Forms have two, very important roles – to capture leads and to separate qualified leads from the rest. So why are they so often overlooked? More often than not, online forms look just like paper forms, on the web. This outdated approach serves as a roadblock in the final step of the lead generation tunnel. Master all the tricks of form optimization to unleash your creativity, gain competitive advantage, and create intuitive forms that won’t seem like a burden.
- Don’t use captcha. Not only they are annoying, they are also challenging to people with disabilities. Moreover, it brings the visitor’s attention to the fact that you might be having a spam problem, making you less and less trustworthy.
- Do use a honeypot. Honeypot is a field that is only visible to spam bots but invisible to the actual visitor. When this field is filled out the form is marked as a spam.
- Don’t use text heavy questions and drop-down menus with overwhelming amount of options.
- Do use visuals. They are processed by the brain faster and easier.
- Do set default answers based on the most probable response.
- Do minimize the effort.
- Don’t avoid many questions at all costs. After all, they are used to separate unqualified leads from those that are qualified.
- Do use multistep forms if you need to.
- Do add a progress bar. It makes the visitors see their accomplishment and know what to expect.
- Do separate the form into few steps/pages. One long form might seem too overwhelming and discourage the visitor.
- Do ask about visitors’ wants 1st to make it easier to begin. Ask the sensitive information 2nd.
- Don’t put labels inside the fields. Visitors might forget the question when they begin writing. Deleting their answer to see the question is time-consuming and off-putting.
- Do add descriptions to your labels to explain why you’re asking. You will look credible and the visitor will be able to double check their answers before submitting.
- Don’t ask the visitor to put in the password twice.
- Do add a “show password” checkbox that allows the visitors to double check their answer.
- Don’t use “Submit” button.
- Do use a call-to-action with action verbs. (“Sign Up”)
- Do remind why they are completing the form and where they will be taken next.
- Don’t reassure with a “We Won’t Spam You” notice. It creates a negative connotation and on the contrary, makes the visitor think that you COULD.
- Do ensure the privacy of your visitors. Include a link to the privacy policy at the bottom of the form or next to the email label. This will make you seem trustworthy and credible.
- Don’t force returning visitors to fill out their information all over again.
- Do hide the previously submitted fields and show only the new, necessary fields.
- Don’t show the errors in the answers only after submission. Having to redo the form all over again will turn many away.
- Do include inline form validation. Visitors should be able to check for errors as they are completing the form, not after.
Additionally,
- Do make your headline a CTA.
- Do describe the purpose in the form name. (“Sign Up for the Newsletter”).
- Do make the font at least 16px and the field at least 48px to optimize for mobile.
Remember that the visitors will be willing to provide their information only for something in return. The more valuable your offer will be, the more your visors will be enticed to complete the form and give you more information. Good luck!
To learn more about optimization, check out:
4 Steps to Optimize Your Website
Want to gain more leads for your business? Read
Most Effective Strategies of B2B Lead Generation