People often fear a first impression because they only have one chance to get it right. However, rather than stressing over in-person meetings, a business’s first impression is often presented through its website.
Web pages facilitate a consumer’s initial perception of the business, often leading to the first interaction through an online form. A beautifully designed website with rich content falls short in its effectiveness without a well-positioned, productive form that converts prospects into customers.
Employing best practices for web forms helps ensure that a company’s website is doing its job of supporting the business’s growth. Follow these tips regarding web forms to help guarantee that a consumer’s first interaction with a website is just the beginning of a lasting customer relationship.
Landing pages are an effective way for businesses to drive consumers directly to a particular page to promote specific products or services. These pages also present the perfect opportunity to include lead-generation forms that obtain contact information from prospects.
In order to convert as many leads as possible, an effective approach is to provide an incentive for prospects to fill out the form. For example, when visitors fill out the form, the business can then provide a free download for a content marketing piece or pass along other valuable information in return.
Additionally, the forms should adhere to the brand. In other words, avoid including a form that could just as easily live on any other website. Incorporate branded design and content that integrates a unique call-to-action message. As more and more consumers are viewing websites via mobile devices, make sure that the form is mobile-friendly, too.
Contact forms benefit not only the consumer, but the company, as well. Rather than listing an email address, providing a contact form can prevent unwanted spam messages to a business’s inbox.
Consumers should be able to easily locate “contact” in the main navigation and access the contact form. Rather than clutter the form and require an extensive amount of input that will turn leads away, keep the form simple. Asking for a name, email address and a brief message will provide the business with enough information and avoid frustrating consumers.
Although the contact form’s input fields should be simplistic, a business can get creative with the overall layout. Rather than looking at the contact form as an essential website component, leverage the design as a branding opportunity that will make consumers more enthusiastic about reaching out.
People love feeling that their needs and preferences are important. Capitalizing on this aspect of human nature, companies can utilize web forms in much more intriguing ways. Rather than including only a contact form, consider adding a form that welcomes a higher level of interaction and engagement. For example, encourage a customer to determine which type of air conditioner would best suit his or her home by offering a form that’s set up as a quiz and asks questions regarding their home layout, budget, cooling needs, etc.
By encouraging consumer participation, a company gives the impression that its services are tailored according to each individual response. Including a unique and customized web form not only gives the business a clear indication of what consumers are looking for, but it also pleases consumers who want to feel that their voices are being heard.
There are many different ways in which forms can live on a company website. To integrate specialized forms that involve unique consumer interaction and engagement, consider hiring a professional web design company to build a customized form that enhances marketing efforts.
With the never-ending advancement of user-interaction capabilities, web forms will only surge higher in popularity. By staying ahead of the game and incorporating forms that leave prospects both satisfied and impressed, a company can turn tentative leads into promising conversions.
