Website forms can be used for various purposes. They provide a way to collect a consumer’s personal information, keep track of the number of visitors to your site and allow consumers a way to contact you.

Each website will vary in the number and type of forms they display.

However, a few basic forms should be included on every website, no matter the nature of your business. Let’s take a look at each of these below.

Web Form Must Haves

Web forms can be used to collect data but should also be geared toward improving a customer’s experience.

A few website forms must-haves include:

Contact Form

This form allows an easy way for a consumer to either ask a question or send your business a message. This form should be located on your business’s Contact Page. A contact form can also help to decrease the number of spam bots, as they can not quickly harvest your email address from your website.

Customer Support

At one point or another, consumers will need extra support from your business. Whether customer support messages are filtered through a ticketing platform or direct messaging, this is a necessary form to include on your site. If a consumer needs help and has no way of reaching out for that extra support, they will most likely not leave a kind review and possibly take their business elsewhere.

Newsletter Signup

Email marketing is one way to build relationships with your target audience. A newsletter sign-up form allows consumers to subscribe to receive emails from you. TIP: A visitor is more likely to fill out a direct form that takes as little time as possible.

Customer Testimonials/Reviews

These are essential in providing customers a space to praise your products/service. Testimonials/Reviews – These play an important role in giving customers a space to praise your products/service. They also help guide you to improve the consumer experience on your site.

Call Scheduling / Call Back

This is where you can encourage a consumer to book a free consultation or set up an appointment to discuss your products or services further. You can also format this page to include a place where the consumer can choose a date and time to receive a call back at their convenience. Either has a calendar with availability or provides a link they can click on to set up or schedule at their convenience.

Again, you will want to pick and choose those forms that most suit the needs of your business, as well as the needs of your audience.

Some other forms you might look at including are:

Subscription Forms

This could include a subscription to your website, a special package for subscribers only, monthly perks, etc.

Event Registration Form

A simple form used to register for a company-sponsored event (both in person or online).

Survey Form

Consumers love to be asked their opinion! Create a survey to find possible topics to discuss, other products or services they would like to see available, or a survey of their most recent experience with your organization.

Donation Form

A donation form could be used to ask for business donations to keep a site or project ongoing or a donation form regarding a particular cause or organization your company may be involved with.

Tips on Creating a Web Form

When creating a website form, remember that time is valuable to each of your consumers.

They may also be wary of giving out too much personal information online, especially to a new business.

So listed below are a few suggestions on how to create/format your website forms  :

• Be direct and keep it simple. You want to make the customers’ experience on your site as painless as possible.
• Use specific labels. Instead of “name,” ask for their “first name” and “last name.” You want a visitor to understand what information you are looking for.
• Give examples. Fields such as birthdays should be followed by an example of the format to be used – such as 10/31/72 or 10/31/1972.
• Keep question length. Refrain from overwhelming visitors with too many questions at a time. A website form should only take about 2 minutes. Keep initial information collected on the vitals.

Website Forms are a great way to gather consumer information and data. Yet, simultaneously, ensure you don’t drive away a possible new customer by creating too long, too personal, or confusing forms.

You are more apt to convert a lead to a customer when forms are kept short, simple, and to the point.