A contact form that actually brings you enquiries
How to build a contact form people complete: few fields, clear labels and errors, spam protection that does not block humans, and what to test before launch.
A contact form is often the main way a small business gets enquiries, and it is easy to get wrong. A visitor who gives up halfway, or a message that never reaches you, is a lost customer. These are the points I check when I build one.
Ask for as little as possible
- Name, email and the message are usually enough. Add other fields only if you cannot reply without them.
- Every extra field gives people one more reason to stop.
- If you need details such as the type of service or a date, offer a short choice or an optional field.
- Ask for a phone number only if you really plan to call.
Clear labels and errors
- Put a visible label on each field, not only placeholder text that disappears when typing starts.
- Mark which fields are required.
- Say what is wrong and where: “Enter an email like name@example.sk” is better than “Invalid input”.
- Keep what the person has already typed after an error.
- Make fields and the button easy to use on a phone. More in website accessibility basics.
Spam protection that does not punish people
- A hidden field that people never see but simple bots fill in.
- A limit on how many messages one address can send in a short time.
- Checks on the server, not only in the browser.
- Invisible checks are friendlier than puzzles with pictures, which annoy people and can shut out some users.
No protection is perfect. Aim to stop most spam without blocking real people, and look in the spam folder now and then.
After sending
Show a clear confirmation on the page, for example that the message arrived and when the person can expect a reply. Do not just clear the form and say nothing.
Where messages go and how fast you reply
Decide which address receives the messages and make sure someone else sees them when you are away. Email sent from a website can end up in spam, so sending should be set up properly for your domain. It is also wise to keep a copy of each message in the site’s admin, so nothing is lost if email fails. Reply as soon as you can, ideally the same working day, and do not promise more than you can keep.
Check before launch
- Send a test message from a phone and from a computer.
- Confirm it arrives at every address, and not in spam.
- Try empty fields, a wrong email and Slovak letters such as ľ, š and č.
- Check that the confirmation appears and that your own spam protection does not block your message.
- Place a link to the privacy policy near the button.
The form is one item on my website launch checklist. If you want a form built and tested properly, write to me.