Your Website’s Forms Can Make (or Break) Your Service Sales
Every interaction with potential customers matters. One of the most critical touchpoints is your lead capture form. An optimized form can GREATLY impact the number of conversions and leads your business generates. Consider these statistics:
SOME WILD CONVERSION STATS TO CONSIDER…
Reducing a form from 4 fields to 3 can increase conversion rates by almost 50% (WPForms).
The average number of form fields is 5, but over 30% of marketers say they get the highest conversion rates from forms with only 4 fields (Formidable Forms, WPForms).
Using multi-step forms can increase conversion rates by 86% compared to single-step forms (WPForms).
An 11-field contact form was replaced with a 4-field version, resulting in a 160% increase in form submissions with no difference in lead quality (Formidable Forms).
Clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) on forms can significantly impact conversions. For example, using action words like "get started" instead of "submit" can perform better (Formidable Forms).
Dynamic forms that adapt based on user inputs can increase conversions by up to 160% (WPForms).
Adding social proof to forms can increase conversions by up to 26% (WPForms).
CAPTCHAs on forms can reduce conversion rates by as much as 40% (WPForms).
Webinar registration pages tend to have an average 30% conversion rate from cold traffic (WPForms, NotifyVisitors).
Right?!?
Form Placement
Above the Fold
A form typically performs far better when it is placed where people can see it right away without having to scroll down the page. The idea is that it's perhaps the most important part of your website, so don't make people search for it.
Action(s) to take: Make sure your form is near the top of your webpage.
Multiple Locations
Putting your form in more than one place on a long page means people will see the form no matter where they are on the page. This way, your form gets more visibility and more people might fill it out.
Action(s) to take: Add the form after every few sections on your page.
Chatbots and Auto-Scroll
Using chatbots to show the form or making the page scroll automatically to the form catches people's attention and makes it easy to fill out the form.
Action(s) to take: Use chatbots to ask for information or make the form pop up at the right time.
Form Length
Balance Between Length and Quality
Short forms get more people to fill them out, but long forms get better information. You need to decide if you want more people to sign up quickly or get more details from fewer people.
Action(s) to take: Use short forms for quick sign-ups and longer forms when you need more details. Try using a form that asks questions one step at a time.
Form Fields
Essential Information Only
Only asking for the most important information makes people more likely to fill out your form. If you ask for too much, people might not fill out the form.
Action(s) to take: Only ask for things like name and email at first. You can ask for more details later.
Easy to Hard Questions
Starting with easy questions and saving the harder ones for later makes people more likely to finish the form. They feel like they’re making progress quickly.
Action(s) to take: Arrange your questions so that the simplest ones come first.
User Experience
Single-Column Layout
Using one column for your form is easier for people to read and fill out, improving their experience and making them more likely to complete it.
Action(s) to take: Design your form in one straight line down the page.
Inline Validation
Real-time validation helps people fix mistakes right away, which reduces frustration and makes it more likely they will complete the form.
Action(s) to take: Make your form show a message if something is wrong while they are still typing.
Left-Aligned Text
Aligning text to the left side of the form makes it more readable and quicker to complete, helping users fill out the form more efficiently.
Action(s) to take: Align all text on the left side.
Privacy and Trust
Privacy Policy
Showing people that their information is safe with you reassures them and makes them more likely to fill out the form.
Action(s) to take: Put a link to your privacy policy near the form and add trust symbols like security badges.
Consider Not Asking for Phone Numbers
If phone numbers are essential to your sales process, then you have to leave this on the form. However, data shows that not asking for a phone number and only asking for email increases conversion rates and opt-ins. So, if phone numbers are not essential, consider testing eliminating this field.
Action(s) to take: Ask for an email address instead.
Form Design and Messaging
Clear Titles and Submission Buttons
Using clear titles and action words on buttons helps people know exactly what to do and what they are getting, improving conversion rates.
Action(s) to take: Use titles like "Sign Up for Our Newsletter" and buttons that say "Get Started" instead of "Submit".
Positive Error Messages
Using nice messages when there is a mistake helps people feel better and more likely to fix the mistake and complete the form.
Action(s) to take: Write friendly messages that help people correct errors.
Mobile Optimization
Design for Mobile
Making sure your form works well on phones and tablets is crucial because many people use mobile devices. The form needs to be easy to use on them.
Action(s) to take: Test your form on different devices to make sure it looks good and works well.
A/B Testing and Analytics
Test Different Elements
Trying out different versions of your form helps you find the best way to get people to fill out the form.
Action(s) to take: Change one thing at a time, like the button text, and see which version gets more sign-ups.
Track and Analyze Performance
Using tools to see how well your form is doing helps you understand what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to make improvements.
Action(s) to take: Look at the data regularly to make improvements.
By following these simple tips, you can make your lead forms much better and get more people to sign up. This will help your business grow and succeed.
