Understanding Typing Speed Insights

Feature snapshot

Summary:
Typing speed insights in TrustedForm reveal how a consumer interacts with a lead form, showing not just what they submit but how they enter information.

Key benefits:

• Understand whether data was typed, pasted, autofilled, or inserted by other methods.
• Use behavioral signals to evaluate intent, engagement, and lead quality.
• Identify anomalies associated with automation or low-effort submissions.
• Inform scoring, fraud detection, compliance checks, and traffic evaluations.

Typical use cases:

• Detecting copy-paste or autofill-driven submissions.
• Feeding behavioral metrics into lead-scoring models.
• Assessing traffic source quality.
• Supporting compliance and fraud-prevention reviews.

How typing speed insights work

Step-by-step instructions

1. Review form_input_kpm (Keystrokes Per Minute)
   Measures actual physical key presses.

   Counts toward KPM:

   • Character keys
   • Backspace/Delete
   • Modifier keys used with character entry

   Does not count:

   • Pasted or autofilled characters
   • Silent browser insertions (unless synthetic typing occurs)

2. Review form_input_wpm (Words Per Minute)
   Calculated from the number of characters entered—typed, pasted, or autofilled.

   Counts toward WPM:

   • All characters entered

   Does not count:

   • Keystrokes with no character value (Delete, Tab, Shift, arrow keys)

3. Check form_input_method
   Shows detected methods used to fill the form:

   • "type"
   • "paste"
   • "autofill"
   • "pre-populated"

   Not explicitly listed but may impact metrics:

   • Voice input
   • Swipe typing
   • Scripted or automated input

4. Interpret patterns using all three signals together

   Best-case scenario:

   • Manual typing
   • Meaningful KPM + WPM
   • Input method "type"

   Other scenarios:

   • Paste: High WPM, 0 KPM
   • Autofill: Low/zero metrics, or inflated metrics (Safari on iOS)
   • Swipe/voice: Bursts of input, irregular timing

Expected result:
A full behavioral profile describing how data was entered into the form.

What affects typing speed data?

Different input methods and browser behaviors influence how typing speed metrics appear.

⚠️ Important note:
Only certain methods appear in the form_input_method array.
Voice input, swipe typing, and automation do not appear explicitly, but can still influence KPM and WPM depending on browser event behavior.

Browser differences

Each browser handles input events differently, which affects how TrustedForm captures typing activity.

Chrome

• Paste and autofill usually detectable.
• Autofill may bypass typing events → low or zero WPM/KPM.

Safari

• iOS Safari may simulate keystrokes during autofill:
  • Fires input, keydown, keyup events
  • Inflates typing-speed metrics
• Other Safari contexts may autofill silently.

Firefox

• Typically fires consistent, complete input events.
• Usually produces reliable typing metrics.

Edge

• Similar to Chrome.
• Autofill often silent or low-impact.

Validation & monitoring

• Compare KPM and WPM to distinguish manual typing from paste or autofill.
• Use form_input_method to confirm how values were entered.
• Look for anomalies such as high WPM + zero KPM.
• Account for browser-specific differences when interpreting patterns.

Best practices

• Use typing metrics as behavioral indicators, not strict classifications.
• Consider KPM, WPM, timing, and input method together.
• Investigate unusual patterns like bursts of text or zero metrics.
• Compare behaviors across traffic sources for higher-level insight.
• Consider how browser-specific behaviors can alter metrics.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why does Safari sometimes inflate typing metrics?
A: Safari on iOS may simulate typing during autofill, generating events that raise KPM and WPM.

Q: Does TrustedForm detect voice or swipe typing?
A: Not directly; these methods do not appear as input-method values but can influence metrics based on emitted events.

Q: Why is pasted text counted in WPM but not KPM?
A: Pasting inserts characters without generating keystrokes.

Q: Are automated entries detectable?
A: Scripted inputs often do not trigger detectable events, so metrics may not reflect them.

Glossary