Want to get more leads from your online forms? Here are 12 simple tips to make your forms better:

1. Simplify design

2. Use fewer fields

3. Order fields smartly

4. Add inline validation

5. Optimize for mobile

6. Use progress indicators

7. Make forms smart

8. Write good titles

9. Place forms strategically

10. Enable autofill

11. Use clear error messages

12. Test and improve

Tip

Main Benefit

Simplify

Easier to use

Fewer fields

More completions

Smart ordering

Logical flow

Inline validation

Fewer errors

Mobile-friendly

Works on all devices

Progress bars

Shows completion

Smart forms

Personalized

Good titles

Grabs attention

Strategic placement

More visible

Autofill

Faster to complete

Clear errors

Easy to fix mistakes

Testing

Continuous improvement

These tips will help you create forms that are easier to fill out, work well on all devices, and ultimately get you more leads. Focus on making your forms simple, relevant, and user-friendly.

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1. Simplify Form Design

Making your forms simpler can help you get more leads. A clean, easy-to-use form makes people more likely to fill it out. Here's how to make your forms simpler:

1. Use fewer fields: Only ask for what you really need. Imagescape got 120% more responses by cutting their form from 11 fields to 4.

2. Use one column: Forms with one column are easier to fill out. People finished single-column forms about 15 seconds faster than multi-column ones.

3. Put text on the left: Align all text to the left side of the form. This makes forms quicker to fill out and easier to read.

4. Use clear titles: Give your form a title that says what it's for. For example, "Sign Up for Our Newsletter" tells people exactly what they're doing.

What to Do

Why It Helps

Fewer fields

People are more likely to finish

One column

Faster to complete

Left-aligned text

Easier to read

Clear title

People know what to expect

These small changes can make a big difference in how many people fill out your forms.

2. Use Fewer Form Fields

Using fewer form fields can help you get more leads. Here's why it's important:

1. More People Fill Out Forms: Hubspot found that cutting form fields from 4 to 3 can make 50% more people complete forms.

2. People Stay Interested: Short forms are easier to finish. Quicksprout says forms with three fields get at least 25% of people to fill them out.

3. Ask Only What You Need: By asking for less information, you make sure every answer is useful for getting leads.

Number of Fields

What Happens

3

At least 25% of people finish

4 to 3

50% more people finish

Keeping your forms short can make a big difference in how many leads you get.

3. Use Smart Field Ordering

Putting form fields in the right order can help you get more leads. Here's how to do it:

1. Start with easy questions: Begin with simple fields like name and email. This helps people get started quickly.

2. Group similar fields: Put related information together, like all contact details in one place. This makes the form easier to fill out.

3. Show extra fields when needed: Use forms that show more questions based on earlier answers. This keeps the form short at first, which can make more people start filling it out.

Field Type

What It Does

Example

Easy

Gets people started

Name, Email

Grouped

Keeps similar info together

All contact details

Extra

Shows up based on answers

More questions if needed

4. Implement Inline Validation

Inline validation helps make forms better and gets more leads. It gives users quick feedback as they fill out forms, making it easier and faster to complete them.

Here's why inline validation is good:

1. Finds Mistakes Quickly: Users see errors right away and can fix them easily.

2. More People Finish Forms: Studies show 22% more people complete forms with inline validation.

3. Users Like It More: People enjoy using forms with instant feedback 31% more.

To use inline validation well:

• Use colors or icons to show if answers are right or wrong

• Give clear, short messages about how to fix mistakes

• Don't check answers too early, wait until users finish typing

• Make sure it works on computers and phones

Feature

How It Helps

Quick feedback

Stops mistakes before sending

Colors or icons

Shows if answers are okay

Clear messages

Helps fix wrong answers

Works on all devices

Easy to use anywhere

Inline validation makes forms easier to fill out, which means more people finish them. This can help you get more leads for your business.

5. Optimize for Mobile Devices

With more than half of website visits coming from phones and tablets, making your forms work well on mobile is key for getting more leads. Here's how to do it:

1. Make buttons and fields big enough: Use fields at least 48px tall so they're easy to tap with a finger.

2. Use big fonts: Make text at least 16px to avoid unwanted zooming on iPhones.

3. Use the right keyboard: Show the best keyboard for each field type:

Field Type

Keyboard Shown

Phone number

Number pad

Email

Email keyboard

Date

Date picker

4. One column layout: Stack form fields in a single column on mobile screens.

5. Easy to tap: Make sure buttons and dropdown menus are big enough to tap easily.

6. Use Progress Indicators

Progress indicators help users complete multi-step forms and can get you more leads. They show users where they are in the form and keep them going. Here's why progress indicators work and how to use them:

1. Why Progress Indicators Help

Benefit

How It Helps

Shows progress

Lets users know how far they've come

Reduces worry

Shows how much more info is needed

Makes users happy

People like finishing tasks

Helps you improve

Shows where people stop filling out forms

2. Types of Progress Indicators

Pick the best type for your form:

• Percentage bar: Shows progress as a percent, good for short forms

• Steps left bar: Shows done and left steps, good for long forms

• Numbered bar: Shows current step and total steps

• Checklist: Good when fields can be filled in any order

3. How to Use Progress Indicators Well

To make your progress indicators work better:

• Put them at the top of the form so they're easy to see

• Use short, clear labels for each step

• Make them look the same on all form pages

• Make sure they work well on phones and computers

• Use arrows or icons to show the order of steps

7. Use Smart Forms

Smart forms can make your forms better and help you get more leads. These forms change based on what people answer, showing or hiding questions as needed. This makes filling out forms easier and faster for users.

Here's how smart forms work:

What Happens

What the Form Does

Why It's Good

User picks choice A

Shows related questions

Form fits user needs

User picks choice B

Hides unneeded questions

Form is shorter

User gives certain info

Skips whole sections

User finishes faster

User fits a type

Goes to a different page

Form matches user type

To use smart forms well:

1. Find the main questions that help decide what to ask next.

2. Make different paths for different types of users.

3. Use clear words to explain why questions appear or disappear.

4. Check all parts of the form to make sure they work right.

Smart forms make filling out forms easier for users. This can help you get more leads for your business.

8. Write Good Form Titles

Good form titles are important for getting people to fill out your lead forms. A clear title tells visitors what the form is for and can make more people use it.

To write good form titles:

1. Use words that show what people will get

2. Keep it short and easy to read

3. Add words like "now" or "limited time" when it fits

4. Use the visitor's name if you can

Here are some examples of good form titles:

Basic Title

Better Title

Contact Us

Get Your Free Advice Today

Sign Up

Start Your 30-Day Free Trial

Download

Get Special Industry Tips

Make sure your title matches what your webpage says. A good title should help visitors move from reading your page to filling out your form.

Tip: Try different titles to see which one works best. This can help you find out what your visitors like and get more people to fill out your forms.

9. Put Your Form in the Right Place

Where you put your form on your webpage can make a big difference in how many people fill it out. Here's how to choose the best spot:

1. Top of the Page: Put your form where people can see it without scrolling. This can help more people fill it out.

2. Think About What You're Offering: Sometimes, the top isn't always best. It depends on what you're selling:

Where to Put Form

Best For

Top of Page

Easy things like free trials

Lower on Page

Hard-to-understand products

3. People Will Scroll: Most people (76%) will scroll down if they like what they see at the top. Use good headlines to make people want to keep reading.

4. Phone Screens: On phones, people often scroll before the page loads. Don't put forms too high up on phone screens.

5. Try Different Spots: The best way to find the right spot is to test. Put your form in different places and see which one works best.

10. Add Autofill and Autocomplete to Forms

Adding autofill and autocomplete to your forms can help you get more leads by making forms easier to fill out. Here's why these features help and how to use them:

Why Autofill and Autocomplete Are Good

Feature

Benefit

Autofill

Forms fill out 30% faster

Autocomplete

Saves time on common info

Both

Fewer mistakes in form answers

How to Add Autofill and Autocomplete

To make your forms work with autofill and autocomplete:

1. Use normal form fields: Use regular HTML input types so browsers know what info to fill in.

2. Add the right labels: Put in the correct name and autocomplete tags for each field. For example:

<input type="text" name="name" autocomplete="name"> <input type="email" name="email" autocomplete="email"> <input type="tel" name="phone" autocomplete="tel">

3. Use form tags: Put all your input fields inside <form> tags so autofill works, especially for Chrome users.

4. Be careful with private info: Don't use autofill for things like credit card numbers on shared computers.

11. Use Clear and Simple Error Messages

Good error messages help people fill out forms correctly. This can get you more leads. Here's how to make error messages that work well:

1. Keep it short: Use simple words that are easy to understand. Aim for 8-14 words.

2. Avoid tech talk: Use everyday words instead of complicated terms.

3. Tell how to fix it: Give clear steps on what to do next.

4. Use friendly words: Don't say things like "failed" or "wrong." Instead, help users fix the problem.

5. Put messages in the right spot: Show errors near the form field that needs fixing.

Good Error Messages

Bad Error Messages

Say exactly what's wrong

Use vague wording

Use simple language

Use tech terms

Tell how to fix the error

Don't give help

Use normal text

Use ALL CAPS

Put messages near the problem

Put messages far from the problem

12. Always Test and Improve Your Forms

Testing your forms helps you make them better and get more leads. Here's how to do it:

1. Test one thing at a time: Change just one part of your form, like the button color or layout. This helps you see what works best.

2. Focus on important parts: Start by testing these key form elements:

Form Element

Why It's Important

Number of fields

Fewer fields often mean more completions

Button color and text

Can make people more likely to click

Form layout

Easy-to-use layouts get more responses

Main title

A good title can make people want to fill out the form

3. Use tools to understand how people use your forms: Some helpful tools are:

Tool Name

What It Does

Cost

Formidable Forms

Shows how people use your form

Starts at $99.50/year

MonsterInsights

Counts form views and completions

Starts at $199.60/year

Hotjar

Shows where people click and how they move on your page

Has a free option

4. Try forms with multiple steps: For long forms, break them into smaller parts. This can help more people finish the form.

5. Make changes based on what you learn: Use the information from your tests to make your forms better. Keep testing to find what works best.

Conclusion

Making your lead forms better can help you get more customers and make people happier when they use your forms. Here's a quick look at the 12 tips we talked about:

Tip

How It Helps

Make forms simple

Easier to use

Use fewer fields

More people finish

Put fields in a smart order

Easier to fill out

Check answers as you go

Less mistakes

Work well on phones

More people can use it

Show progress

People know how far they are

Change based on answers

Fits what each person needs

Use good titles

Gets people interested

Put forms in the right spot

More people see it

Use autofill

Faster to fill out

Clear error messages

Helps fix mistakes

Keep testing

Always getting better

Remember to keep checking how your forms are doing. Use tools like Formidable Forms, MonsterInsights, or Hotjar to see how people use your forms. This helps you find ways to make them better.

Try different things with your forms. Test two versions (A/B testing) to see which one works best. This helps you learn what your users like.

The main thing is to think about what your users want. If you focus on making forms easy to use and follow these tips, you'll make forms that not only get more leads but also make people happy to use them.

FAQs

How do I get people to fill out a lead form?

To get more people to fill out your lead form, focus on making it easy and worth their time. Here's what you can do:

Strategy

How to Do It

Write a good headline

Make it short and show why the form matters

Explain the benefits

Tell people what they'll get for filling out the form

Keep it simple

Use easy words and short sentences

Show it's trustworthy

Add comments from happy customers

Make it feel urgent

Say if it's only for a short time or for a few people

Remember to:

• Keep your form short

• Put it where people can see it easily

• Test different versions to see what works best