Contact forms are a very familiar point of contact between business and customer, webpage and user. We meet them all the time, but do we ever stop to interrogate what makes them work — what makes them successful? How can marketers actually use contact forms to boost conversions and get new eyes on their content?
What's a Good Form Conversion Rate?
The conversion rate is the measuring stick that contact forms are measured against — how we know that folks are engaged enough to take action by inputting their contact information and clicking “submit.”
Let’s dig into the metric itself first. What is a good form conversion rate? What are the different kinds of conversion rates we could follow?
The basic form conversion rate is simply the number of visits to a landing page you register over a period of time divided by how many folks filled out the form. This is important because you want to make sure your forms are coinciding with increased signups. People who are filling out the contact form are saying “yes” to learning more about you, to receiving more info, or to making a purchasing decision. For the form to work, it has to be frictionless and non-frustrating. This is where A/B testing can come in handy — to show you which formats turn leads off and which increase form conversion rates.
The percentage of leads that book a call is another way of measuring the conversion rate of a contact form. This involves looking at how many qualified leads go on to book a call to learn more. Getting a contact to get on the phone for a discussion is more complicated than we sometimes expect, but a phone call can work magic on a lead’s interest level and enhance the personalization you are able to offer them. There are so many variables that go into determining which services suit a lead — needs, goals, budget — that a one-on-one call is often the best way to ensure the best fit and a great experience.
How Can You Increase Form Conversion Rates?
Once you know how contact forms function on your site and how different conversion rates can show you how effectively your form is working, what are some contact form best practices you can use? Here are three to consider:
1. Don’t stick with the first form you make.
Learning is vital to making a successful, compelling contact form and boosting conversion rates. You’ll need to learn from the metrics you’re watching and adjust your lead capture form template accordingly. So A/B test. Test different phrasing, different questions, fewer words, more words, manual inputs, optional inputs — everything. Give your form the best chance at connecting with leads and drawing them toward a phone call or a signup.
2. Follow up quickly.
In filling out this form, your lead has taken an important action to get closer to your business, so reward that. Make sure you follow up with the form contacts ASAP. Have a definite limit to the time you’ll take to be in contact, say 24 hours. But try to get in touch before then if you can — within an hour, if possible. This rapid responsiveness shows the lead you care and demonstrates the kind of responsiveness they can expect if they go ahead with a call and become a client.
3. Give people multiple chances.
You don’t want to push and prod people who aren’t interested, but with folks who have taken action and have shown interest, multiple follow-ups can help them take the next step. Frequently, leads need four or five times to follow through with booking the call, even after filling out a form. Try reaching out in different ways, through different channels. Try LinkedIn, email, text, etc., so you can maximize your chances of getting through to the lead.
A contact form is a powerful tool that takes a potential customer from cold to warm to hot. By testing out different formats, acting on the data you collect, demonstrating responsiveness, and creating multiple follow-up opportunities, you can use contact forms proactively to increase your conversion rates and close more business.
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