When was the last time you filled out the contact form on your own website?
Not looked at it. Actually filled it out on your phone, hit send, and checked where the message went.
It’s an easy thing to overlook because the form may have worked perfectly when the website launched. But if contacting you has become difficult or the inquiry isn’t reaching the right person, you may never know how many potential customers gave up along the way.
Why Contact Forms Drive People Away
It’s easy to ask for too much on a contact form. You want enough information to know who you’re dealing with and what they need, so another field gets added. Then another.
Before long, someone has to give you their address, phone number, budget, timeline, and project details just to ask a question.
You may need that information eventually. But how much of it do you really need before you can reply?
Let’s say you’re a towing company that offers quotes via email, but your contact form asks for a phone number. Sure, you will need that number eventually, but do you really need it before you can send an initial quote?
Look at what’s required on your form. Is it really necessary? Or can it be gathered later during an initial conversation?
How to Keep It Simple
A message box can keep things simple. Someone can write what they need instead of choosing from a bunch of options first.
For the phone number field, try making it optional unless you specifically need the number for a follow-up call.
Make sure to label the fields properly. Keep “Name” and “Email” above the boxes so the words stay there after someone starts typing.
If you only need a question for one of your services, show it when someone chooses that service, rather than making everyone answer the question. For example, say your website offers information on both your roofing and siding services. Someone picks roofing, so the form shows the questions you have about a roofing job. Someone asking about siding gets the questions for siding.
If your site runs on a basic platform like WordPress, this is easy to orchestrate. If you need help, a WordPress web design company can easily set this up. Show them the questions on your current form and ask which ones could appear only when they apply.
Where Your Form Lives and How It Should Look
If someone clicks Contact or Request a Quote, make the form easy to find when the page opens. They’ve come there to contact you.
A service page is different. Someone may still be figuring out whether you do the work they need, so let the page answer that first. Put the form where it feels natural to ask for a quote or get in touch.
Near the form, explain what happens after the form is sent. For example, you might say, “Our team will contact you within 24 hours.”
Make sure the button says what you want it to say. “Submit” tells someone very little. If they’re asking for a quote, “Request a Quote” says exactly what the button does. For a regular contact form, “Send Message” is fine.
Then try the whole thing on your phone. Take the time to fill it out. The fields should be comfortable to tap, the form should fit the screen, and the Send button should be easy to hit. Tap the phone number field too. Make sure your number pad comes up. You don’t want users to have to switch keyboards just to enter a phone number.
Spam protection is another thing to ask about. If customers have to solve image puzzles before they can send you a message, ask whether there’s a simpler way to block spam. You want the junk filtered out while real inquiries come through easily.
What Happens After Someone Hits Submit
Once you hit Send, stay on the page for a second. You should see a clear message that tells you the form went through and when you’ll hear back. “Thanks. We’ll get back to you within one business day” tells you a lot more than a page that sits there with no sign that anything happened. Note: If you include a response time, make sure it’s something your team can keep up with.
Then check your inbox. The message on the screen tells the customer their form was sent. Make sure the inquiry also reached whoever handles new leads in your business.
An automatic email to the inquirer can be useful too. It gives them something in their inbox showing that you received their message.
And think about what happens when that inquiry arrives. If it goes to one person’s inbox, what happens when they’re out for the day? Make sure someone else knows to pick it up and reply.
Don’t Underestimate the Contact Form
Your contact form deserves the same attention as the rest of the website. It may look fine on the page, but still be awkward to use. Or it may send inquiries to an inbox that nobody is checking.
If you need help, contact our custom web design firm in Ogden. We know that a good contact form can be the difference between a customer who converts and one who simply clicks away from your site.