Lead generation forms are web forms often attached to company websites. They are used to capture the contact information, such as telephone numbers and email addresses, of potential customers who have shown an interest in a product or a service. Commonly used lead generation forms include contact forms, registration forms or newsletter sign-ups. Having a lead-generation form is useful to anyone looking to use an online platform to advertise or sell a product or a service.
Ensuring that your lead generation forms is user-friendly is vital. While you cannot control if people visit the site, making these forms accessible ensures potential customers are not put off. This article will offer a few tips and tricks in ensuring your web lead generation form is user-friendly.
1. Simple is key
There is nothing more frustrating that an overly complicated form. When trying to encourage potential customers to fill out a lead generation form, simplicity is vital. Sticking to the basic required information will make the form shorter and quicker to complete. In the form being quick, potential customers are more likely to do the form on the spot and less likely to forget to come back to it later. Basic information such as name, email address, contact number and the service they are interested in may be worth asking. However, anything else may be better asked in a follow-up email or phone call.
2. Straightforward layout
The worst thing you can do when trying to create a user-friendly form is to over-complicate the layout. Keep questions that relate to each other together in a straight line column.
In doing so, you’re ensuring that no vital information is left incomplete and that users do not become confused and frustrated when filling out the form. Frustration generally leads to forms being aborted and, for this reason, a simple format is essential.
3. Avoid error frustration at all costs
When filling out an online form it is impossible to promise there are never any errors. While having errors is out of your control, how customers perceive these errors is in your hands.
Make sure you are using accessible language in your error messages. Filling these messages with technical jargon your customers may not understand can be frustrating, and this frustration can lead to aborted forms. Instead, opt for easily understood error messages that enlighten your potential customers to what they need to change.
It is also important to ensure that error messages are polite. Using human and friendly language will help quell frustration and make the experience more user friendly in the process. No one wants to feel as if they’re talking to a bot, so make it human and easy to understand.
As well as this, using microcopies will avoid errors being made in the first place. Microcopies are the small fields of information used to explain what each question is asking of your potential customer. In these microcopies you may choose to inform users of the layout something needs to be in, or offer a little more information on the question.
4. Never keep your customers guessing
Making things as clear as possible is essential. This includes when fields are correct, incorrect or missing essential information. This can be achieved by using an inline form-field validation.
By highlighting mistakes on the form you will not only make them easier for users to find but also to correct. This removes unnecessary frustration from filling out a form.
Using an inline form-field validation also gives your users reminders in real-time of context to the question. Notifying users of potential errors as they go stops from reaching the end of the page and having to go back to search for errors. This will make filling out the form quicker and result in less users aborting before completion.
Positive validation also ensures users know they are doing things correctly as they go. This additional confirmation gives a sense of achievement and users are more likely to then complete the form.
Using these simple, yet effective, tricks will enable you to create a user-friendly lead generation form for your website.
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