Getting users to fill out your forms can be tricky. No one really enjoys filling out forms. But they are an essential part of getting what you want online. Everyone has to fill one out sooner or later!
But the real question is whether or not website visitors will fill out your form. After all, if you are spending money to drive traffic to your landing page, you need results!
There are many different factors that affect whether or not somebody fills out a form. Design, copy and even length can all influence whether or not someone fills it out.
Ever wonder why most signup forms have only two required fields? It's all about increasing form conversion rates.
Factors That Influence Conversions
The three aspects of conversion are design, copy, and functionality. The best WordPress contact form plugins cover the functionality and parts of the design. Users want forms that are clear and easy to use and that entice them with value.
Design and Structure
Form design is about more than the outward aesthetic of your images and color choices, it is also about structure. A number of case studies have shown that multi-page forms have a higher conversion rate on average (around 13.85%) over single page forms (4.3%).
Forms with radio buttons and checkboxes reduce cognitive load for users, giving them more incentive to complete forms and lowering abandonment rates. Forms that use clickable images as a question type are also shown to have better conversions.
On the other hand, color is less important when it comes to the design of the form overall. Where it really matters is the color of your CTA button.
Copy
The text that appears on and around your form can also impact conversions. This insurance quote request form from Oscar uses natural language fields instead of traditional copy to improve conversions.
But one of the most important pieces of copy is your CTA button, however. As Neil Patel puts it, “The call-to-action is the tipping point between conversions and bounce.”
Strong CTA copy will get clicks, while weaker CTA copy will have much lower conversion rates. Content Verve, for example, added a CTA button that said “Get Started” to their payment page and increased conversion rates by 31.03 percent.
Words like “Next” convert at almost twice the rate of “Continue” (43.6% vs. 24.6%), while “Submit Registration” has a slightly higher rate than “Register Now” (15.6% vs. 13.3%). “Click Here” and “Go” tend to be the most popular CTA copy and generate the most conversions.
This form combines features from both a single-field interface and a natural language interface to create a fun and engaging user experience. It starts out asking for a zip code and adds fill-in-the-blank sentences as you progress.
One more thing to consider: social proof. If you can include a solid testimonial alongside your forms, you stand a better chance of converting.
Functionality
Finally, your forms need to be fast and easy to use. Form length plays a major role in functionality. As a rule, shorter forms always convert better than longer forms). One company increased conversions by 120% by reducing its form from 11 fields down to 4.
Other elements of functionality, like progress bars, sliders, or interactive elements can also enhance the user experience, leading to more submissions.
Forms that use autofill features have higher conversion rates than standard forms. So consider using those features to reduce friction.
Tips for Improving Conversion Rates
If you’re looking to build a high-converting form, you want to ensure your form is well designed, clear, and functional. Here are a few components you can add to ensure that your forms are fully optimized.
Personalize form flow with conditional logic. Not all questions on your form will apply to everyone. While you can mark questions as optional, having additional form fields on your form can add to the clutter. You can instead use conditional logic to ask and hide questions as necessary.
Include a value proposition. Field labels are important in the form itself. But having surrounding text that gives a clear value proposition. You need to say “here’s what’s in it for you”. so users know what to expect to get on the other end of their form submissions.
Clearly explain why you’re asking for sensitive information. People are increasingly concerned over privacy and information security. If you must ask for sensitive information, make sure you explain why it is needed using support text below the field.
Don’t rely on it to communicate important messages. Color can definitely impact conversions. 1 in 12 people have some degree of color blindness to red and green. So don't rely on those colors for CTAs or error messages! Using icons or larger text along with bold colors can make your message clearer.
Ensure that your form can be navigated using the tab key. Many people use the tab key to navigate through forms. But this is also important for disabled users who rely on software that uses the tab function to move through questions.
If questions are unclear, provide explanatory text. Does your form require more questions than just a name and an email address? Be sure there is help available for users that don’t understand the question. You can use either a popup or additional copy on the form.
Make sure that forms are mobile-friendly. Forms should convert to mobile relatively easily. If not, consider building a separate form that is optimized for mobile use, especially if your form requires payments.
Limit animations. Creative, animated forms can convert just as well as traditional forms. But you don’t want to go overboard with blinking lights or flashing progress bars. It can distract users from completing forms.
Final Thoughts
You will typically have several types of forms on your site. From simple contact forms to lead generation forms or even a directory submission form depending on your site. While each one has a distinct purpose, all can (and should) be optimized for design, copy, and functionality.
When it doubt, keep things simple and remove any unnecessary questions and design elements that may clutter your form. If you need to ask more questions and you’re worried about length, consider opting for a multi-page form with a progress bar.
Be sure to use explanations for complex questions. Also, don’t forget to include field labels (or inline labels) so users know what answers to give. And above all, make sure your CTA is worded correctly and entices users to submit it.
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