Maximising Online Form Conversion Rates: Making your forms work for you

Online forms can be an important part of generating business from your website, be it a simple newsletter signup, contact form or site registration form; however quite often when a website is built these forms are after-thoughts, causing them to be functional but less than ideal for converting business.
The average conversion rate from online forms across all industries is just over 21% so it is crucial for forms to be designed in a way to maximise your chances of someone submitting one. In  this post we explain some of the methods used to optimise online forms and how they improve the user experiance.

Form length, a daunting prospect

One of the most common reasons for users abandoning online forms is the form's length. Approximately 27% of abandoned forms are attributed to this factor either due to privacy concerns or down to the length of the form looking too daunting to attempt; so it's essential to strike a balance between collecting necessary information and ensuring your forms are user-friendly. 
Removing optional fields or unnecessary questions can reduce user confusion and thus improve your conversion rates significantly.  

The Influence of Phone Number Requests

Requesting a user's phone number in an online form can have negative effects on conversion rates. On the downside, asking for a phone number may decrease conversion rates by up to 5%. Users often have concerns about privacy and spam calls. It's crucial to evaluate whether the benefits of collecting phone numbers outweigh the potential drop in conversions.

Multi-Step Forms, Step-By-Step

Multi-step forms have proven to be more effective in increasing conversion rates compared to single-step forms. These forms break down the information into smaller, more digestible sections, making the process feel less daunting for users. With each step completed, users become more invested in the process and are more likely to finish the form. However make sure you make it clear how many steps are involved. Users can feel tricked if they suddently hit another page of form without warning.

Mobile is king

47% of forms completed online are from mobile devices so forms need to ensure they are responsive and mobile friendly. Dropdown elements are more difficult on mobile touch screens so keep their usage to a minimum.

Conclusion

By paying attention to statistics like form length, mobile usability, and user preferences, you can make informed decisions that lead to higher conversion rates and better results for your online endeavors.

If your forms are not working for you then talk to us and we can discuss options for improving your conversion rates. Alternativly if your form is your quoting tool then take a look at our Quick Quotes tool.