Maximising Website Conversions With Effective Form Design

By Neil Kilgallon on Friday, 22 November 2024

Every form on your website, whether for newsletter sign-ups, making a purchase, or enquiry generation, connects visitor interest with actionable insights. However, a poorly designed form can dramatically increase your drop-out rate and drive your audience away, resulting in lost leads and conversions.

Designing forms effectively is not just about design; it’s about creating an experience that feels easy and natural while subtly guiding users towards a decision. ID Studio, one of London's most awarded web design companies, explores how well-thought-out and user-centric form design can increase website conversions.

What Business Goal Does Your Website Form Achieve?

Before considering the design and structure of your form, you must define your objectives. Website forms typically fall into the following categories:

Lead Generation: Are you trying to get a potential client to fill out your online form so your sales team can follow up? Keep the structure light and engaging. Forms for lead generation should focus entirely on removing friction.
Order Processing: Trust and security are essential if you are trying to generate a purchase through your eCommerce store. Ensuring customers feel confident about every field they fill ensures they are more likely to complete the order.
Feedback Gathering: If you are asking users to complete feedback or an online survey, focusing on open-ended questions with optional fields often works best.

Identifying the purpose of your form ensures every design decision aligns with your core website objectives.

What Makes A High-Converting Form

A high-converting form incorporates various elements to maximise completion. These components often include the following:

Labels And Instructions: Clear and concise labels help users understand what’s required.
Fields: The fewer, the better; make sure they’re necessary and intuitive.
CTA Buttons: Don't forget your call-to-action button. Phrases like 'Download Your Free Overview' work better than 'Submit.'

High-converting forms balance simplicity and detail, making users feel their time is valued and well-spent.

Simplify, Simplify & Then Simplify Some More

How many fields does your form actually need? Most likely, fewer than you expect. Minimalist design not only looks great but also enhances conversions.

Avoid Overwhelming Your Users: Too many questions make your form look daunting.
Group Questions Where Possible: To combat the point above, if a form requires more than six fields (e.g. payment details), divide it into smaller sections or progressive steps.
Eliminate Unnecessary Fields: Do you need a phone number if an email will suffice?

The easier a form is to complete, the more people will complete it.

Designing Forms For Mobile Users

With over half of all website visits occurring on mobile devices, you must ensure your forms work great on all mediums. At ID Studio, we are always mobile-first, which also applies to forms. Here are some of the elements we implement:

Responsive Layouts: Forms must adjust well on smaller screens. Inline labels, appropriately sized CTAs, and collapsible fields can all help.
Thumb-Friendly Layouts: Place tappable elements within easy reach of the thumb for ease of use.
Auto-Complete Features: Using browser-saved data for names and addresses enhances usability and will increase conversions.

A frustrating mobile form results in lost opportunities. A simple, responsive design prevents lead loss due to poor usability.

Psychological Triggers In Form Design

Sometimes, the key to a user submitting the form is a well-placed psychological trigger.

Trust Signals: Include logos showing secure payment methods or certifications like GDPR compliance. The safer they feel, the more likely they are to complete the form.
Urgency: Use language encouraging immediate action, such as 'Limited Time Offer' or 'Only 3 Hours Left.'
Social Proof: Add testimonials or counters such as “Join 10,000+ Happy Subscribers” for credibility.

The Role of Visual Hierarchy and Layout

Successful form design lies in guiding the user to completion without confusion. A strong visual hierarchy ensures this.

Prominent CTAs: Bold, colourful buttons draw the eye without overwhelming the design.
Logical Flow: Arrange fields in an order that feels natural. For example, you should ask for contact details before you ask for credit card details.
Whitespace: Keep everything uncluttered by spacing your elements appropriately.

Design choices can mean the difference between a user clicking 'Submit' or abandoning the form halfway through.

Testing and Optimising Your Forms

You might think you have created the perfect form, but your users may disagree. Testing and optimising your forms is essential to maximising conversions.

A/B Testing: Try different versions of your form to see what gets the most completions, from layout to CTA phrasing.
Measure Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar can spotlight abandoned fields.
Iterate Regularly: Small improvements like tweaking colours or field labels can deliver surprising results.

Ask Us To Help

If you have low-form conversion issues, ask ID Studio for help. Our web design team has been helping businesses maximise completion rates across all form types.