What are Online Web Forms?
Online web forms are known to be one of the most important parts of online conversion funnels. They come in different forms, but for businesses that are on the eCommerce side, they can be a checkout or registration form.
Optimizing your web forms as a business is essential, especially when aiming to increase your conversion rate. Here are the things that you need to take into consideration if you want to increase your conversion rate through the use of website forms.
Design forms that convert
Creating and designing forms that convert from the beginning is significantly better than optimising them to improve their performance. Instead of creating traditional website forms, you might start creating multi-step forms to outperform the ones that do not convert.
Follow these guidelines to create a single-column web form layout.
- Place labels above each category.
- Make sure that every field is responsive.
- To make it uniform, make your CTA the same width as your fields.
- Use placeholders where context is needed (e.g., date formats).
- Avoid separating fields for phone numbers, dates, etc.
Remove unnecessary fields
Gather all the information that you need from your audience and remove unnecessary fields that are not essential. Before you create and publish your web form, ask yourself first. “Do we need that kind of information from the users?” If not, it is better not to include it anymore since this may cause unwanted friction. The goal is to get more data and have your users complete the form you created on your website.
Get more data after form completion
The main reason your form exists is to collect data from different users, but completing filling out all the fields is not the end. Let this be your starting point. If you simply want the users to create an account, all you need to do is ask for their email addresses and passwords, and then the rest will follow. You can ask for additional information once they fill out other forms.
Make your forms easy to complete
For you to get the information that you need and for the users to complete the form you created, you need to make their lives easier while filling it out. Here’s how to reduce your chances of failing to finish.
- Use HTML5 input types: This will make it easier for mobile users to enter email addresses, phone numbers, dates, and other necessary details.
- Allow tab navigation: Make sure that desktop users can access your form using tab keys.
- Use the predictive search, which is useful for forms that have predefined options.
- Browser autofill: on the user’s end, this will help them save time, especially when they unintentionally close the tab and try to fill out the form again.
- Use validation wisely: validation should make it easier for the users to fill out the form, not more difficult.
Reduce the need for typing
Instead of using blank spaces on your web form, replace them with buttons, sliders, and other features like auto-completion to reduce the time spent filling out the form.
Adding auto-completion to your web forms will minimise the time spent filling out your form, which will help you boost your conversion rate.
Use images as options
Checkboxes and buttons have become the standard for every form option created across the web. Using clickable images or icons is one of the simplest and most effective ways to upgrade and optimise your web form. This has been proven to increase engagement. This is also especially true for mobile users, who can simply tap the screen without worrying about accidentally selecting the wrong option.
Size buttons for fingers and thumbs
Users do not always use their laptops and desktop computers when filling out web forms; most of them rely on the accessibility of web forms on mobile phones. Considering that the screen of a mobile phone is not as large as a laptop screen, changes in format and layout can arise. Make sure that the space between one button and another is wide enough to give users the convenience they need when filling out the form, and this will also help you prevent errors from being made by users accidentally tapping the wrong button.
Autofill information
One of the best ways to speed up filling is to use auto-fill information. An example of this is creating an account by capturing data with cookies. Data stored in a device allows users to use their existing and recorded information that is stored on the web to fill out a form. It is also important to ensure that form fields are associated with the correct input ID to gather the right information about the user.
Avoid duplicate fields
Make sure that your web forms stay intact. Never ask your users to repeat their entries. Duplicate fields may be essential in preventing errors, but this can also prolong signing up.
Rather than adding another field that contains the same information, try to optimise your website forms by addressing and validating information from the very beginning to reduce confusion.
Choose contrasting colors for your buttons
The primary goal of including a CTA in your web forms is to attract and capture the attention of users. Buttons with contrasting colors will help you lead them to jump off to another page. Make sure that whenever you are choosing a color for your buttons, choose the one that stands out best, like red or orange.
Make web forms easy to use
Designing and optimising your web forms will allow you to collect information from users more effectively. This action is also essential in increasing conversions without hindrance.