How To Increase Form Submissions

Form submissions are often overlooked by more flashy aspects of digital marketing such as social media engagement and video content. 

Yet, they hold a crucial part in the success of any business operating online. 

This distinctive role underscores their value in digital strategies, setting the stage for a deeper connection with website visitors.

At the heart of increasing form submissions lies a blend of art and science: designing forms that are not just visually appealing but also optimized for user experience. 

Key strategies include streamlining form fields, implementing conditional logic, and crafting compelling calls-to-action (CTAs). Each of these elements plays a pivotal role in encouraging more submissions, with the added benefit of enhancing user engagement.

Delving further into the nuances of form optimization, we explore the importance of form placement, the impact of mobile optimization, and the effectiveness of A/B testing in refining form elements. 

This comprehensive approach not only elevates the quantity of submissions but also improves the quality of interactions, offering insights into user preferences and behavior. 

The subsequent sections will provide a detailed examination of these strategies, shedding light on the multifaceted approach required to boost form submissions.

Through this article, we aim to equip readers with the knowledge to transform their forms into powerful tools for engagement, lead generation, and data collection, reinforcing the significance of form submissions in the growth of their businesses. 

What is form submission

Form submission is a critical process where a user inputs data into a form on a website and sends it to the server for processing. This action is fundamental in digital interactions, serving as a bridge between users and website owners. It enables users to sign up for services, register for events, download resources, or contact a business directly.

For businesses, form submissions are a valuable tool for collecting user information, generating leads, and understanding customer preferences. Optimizing this process can significantly enhance user engagement, streamline data collection, and boost overall conversion rates, making it a key focus area in digital marketing strategies.

Why increase form submissions

Increasing form submissions is pivotal for businesses as it directly influences customer engagement, lead generation, and the collection of valuable data. 

By enhancing the number of form submissions, businesses can deepen their interaction with potential and existing customers, fostering a stronger connection and understanding of their audience. This, in turn, enables the creation of more targeted and effective marketing strategies.

Additionally, each form submission represents a potential lead, offering a direct opportunity to convert interest into tangible business outcomes. 

Furthermore, the data collected through these submissions provides invaluable insights into customer preferences and behavior, guiding product development, and service improvements. 

In essence, focusing on increasing form submissions is not just about boosting numbers—it's about leveraging opportunities to grow and refine your business in alignment with customer needs and market dynamics.

Improve customer engagement

Enhancing form submissions directly boosts customer engagement by creating more touchpoints for interaction. 

This increased engagement helps in building a stronger relationship with your audience, making it easier to understand their needs and preferences. 

By offering users a straightforward way to communicate, you're not only gathering information but also showing that you value their input and participation, which can significantly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Generate leads

Form submissions are a goldmine for lead generation. Each submission potentially represents an interested customer or client. By optimizing your forms to increase submissions, you're essentially widening your funnel, capturing more leads that can be nurtured into conversions.

This process is crucial for businesses looking to expand their customer base and increase revenue. Tailoring forms to be appealing and user-friendly can significantly enhance the likelihood of a visitor taking that critical step from interest to action.

Collect valuable data

The data collected from form submissions is incredibly valuable for any business. It offers insights into who your customers are, what they need, and how they behave. 

This information is essential for making informed decisions about your product or service offerings, marketing strategies, and overall business direction.

By analyzing submission data, you can identify trends, preferences, and pain points, allowing you to tailor your offerings to better meet the needs of your target audience and stay ahead of the competition.

How to design forms for higher submission rates

Designing forms for higher submission rates involves a strategic blend of simplicity, clarity, and user-centricity. 

The key is to keep forms short and straightforward, focusing on essential fields to reduce user effort and increase completion rates. 

Implementing conditional logic can further streamline the process, displaying only relevant fields based on previous answers, making the form appear less daunting.

Clear and compelling call-to-actions (CTAs) guide users towards submission, while action-oriented language motivates them to take the desired action. 

Making CTAs visually striking and optimizing forms for mobile users with responsive design ensures accessibility across devices, removing barriers to submission. 

Simplifying input for touchscreens by adjusting form field sizes and types enhances the user experience for mobile users.

By prioritizing these design elements, forms can become powerful tools for engaging users and driving submissions, ultimately contributing to the success of digital marketing strategies.

Keep forms short and straightforward

To enhance form submissions, it's crucial to keep forms short and straightforward. Users are more likely to complete forms that appear easy and quick to fill out, focusing on essential information and avoiding unnecessary fields that can deter users from submitting.

Limit number of fields

Closely related to keeping forms simple, limiting the number of fields is key. Research suggests that forms with fewer fields have higher completion rates. Identify the absolute minimum amount of information needed and stick to it.

Use conditional logic

Conditional logic can significantly improve the user experience by only showing fields relevant to previous answers. This dynamic approach makes forms feel less overwhelming and more personalized, encouraging users to complete them.

Use clear and compelling call-to-actions (CTAs)

Clear and compelling CTAs are critical for guiding users towards submission. Your CTA should stand out and communicate exactly what users will get by submitting the form, using action-oriented language that motivates users to take the next step.

Use action-oriented language

Incorporating action-oriented language in both the form and its CTA creates a sense of urgency and purpose. Words like "Get," "Start," "Join," or "Discover" can motivate users to act, increasing submission rates.

Make CTAs visually striking

Visually striking CTAs grab attention and guide users towards submission. Use colors that contrast with the rest of the form but are still in harmony with your site's design to make the CTA button stand out.

Optimize forms for mobile users

With the increasing use of smartphones, optimizing forms for mobile users is essential. Forms should be easily navigable on a small screen, with appropriately sized fields and buttons for touch inputs.

Ensure responsive design

Responsive design ensures that your form looks great and functions well on any device, from desktops to smartphones. This adaptability improves user experience and accessibility, leading to higher submission rates.

Simplify input for touchscreens

Finally, simplifying input for touchscreens by making fields easy to tap and enter information can greatly enhance the mobile user experience. Consider using dropdowns, sliders, or switches instead of text input where possible to reduce typing and streamline form completion.

Importance of form placement on a website

The placement of forms on a website is a critical factor that can significantly impact submission rates. Positioning forms above the fold ensures they are immediately visible to users upon landing on a page, which can greatly increase the likelihood of engagement. 

Placing forms on high traffic pages such as the homepage or main product pages further maximizes visibility and accessibility, encouraging more users to fill them out.

Additionally, incorporating forms into landing pages specifically designed for campaigns or promotions can directly influence conversion rates. 

The strategic placement of forms, when aligned with user behavior and website design principles, can dramatically enhance the effectiveness of form submissions, serving as a powerful tool for generating leads, engaging customers, and collecting valuable data.

Above the fold vs. below the fold

The distinction between above the fold and below the fold content is crucial in web design and user experience. 

Content above the fold is what users see first without scrolling, making it prime real estate for form placement. Forms located here are more likely to be seen and acted upon immediately, compared to those below the fold, which require users to scroll down and may be overlooked.

Higher visibility above the fold

Forms placed above the fold benefit from higher visibility, capturing the user's attention as soon as they land on the page. This strategic placement can significantly increase the chances of form submission by leveraging the initial engagement of the visitor, making it a preferred location for critical forms like sign-ups or contact inquiries.

On high traffic pages

Positioning forms on high traffic pages enhances the probability of submissions by tapping into the larger volume of visitors. Pages such as the homepage, about us, or services page, which naturally attract more views, offer an excellent opportunity to engage a broader audience with well-placed forms.

Landing pages

Landing pages are designed with a specific goal in mind, such as promoting a product, event, or campaign. Incorporating forms into these pages can directly contribute to achieving these goals by facilitating actions like registrations, downloads, or sign-ups, making them an essential element of effective landing page design.

Main product pages

Main product pages are pivotal in driving conversions. Including forms on these pages, such as inquiry forms, quote requests, or quick buy options, can streamline the user journey from interest to action, enhancing the overall conversion rate and customer experience.

Utilizing A/B testing to improve submissions

Utilizing A/B testing is a powerful strategy to improve form submissions by allowing businesses to make data-driven decisions. 

This method involves creating two versions of a form (A and B), which differ in one or more elements, such as design, layout, or copy. By exposing these variants to a similar audience segment and analyzing which version performs better in terms of submission rates, businesses can identify the most effective elements that encourage users to complete and submit forms.

This iterative process of testing, learning, and optimizing can lead to significant improvements in form design and placement, ultimately enhancing user engagement and increasing submission rates. Through A/B testing, businesses gain insights into user preferences and behavior, enabling them to refine their approach and achieve better outcomes with their online forms.

Test different form designs

Experimenting with different form designs is a key aspect of A/B testing. This can include varying the form's structure, the order of fields, or even the graphical elements used. 

By comparing how different designs perform, you can determine which elements are most effective in encouraging submissions.

Change layout

Altering the layout of a form can significantly impact its usability and, consequently, its submission rate. Testing variations in layout allows you to understand how users interact with your form and which configurations lead to the highest completion rates.

Alter color schemes

The color scheme of a form can influence a user's decision to engage with it. A/B testing different color schemes helps identify which combinations are most appealing to users and encourage them to complete the form.

Test different placements

The placement of a form on a webpage plays a crucial role in its visibility and the likelihood of it being completed. A/B testing can be used to compare the effectiveness of different placements, such as above the fold, within the main content, or on a dedicated landing page.

Sidebar vs. main content

Comparing the performance of forms placed in the sidebar versus those integrated into the main content can provide insights into where users are most likely to engage with a form. This helps in making informed decisions about form placement to maximize visibility and submissions.

End of content vs. popup

Testing forms located at the end of content against those that appear as popups can reveal user preferences and the impact of interruption on form submission rates. This comparison can guide strategies on how to present forms in a way that is both attention-grabbing and non-intrusive.

Leveraging incentives to increase submissions

Leveraging incentives is a highly effective strategy to boost form submissions, creating a win-win situation for both businesses and users. 

By offering rewards such as discounts, freebies, or access to exclusive content, businesses can motivate users to take the time to fill out and submit forms. 

This approach not only increases the perceived value of completing the form but also enhances user engagement and loyalty.

Incentives can vary from immediate discounts upon submission to entries into prize draws, providing a tangible benefit that encourages user participation. 

Furthermore, offering valuable resources like ebooks or exclusive videos in exchange for form submissions can significantly attract those interested in your content, thereby generating leads and collecting valuable data. 

This tactic aligns with the principle of reciprocity, where providing value upfront can encourage users to reciprocate by providing their information, ultimately leading to higher submission rates and deeper customer relationships.

Offer discounts or freebies

Offering discounts or freebies as an incentive for form submissions is a compelling way to entice users. This strategy taps into the user's desire for savings or rewards, making the effort of filling out a form feel worthwhile.

Immediate discounts for submission

Providing immediate discounts upon form submission can create a sense of instant gratification for users. This immediate reward can significantly increase the likelihood of users completing and submitting forms, as the benefit is clear and immediate.

Entry into a prize draw

Entry into a prize draw offers users a chance to win something more substantial, which can be a strong motivator for form submission. This type of incentive appeals to users' excitement about the possibility of winning and can increase form submissions as a result.

Provide valuable content or resources

Providing valuable content or resources in exchange for form submissions is an effective way to attract users who are interested in your offerings. This approach adds value to the user experience and can lead to higher submission rates.

Ebooks

Offering ebooks as an incentive for form submissions targets users seeking in-depth information or expertise in a particular area. This type of high-value content can motivate users to engage with a form to gain access to the material.

Exclusive videos

Exclusive videos can serve as a powerful incentive, especially if they offer unique insights, tutorials, or entertainment not available elsewhere. This form of content can drive submissions by users eager to access exclusive video material.

Ensuring form security to build trust

Ensuring the security of online forms is paramount in building trust with users. Implementing measures such as SSL certificates to encrypt data in transit protects users' information from being intercepted by unauthorized parties. Displaying security badges from trusted security brands further reinforces the safety of submitting personal information through forms.

This not only safeguards the data but also boosts user confidence, making them more likely to complete and submit forms. Trust is a critical component of user engagement and conversion; hence, prioritizing form security is essential for maintaining a positive relationship with your audience and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts.

Use SSL certificates

SSL certificates are essential for securing online forms, as they encrypt the data exchanged between the user's browser and the server. This ensures that sensitive information, such as personal details and payment information, is protected from eavesdropping or interception.

Encrypt data in transit

Encrypting data in transit is a critical practice to prevent unauthorized access to user information as it travels across the internet. This layer of security is vital for maintaining user trust and safeguarding privacy.

Display security badges

Displaying security badges on your form or website serves as a visual indicator of security, reassuring users that their data is being handled safely. These badges, especially when issued by trusted security brands, can significantly enhance users’ confidence in submitting their information.

Trusted security brands

Leveraging trusted security brands for your form's security measures can play a significant role in building user trust. Brands that are recognized for their reliability and security standards offer a sense of assurance to users, making them more comfortable with submitting their data.

Analyzing form submission data

Analyzing form submission data is a critical step in understanding user behavior and optimizing form performance. By leveraging analytics, businesses can track key metrics such as conversion rates and abandonment rates, providing insights into how users interact with forms. This data allows for the identification of drop-off points where users may get confused or frustrated, enabling targeted improvements.

Adjusting form length, simplifying complex questions, or altering the design based on these insights can lead to higher submission rates and a better user experience. Additionally, this analysis helps in refining the form content and structure to better align with user expectations and needs, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of online forms as tools for engagement and data collection.

Use analytics to track form performance

Utilizing analytics is essential for monitoring and understanding how forms perform. This involves tracking metrics that reflect user interactions, enabling the identification of strengths and areas for improvement.

Conversion rates

Conversion rates measure the percentage of users who complete and submit a form out of the total number of visitors who view it. This key metric helps gauge the effectiveness of a form in motivating users to take action.

Abandonment rates

Abandonment rates indicate the proportion of users who start filling out a form but do not complete it. High abandonment rates can signal issues with the form's design, length, or complexity, pointing to areas that may require optimization.

Identify and fix drop-off points

Analyzing form submission data helps identify drop-off points—specific stages in the form where users tend to abandon the process. Recognizing these points allows for targeted adjustments to improve user flow and increase completion rates.

Simplify complex questions

Simplifying complex questions can significantly enhance the user experience. By making questions more straightforward, users are less likely to get confused or frustrated, which can positively impact submission rates.

Adjust form length

Adjusting the form length to include only necessary questions can reduce user fatigue and increase the likelihood of form completion. Shorter forms are generally more appealing to users, as they require less time and effort to fill out.