Lead Generation with Web-to-Lead Forms

Jul 10, 2020

It can be easy to think of your business website as simply a brochure; a digital stake in the ground that looks pretty and gives visitors some information about your services and contact information. However, while that’s a good start, your bottom line will only truly grow when those visitors turn into paying customers using lead generation and conversion strategies.

There’s a lot that goes into lead generation and requires several angles of attack and an omnichannel approach. One of these strategies is to collect information from forms that website visitors fill out — often dubbed “web-to-lead”. The data submitted through these forms can offer important information about your target audience, their shopping and browsing behaviors, and queries they have about the products and services your business offers.

You can make web-to-lead forms as basic or as comprehensive as you need them to be to get key data points.

Web-to-Lead Form Types

You’ve likely visited a website and been asked to enter your email address to join a newsletter. This is known as a sign-up form and is generally used to build valuable email lists that become an integral part of a larger customer relationship management process. Technically speaking, they can be integrated anywhere on your home or landing pages.

Online forms are a part of the website content itself and can be a more organic, streamlined way to enter information. Pop-up forms can literally pop up immediately when you visit a site or show up after a few-second delay. Landing pages can contain forms that serve a more specialized goal, either as a part of a social media or paid ad campaign.

Designing Web-to-Lead Forms

User experience is the name of the game when designing web-to-lead forms. Website visitors shouldn’t be “interrupted” by these forms; personal data is something that’s increasingly guarded and your potential customers should feel like these forms are intrusive, confusing, or too long to complete.

Like most elements of your website, forms should be mobile responsive and created for both PC and mobile viewing. Information fields should be wide enough to access from either a desktop or laptop or streamlined for mobile device use. Also, make the form optional — you want everyone to be able to view the content on your site without having to pass through “gates” like web-to-lead forms.

Some anecdotal research shows that the fewer fields your form has, the higher your website conversion rates will be. Stick to basic questions (name and email address at minimum) and format the web-to-lead forms in one column and offer no more than four fields. If you’re looking for more information than will fit within those guidelines, dedicate additional landing pages to help gather that info with more specific and relevant forms. An example: You wouldn’t need a visitor’s physical address for them to join a newsletter list, but you may need their location if you’re looking to expand a local service-based business.

Create the Right Copy

Optimizing the copy you use on web-to-lead forms helps to increase the chance that website visitors will voluntarily provide their personal information. Copy should be clearly written and concise, with instructions that direct them on what the information they share will be used for. 

Calls to action should catch visitors’ eyes and urge them to follow through. This is where you’ll express the value of sharing their info; use this space to offer incentives like free trials or strategic planning sessions. Content downloads, or discount codes for products or services. Consider including a visual of this offer as a high-resolution image. Don’t be afraid to use humor or puns, or even offer social proof like testimonials or reviews of your business from Google or Facebook.

Web-to-lead forms are especially ideal for local and service-based businesses that depend on leads to keep cash flowing. Visitors to websites for residential and commercial cleaning businesses, HVAC professionals, plumbers, home improvement contractors, and pest control experts are looking for a particular solution to their pain points, and the information provided on web-to-lead forms offers a contact point for owners.

If you’re working with a marketing team like Cole-Dalton to help your business grow, these web-to-lead forms can be a goldmine. The professionals can craft the data into efficient, personalized campaigns that will help you better understand what your customers need and how you can give it to them. 

All of our marketing programs work to nurture and maintain your site for you — including web-to-lead forms — with ongoing new content, technical updates, security, and SEO best practices to continuously improve your search results. Schedule a consultation today to see if we’re a fit for your business!

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