7 Web Form Best Practices to Increase Conversion Rates
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2024 9:05 am
You want more subscribers to your email list. So, you develop a strategy to capture leads using pop-ups. And while this is a great strategy to grow your subscriber list, there are some things that can hinder your results.
The only thing standing between you and your potential customers right now is your web form. If this doesn't make the prospect's job easier, the chances of them converting will be greatly diminished.
That’s why it’s so important to pay close attention to how you design and implement your web forms. In this article, we’ll look at 7 best practices for web form design that help increase conversion rates.
There's no time to waste, so let's get to it!
1. Design short and attractive forms
The last thing a web norway phone number library user wants to do is fill out a long form just to receive discounts, updates, or news via email. And this is especially true if the user is on a mobile device.
Photo credit: Wordstream
All you really need to know at the beginning is their email address, name, and maybe an opt-in for two or three types of newsletters/emails you offer.
The key is to get the details you need to personalize your email interactions as best you can.
2. Use visitor behavior metrics for design
Your pop-up forms should be strategically timed based on user behavior and their position in the buyer’s journey. And the same goes for the type of form you use.
For example, you wouldn't want to ask a user who has never visited your site before to sign up for a free demo. They might not be ready right now. Instead, it would be better to offer a free resource to help them learn more about your services or products and how it can benefit them.
This is also a great opportunity to ask them to subscribe to your email newsletter to receive expert tips, news, and offers. Or you can offer a free quote or consultation if that fits your users’ needs based on their interactions with your brand and site.
3. Whatever you do, don't use Captcha!
If you want to start an email list , there’s nothing that hinders your email list signup rate more than putting a roadblock in the signup process. One way to do this is to include a captcha. It’s understandable that you want to make sure your subscribers are real human beings, but you do so at the risk of turning off your human visitors.
There is even evidence showing that captchas cause a 3.2% drop in conversions .
Photo credit: Wikipedia
However, to prevent bots from signing up to your email list, you can use smart scripts. These can determine whether your subscriber is a human or not.
Another option is to use what is known as a honeypot. This is a hidden area that only bots fill out, and once they do, it will prevent them from completing the form.
4. Always be testing
That's the golden rule in all forms of marketing. You never know if what you're doing is any good or not if you're not keeping an eye on the metrics. And you definitely can't know if it's giving you the best possible results if you don't have anything to compare it to.
This is what makes A/B testing so important. Create two different versions of a web form and see which one outperforms the other. Make sure you have only slight differences between the two so that the reason behind the success is easy to identify.
Then, if you feel you can improve your web forms further, compare the winner to another web form with slight changes.
The trials never really end, even after you find your champion fit. Because over time, the results will diminish and you may need to breathe new life into it again.
5. Include a confirmation message after completing the form
Sometimes things can get a little confusing on the web, especially when issues arise with Wi-Fi or mobile devices. So to help ensure your visitors know they've successfully completed your form, you should include a confirmation message afterward.
This will also help avoid duplicate registrations and user frustration if the form doesn't seem to be working.
6. Make your call-to-action elements noticeable
Both the text and the design of the buttons you use for your web forms should be visible and easy to read. The purpose of your CTA is to attract the user's attention. To do this, you can use eye-catching colors such as dark blue or red.
Photo credit: Base Camp
Some brands even go so far as to use arrows and boxes to ensure that the user doesn’t miss the call to action. The goal is to motivate the user to take the next step without seeming pushy.
Make sure your text is clear and concise, such as “Ready to sign up? Click here!” The text and button size should also be easy to read and click on a mobile device.
7. Use appropriate spaces and layouts
The design of your web forms should be clean and straightforward. Make sure your design is just as viewable and easy to use on a mobile device as it is on a desktop computer. You'd be surprised how many brands ignore this.
The spacing of text and fields should make it easier for the user to understand what is required. Group similar fields together, such as name, number and address. It is also recommended to use two columns to make it easier to scroll.
Start using these web form best practices today!
You will find that learning marketing best practices is never-ending. That’s because marketing is an ever-evolving terrain. Just when you think you’ve reached the top of a hill, you plunge into a plateau.
If you're not careful, you could get stuck in a rut. With these web form design tips, you can make sure you're always generating the best results for your popups.
The only thing standing between you and your potential customers right now is your web form. If this doesn't make the prospect's job easier, the chances of them converting will be greatly diminished.
That’s why it’s so important to pay close attention to how you design and implement your web forms. In this article, we’ll look at 7 best practices for web form design that help increase conversion rates.
There's no time to waste, so let's get to it!
1. Design short and attractive forms
The last thing a web norway phone number library user wants to do is fill out a long form just to receive discounts, updates, or news via email. And this is especially true if the user is on a mobile device.
Photo credit: Wordstream
All you really need to know at the beginning is their email address, name, and maybe an opt-in for two or three types of newsletters/emails you offer.
The key is to get the details you need to personalize your email interactions as best you can.
2. Use visitor behavior metrics for design
Your pop-up forms should be strategically timed based on user behavior and their position in the buyer’s journey. And the same goes for the type of form you use.
For example, you wouldn't want to ask a user who has never visited your site before to sign up for a free demo. They might not be ready right now. Instead, it would be better to offer a free resource to help them learn more about your services or products and how it can benefit them.
This is also a great opportunity to ask them to subscribe to your email newsletter to receive expert tips, news, and offers. Or you can offer a free quote or consultation if that fits your users’ needs based on their interactions with your brand and site.
3. Whatever you do, don't use Captcha!
If you want to start an email list , there’s nothing that hinders your email list signup rate more than putting a roadblock in the signup process. One way to do this is to include a captcha. It’s understandable that you want to make sure your subscribers are real human beings, but you do so at the risk of turning off your human visitors.
There is even evidence showing that captchas cause a 3.2% drop in conversions .
Photo credit: Wikipedia
However, to prevent bots from signing up to your email list, you can use smart scripts. These can determine whether your subscriber is a human or not.
Another option is to use what is known as a honeypot. This is a hidden area that only bots fill out, and once they do, it will prevent them from completing the form.
4. Always be testing
That's the golden rule in all forms of marketing. You never know if what you're doing is any good or not if you're not keeping an eye on the metrics. And you definitely can't know if it's giving you the best possible results if you don't have anything to compare it to.
This is what makes A/B testing so important. Create two different versions of a web form and see which one outperforms the other. Make sure you have only slight differences between the two so that the reason behind the success is easy to identify.
Then, if you feel you can improve your web forms further, compare the winner to another web form with slight changes.
The trials never really end, even after you find your champion fit. Because over time, the results will diminish and you may need to breathe new life into it again.
5. Include a confirmation message after completing the form
Sometimes things can get a little confusing on the web, especially when issues arise with Wi-Fi or mobile devices. So to help ensure your visitors know they've successfully completed your form, you should include a confirmation message afterward.
This will also help avoid duplicate registrations and user frustration if the form doesn't seem to be working.
6. Make your call-to-action elements noticeable
Both the text and the design of the buttons you use for your web forms should be visible and easy to read. The purpose of your CTA is to attract the user's attention. To do this, you can use eye-catching colors such as dark blue or red.
Photo credit: Base Camp
Some brands even go so far as to use arrows and boxes to ensure that the user doesn’t miss the call to action. The goal is to motivate the user to take the next step without seeming pushy.
Make sure your text is clear and concise, such as “Ready to sign up? Click here!” The text and button size should also be easy to read and click on a mobile device.
7. Use appropriate spaces and layouts
The design of your web forms should be clean and straightforward. Make sure your design is just as viewable and easy to use on a mobile device as it is on a desktop computer. You'd be surprised how many brands ignore this.
The spacing of text and fields should make it easier for the user to understand what is required. Group similar fields together, such as name, number and address. It is also recommended to use two columns to make it easier to scroll.
Start using these web form best practices today!
You will find that learning marketing best practices is never-ending. That’s because marketing is an ever-evolving terrain. Just when you think you’ve reached the top of a hill, you plunge into a plateau.
If you're not careful, you could get stuck in a rut. With these web form design tips, you can make sure you're always generating the best results for your popups.