How does one ensure that the traffic coming to one’s website is filling out information or signing up and filling out the lead form? At the heart of improving traffic to lead conversion ratio is intuitive design thinking and putting ourselves in the user’s shoes. 

We have summarised the top 10 ways in which we can improve the number of conversions onto the website: 

1. Ensure the lead form is above the fold, or in the first scroll on the landing page

Given that most human beings don’t scroll beyond 2 or 3 times a mobile web page, this is a very intuitive yet common error many website creators make when designing a landing page. 

The first important aspect is choosing a location or landing page where we want the action to occur, and then ensuring the action can be easily performed. 

2. Give the benefit up first with the right CTA

While leading a user through a sign-up process, it’s important to give them the “what’s in it for me” information upfront. This allows them to make a decision whether they want to proceed and then as they fill out the form, helps them decide the level of information they are comfortable with sharing. This becomes even more important with multi-page forms, where typically the longer the form, the more engaged the user typically is. 

3. Determining the ideal number of fields for your users and website using Goldilocks Principles 

For most businesses, typically acquiring first-party data, i.e. Name, Phone number, and Email address is more than adequate. This is particularly true for services-based industries, wherein for this exchange of information one might receive a booklet or a document of interesting information as a hook to have users sign up. However, for many other businesses, such as doctors, clinics, and others, getting more information determines the quality of the sales process and service too. If we get too little information and pass it on to the sales team it means more work on the part of the sales team in processing whether a lead is valuable or not. Arriving at the “just right” amount of information one must get requires a bit of critical thinking, and nudging through design principles. In the case of a dentist, for example, asking when was the last time you visited a dentist might be important but for a school knowing which standard the child wants to transfer to and the age of the student is quite critical. 

4. Must have vs optional fields of information based on the user journey 

Thanks to the advancement of technology, mobile phones, and data mapping, a lot of users are fairly comfortable with filling out some basic information such as name and phone number. However, if we don’t qualify them, we end up with a lot of junk information. As a result, we want to ensure that we get essential information and separate it from optional information. Users who want to share extra information can continue by leaving those fields blank. However, there’s nothing more annoying than having to fill every single field, which a user may deem as redundant and as a result drop off. Depending on the business type, a user might be able to justify the information they are sharing and that’s where user behavior comes into play. At what stage are we asking the user for this information, and what is their level of engagement with the business? These are just some of the factors to consider while deciding on mandatory and optional fields. 

5. Block fields t have been filled out 

By blocking out fields which have already been filled, we deal with the cognitive recognition of giving up “too much information”, and also letting them focus on merely what’s in front of them instead of the long list that they see ahead. Having a responsive lead form, where the next question continues to show up only after the prior one is filled, allows the user to stay engaged and curious. 

6. Avoid using the default “submit” button 

A landing page is an extension of your business’s digital identity. As such, it should reflect your business’s ethos, verbiage, and most importantly communication style. Instead of choosing the vanilla to submit button use the opportunity to showcase personality and engage the user and stay in their mind. For example, some interesting alternatives to the dreaded submit button are: 

• Launch 

• Send 

• Confirmed 

• Give me the goods 

• Give me results 

• Give me the keys 

• Enter the kingdom

• Magic button 

• Magic formula 

• Help me

• I want this

• Tell me more! 

• Yes, I do 

• Ask and ye shall receive

• Guide me 

• Show me 

These are just some of the ways we can make the process fun, and engaging but most importantly take a moment to let the brand personality shine through in small ways. Being conscious and choosing an experience that users enjoy also helps in getting more users along the way.

7. Test your button colours for accessibility, and responsiveness

Depending on which study you refer to, it’s considered that the red call-to-action [CTA] button has the best results and conversions compared to other colours such as green, and orange. While that’s true for many websites and specific use cases, given that red is the colour of urgency and excitement, this doesn’t have to be true for your site. Choose the colours that stand out against your site, and are part of your palette but also, accessible to users with different visual preferences. There are no one-size fits all approach when it comes to user design and often testing different colours, button sizes, and texts makes all the difference in the number of people who sign up. 

8. State upfront that the user privacy policy is protected and visible during the signup process 

While signing up for an unheard-of website, the most common concern users would have is where is my data going, how will it be stored, and whether will I be able to access it or have it deleted. With GDPR compliance in place and the generally accepted standards of privacy, it’s important to explain to a user how their data will be handled. This helps build more trust. But, instead of burying it at the bottom of your footer page,  be upfront and use it just above the CTA button. While many might consider it a distraction, or a disadvantage, placing it there, regardless of whether users read it or not, lets them know you have their interest at heart. Believe it or not, for unknown websites, privacy policy shows up as the 3rd most visited page. 

9. Choosing the right form design 

Regardless of the tools, you use to design a form, or the team that’s designing it, choosing the right form design should always be an outcome of making many decisions based on the user you are talking to. For example, if you are enlisting admissions forms from prospective students, choose form designs that filter multiple options so they can get to their course choice easily. This is true for a website specifically and not course-wise landing pages. Compare this to a form you may create for a primary school which can be more fun, interactive, and animated to get some key pieces of information. A lead form for a travel agent would need to have date information, and location changes as editable, or dropdowns rather than having to get a user to input this data. In contrast, an event registration form could have a multiple-choice form instead of having to enter data manually. The easier we can make it for a user to engage with a form, by clicking rather than typing, the more likely they’re to engage in your information-sharing journey. 

10. Be judicious with multi-page forms 

The biggest advantage or argument for multi-page forms is that they allow you to qualify your data and lead very well, assuming the form is designed well. However, the risk, or disadvantage equally is that people drop off before filling in the information completely. Arriving at the right number of absolutely critical questions is the first step to ensuring we are being mindful of the user’s time. The second pivotal decision here is the design of the form itself. A responsive form design that is easier to choose from –be it using dropdowns, icons, emojis, or other visual elements–the more likely that users will continue to engage. However, within this aspect, a form should always be intuitive such that it doesn’t require a user to think but instead get a user to process information in an organic, and natural way. For example, if it comes to an event registration form, giving the name, phone number, and date you want to attend an event is a given. However, it’s easier for example to get a user to choose the kind of event they want to attend. It could be a musical one, dance, food, sports, or something else. By simplifying the decision-making process, we reduce the cognitive load for users and as a result, make it easier to get information. Guide their information flow intuitively such as in the example above.