When someone starts filling out your form, do they make it all the way to “submit”—or do they drop off along the way?
Every form you create has the power to win or lose users, customers, and valuable data. The good news is, if your forms aren’t performing the way you want them to, there are small changes you can make today that will have big impacts on form performance in the long run.
Our recent analysis of 1.6 billion user interactions revealed exactly what separates forms that convert from those that quietly leak value. The findings highlight the biggest friction points that may be costing you completions, and the strategies you can implement to capture more responses, build trust, and increase conversions.
Here’s what the data uncovered, and how you can apply it to create stronger, higher-performing forms.
High-performing forms are crystal-clear
High-performing forms are built on crystal-clear, logical structures that make sense.
- They use natural language that is clear and conversational, thereby building user confidence.
- They keep questions and response fields short, sticking only to the essentials and reducing cognitive load.
- They incorporate simple prompts that explain what’s needed and why, which keeps users moving through the form until the end.
You can clarify your forms today by removing any superfluous language or industry jargon, shortening your response fields, and adding brief prompts where they would be helpful.
High-performing forms provide users with feedback
Using smart validation, high-performing forms guide users effortlessly through the completion process with real-time feedback. Smart validation catches errors in real time without confusing messages or forced restarts, and helps users stay on track.
Using FormAssembly, you can count on smart validation being a part of your forms experience from the get-go.
High-performing forms prioritize a mobile experience
Recent data shows that approximately 60% of total global web traffic comes from mobile phones while approximately 38% comes from laptops and computers. It stands to reason, then, that most online form experiences happen on a mobile device.
You can optimize your forms for mobile by keeping them clutter-free and logically structured from start to finish.
High-performing forms evolve based on user behavior
High-performing forms monitor metrics like drop-offs and errors to make small, ongoing updates that lead to major gains.
Example: You see that the majority of users are dropping off of your form at question six out of ten, where you are asking for an open-response. You change this question to a “select all that apply” response, and see your drop-off rate go down and completion rate go up.
Friction = eliminated! Gains = major.
When it comes to forms, see what works and what doesn’t
Want to learn more? Access the full report with benchmarks, strategies, and data-backed fixes to improve form performance today.
Download “From Drop-Off to Conversion: A Data-Driven Look at Form Performance.”
