Why we're waving goodbye to drab, dusty contact forms on your WordPress website (and what we're giving you instead).
Dusty? Can a digital form actually gather dust? Well, look at this little lot below for starters. They've surely been sat on some digital shelf somewhere, doing just that, since at least the early 1980's.
Not that pretty are they? Admittedly, forms are not the most exciting part of your website, but does it matter if your forms look a bit dull? They’re functional, so that's ok, right?
Unsurprisingly, forms are nearly always an overlooked part of a website, or at worst, a rushed afterthought. However, if you do things a little differently with your forms, you can refine and elevate your offering above those of your competitors.
It doesn't take much, even just changing the fonts and colours to match the website so everything looks fresh, contemporary and 'bothered with'.
Details really matter, and do get noticed. It's the little things as well as the bigger things that gives your audience an overall impression of you, of your company, and of how much you care. Very much along the lines of that Martha Beck quote, “How you do anything is how you do everything”.
Your embedded forms are the part of your website that your audience actually interacts with, and if you can make them a pleasure rather than a chore, to complete, you're already winning them over.
When we are keeping it simple my go-to favourite is a plugin called Fluent Forms. This allows you to easily create simple and beautiful forms. Here's one we created recently for a nanny agency site using colours and fonts in keeping with the rest of their website. We also also created the more lengthy family and registration forms in exactly the same style.
From this:
To this:
So not incredibly 'fancy' as such, but showing up with quiet style and class. If you want to check out their forms in more detail go to Pumpkins Nanny Agency.
On the other hand, if you want something a bit more 'out there' we adore using Typeform's interactive forms. You've probably come across these on a website or two and you can customise EVERYTHING to suit your message.
Here's a few screen grabs to show you some I put together for our own agency (and they were loads of fun to do!)
I love the simplicity of Typeform's message, which sums this all up pretty well:
"You don't want to make a boring form. And your audience won't answer one. Create a Typeform instead—and make everyone happy."
So think about all the forms on your site - everything from the humble contact form, to registration forms, feedback forms, and even dropdown tickbox 'where did you hear about us' type forms, and think about how they can create a harmonious and impressive addition to your digital presence.
It is the overall impression you create so don't go letting your forms drag down the rest of your site!
If you'd like our help with any of your form requirements give us a holler!