webmaster may have asked you if you wanted to have a CATPCHA or not on the page.

The word CAPTCHA (all caps) is the acronym for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart” and the first one was created in 1997. It helps defines if the entity filling out the form is indeed a human being and not a SPAM bot or other automated script. It is made to protect the site owner from being spammed but also to prevent illicit registrations (especially true if you offer free registration, signup or membership on your website). Many people hate it! Some sources say that, on average, it takes about 10 seconds to enter a standard CAPTCHA. Some are indeed so complicated that it makes it very difficult for anyone to understand what the code is and it may take several frustrating times to get it right. We have all seen those.

But CAPTCHA are not all creating equal.

Of course you want to protect your site and you want to make it as easy as possible for your web visitors to contact you or log in. There are now new and much improved versions.

Old school

Hard to read, too long, too complicated, too many elements on top of the words, too twisted, etc. the list goes on …

New school CAPTCHA options

Better than the twisted or complicated style

Easier with straight easy to read letters and/or numbers

Even better with a simple sum to calculate (if your visitor does not know what 1+15 equals to … you may not want them as clients!)

New and best option the reCAPTCHA from Google, tough on the SPAM bots but easy for humans as you just need to click the box to indicate you are a real person.

This last CAPTCHA is free to use and add to your site. Simply visit this link.

The Google CAPTCHA method has become our favorite type at Business Website Center. It is very easy and quick for the visitor to click the box. The program/algorithm will be able to detect if an automated script is doing the clicking. Also think of it that way, if Google, the busiest website in the world, is using this method, it must be pretty good!

For additional information, watch our video below by clicking “Play”.