Lead Capture Forms: A Guide to Boosting Conversion
July 11th 2018 | By Steve Grant
We’ve previously covered the subject of how to create the perfect landing page to complement your online campaigns. A vital element of a landing page is the lead capture form. If you fail to get people filling these in and pressing the sign me up button, your whole campaign is going to be worthless.
So, how to design a lead capture form that does a great job of converting? One that compels the visitor to fill it in rather than click off the page? Whether you’re aiming for free trial sign-ups; recipients for your newsletter; downloads of your whitepaper; new members or anything else, the following tips should help make a difference.
How to design a lead capture form that does a great job of converting?
Make it short, make it simple
Lengthy, complicated forms are a complete turn-off. Request the minimum amount of information possible, and keep it simple for a greater chance of getting those forms filled in. If you only ask for the bare essentials to start with, you’ll get off on the right foot. Naturally you’ll think along the lines of, the more information, the better quality the lead. But a basic lead is better than no lead. Keep it short, keep it simple.
A good tip is to quote how long it will take. ‘All it takes is 30 seconds to get your quote’. With such a short timeframe in mind, visitors won’t worry about getting stuck on something that will take too long.
Remember, the more questions you ask, the more people will think you are likely to bombard them in the future.
Provide options
When you’ve signed up for an account or to receive something, you probably recall being given options outside of providing an email address, i.e. the option to sign in with one of your social accounts. Facebook and Google are the most common.
Most people have one or the other or both, and feel safer using existing accounts to sign-up. It’s easier too, because they don’t have to enter all their details; all they have to do is click on the relevant account option and allow it to connect.
Research actually dictates that 65 per cent of users prefer using a social login.
Providing social sign-up options makes it more likely you’ll get subscribers.
Make everything clear
Your form should make it clear what will happen once the user submits it. Try to use wording that explains what happens next, for example ‘download now’ or ‘start your free trial’.
Where there is no doubt as to what happens next, users will be more likely to sign-up. Knowledge is power as the saying goes.
It’s also crucial to make it clear as to the benefits of signing up. What will people get by providing you with their email address, and how will it work to their advantage?
Keep commitment to a minimum
The more commitment you demand, the less likely users are to sign-up. Free trials that demand a credit card number for example tend to put people off, because they believe they’ll start being charged after the trial even if they decide not to go ahead.
If you don’t expect a credit card number, tell people at sign-up stage. In addition, take the opportunity to summarise the key benefits of the service they are signing up to. How will it change their lives? Improve their business? Get them more customers? Boost their bottom line?
Use statistics and testimonials to further instil trust and as proof that signing up will deliver benefits.
The more commitment you demand, the less likely users are to sign-up.
Highlight mistakes
Frustration kicks in when you fill in a form and submit it, only for it to be rejected because of incomplete or incorrect information.
Forms that highlight and explain missing information or incorrect inputs as you go along are much more user-friendly.
Make it safe, make it GDPR compliant
Security of personal information is always a concern for people when signing up for anything online.
Consumers are well aware that consent to be contacted is now required under GDPR. So be sure to take steps to obtain this consent in line with the law, i.e. no pre-ticked boxes.
You’ll also need to, and will benefit from, making your privacy policy clear. Your form should include clear links to your privacy policy and you should introduce it with reassuring content. People want to know what you’ll be doing with their data, and you have a legal duty to inform them under GDPR. In addition, security badges will add another layer of reassurance.
Need help capturing leads?
If you could use some help creating a lead capture form that reassures, instils trust and converts, and that is GDPR compliant, why not talk to Figment? We can design you a form that fits with your brand, packs a punch content wise with a compelling call to action, and makes people really want to sign-up.