Let’s Talk Landing Page Forms

Your blog has brought in a reader to your website, they clicked on a call-to-action, and are ready to download a fantastic offer and convert into a lead.

Only one thing stands between them and the information you have to offer (or between their status as an anonymous visitor and their status as a lead, ready to be nurtured): the landing page form. Don’t let the form scare away potential leads before they enter your nurturing system. Instead, optimize the four points outlined below.

Number of fields: This may vary based on what type of content is being downloaded. Top-of-the-funnel introductory content should require as little information as possible — just a name and email address. But content toward the bottom of the sales funnel, which indicates that a lead is nearing a decision, should ask for more information that can provided as lead intelligence to enable sales to contact the prospect with a clear idea of who they are. (Another hint: If a visitor has downloaded content from you before, be sure your website recognizes them and doesn’t ask for the same information twice. Dynamic forms should fill in any information that was provided in the past.)

Don’t say submit: Many surveys have shown that using the term “submit” reduces the conversion rate on landing pages. Try more action-oriented words such as “Download,” “Join” or even “Get it now!” Try A/B testing two different buttons to see which has a higher conversion rate.

Security marks: Let your visitors know their information is safe with you.

Perceived length: We already talked about keeping the number of fields in the form as small as possible. But did you know that sometimes, just the spacing between fields can influence the perception of how much work is involved in filling out the form? Keep the fields tighter together so it doesn’t look as long, and your visitors will be less likely to think it’s too much work.

Who knew that something as minute as the form on a landing page could influence lead generation? Check out more little things you can do, with big impact, in 30 Lead Generation Tips, Tricks and Ideas.