Forms are the bridge between your website visitors and you, but they become barriers if not optimized. Creating any old form is easy; creating a great form takes knowing what holds users back.
1. Keep It Short
1. Keep It Short
Only ask what you need to know and condense where possible. The longer the form, the fewer submissions you’ll get. If not all fields are required, indicate which are with an asterisk.
2. Structure Forms With Logic
2. Structure Forms With Logic
Follow a logical order for form questions and group similar questions together. Once grouped, arrange fields from easiest to hardest.
3. Reduce Eye Movement
3. Reduce Eye Movement
Reducing eye movement makes forms easier to follow and reduces error. Labels should be closest to and above their respective field. Use one column instead of two, and align text to the left.
5. Utilize Conditional Logic
5. Utilize Conditional Logic
Sometimes questions are irrelevant to certain users and waste their time. In this case, base the questions shown to a user on their initial responses, so they only get relevant questions.
7. Save Cache Data
7. Save Cache Data
Storing cache data saves users from starting the form all over when they get interrupted or the WiFi goes out. It protects them from frustration and increases the chance of form completion.
9. Make Forms Accessible
9. Make Forms Accessible
Accessibility means making forms that everyone, including people with disabilities, can use. Accessible forms work well with screen readers and don’t rely on color alone to convey information.
10. Choose Your Copy Wisely
10. Choose Your Copy Wisely
Copy should be short, simple, instructive and use positive wording. For labels, use only the noun (“Name”) unless detail is helpful (“Name as on card”). Make buttons outcome-oriented.
11. Talk Privacy
11. Talk Privacy
About 29% of people cite security concerns as their reason for abandoning a form. If you have a privacy policy that protects the confidentiality of user data, let them know.
12. A/B Test Forms
12. A/B Test Forms
To A/B test a form, create two iterations but change one factor on one. Use both for a specified amount of time, and evaluate which one performed better.