If you use Shopify and still think of forms as merely there as a means for customers to contact you, think again. With some creativity and knowledge of UX principles and psychology, it can turn into one of your most effective tools instead of an annoyance that website visitors simply scroll past.
Shopify Forms:
Different Types of Shopify Forms5 Tips for Creating Shopify Forms 7 Examples of Shopify Forms to InspireFrequently Asked Questions
Different Types of Shopify Forms
As mentioned, there are various types of Shopify forms that you can create. The following are some of the most popular uses:
Email newsletter subscriptions Account creation Contact/inquiry Booking Website feedback
In short, a Shopify form makes it easier for website visitors to complete an action. So, instead of them having to formulate their own email message and your email inbox taking the brunt, giving them the option to complete a specific form instead can save time for all parties involved. Plus, it can serve as a type of call to action. For example, they might not have realized that they can make a booking without having to pick up the phone. Or, maybe they were unaware that there was a mailing list that they could join?
5 Tips for Creating Shopify Forms
While you don’t necessarily need any coding experience to create a form, you need to understand the basics of UX design. Here are some of the most important factors that you’ll need to keep in mind and tips for making the most of this useful feature.
1. Create trust
The reality is that even though a customer might be pretty desperate for assistance, they’re hesitant to part with their contact details. So, it’s key that you create some form of trust. One of the easiest ways to do this is to give a short explanation of how the information requested will be used and saved. Also, and this is crucial, ask only for information that’s absolutely essential. Do you really need their date of birth? How about their gender? There are a number of questions that will take up unnecessary space and time only to impact the user experience negatively.
2. Add an incentive
What are customers going to gain? Remember, not only are they using some of their valuable time to complete your form, but they’re also willing to share a number of personal details. So, what will they get in return? Even if it’s only a reply within 24 hours, it’s good practice to highlight the benefit. If it’s a sign-up form for a newsletter, you can, for example, include a discount of 10% for the first order.
3. Keep it short
Not only will long forms make your website visitors skeptical, but it also adds friction. It should be as easy as possible to complete your Shopify form. So, limit the number of fields and keep the questions straightforward. Where possible, you can also opt to use pre-fill fields or use a drop-down menu. If you really can’t reduce the number of form fields, you can make it easier to complete by including subsections.
4. Thank them
After website visitors have completed a form, be sure to include a notification that thanks them for taking the time to share their details. This also serves as an affirmation that their details were captured correctly and the form was completed successfully. Depending on your branding, you can possibly include some type of gamification element or keep it informal by using a relevant emoji or two.
5. Test it
The best way to find out if your forms work is to ask a friend or family member to complete it. Sure, you too can complete it, but as you know the goal of the form and what it’s supposed to do, you’re cognitively biased and might fail to see any potential issues. There’s actually a term for it – the curse of knowledge or the curse of expertise. So, it’s better to ask another third party before you make it live. Basically, you want to find out if there are any typos or glitches and if it’s easy to understand and complete.
7 Examples of Shopify Forms to Inspire
Here are a few examples of how other brands have used forms successfully on their websites. From very basic contact forms (there’s nothing wrong with those) to more personal sign-up forms, these seven examples show how you can still get all the details you want by keeping it short.
1. Gymshark
Gymshark is one of the top Shopify Plus stores that you can check out for ideas on how you can use all their features optimally. They’re a well-known fitness brand and sell a wide range of products including equipment. Not only do they advertise their actual product range, but they also focus on encouraging their community to take advantage of the content that they create. One way that they do this is by creating a Shopify form to encourage website visitors to join their email list. While they highlight the value of their content, they also offer a 10% discount off the next purpose. Then, once you click on the Sign Me Up button, you’re redirected to a short contact form where they once again list all the benefits that subscribing has to offer. And, to create further trust, they also include a link to their Privacy notice so that visitors can see how their information will be used.
2. Telegramme Paper Co.
Telegramme Paper Co. sells paper goods like art prints and personalized prints (and before you think that print is dead, things like greeting cards, planners, and notebooks are still some of the best product ideas for your online store). One of the features that make Telegramme’s use of Shopify forms stand out is how they’ve cleverly given their customers the option to personalize the product they want to buy. If you have the capacity, this can be a very effective business strategy and a great unique selling proposition that can help you to set yourself apart from the competition. They’ve made sure to include step-by-step instructions to explain to their customers how the whole process works. This helps to create trust which is key if you’re an online brand. Using a drop-down menu, they make it easy for users to see which personalization options are available. Not only is it a great way to display extra information without cluttering your website design or making your Shopify form too long, but it’s also easy and quick to use. Their customers can choose from a variety of sizes and frame styles, but depending on the product that you’re selling, you could add more options like color, paper thickness, etc.
3. KeySmart
What makes KeySmart’s use of Shopify forms such a good example is that they managed to fit in loads of information without cluttering the page (the use of ample white space definitely helps with this). The actual email form that website visitors can complete is short and requires only the most basic information – name, email, subject, and message. They also mention that they will be able to respond within one to two business days. This is a great strategy to help create trust. That being said, if you can somehow see if you can limit your response time to only one business day, it would be even better.
4. Ban.do
While Ban.do’s form asks for exactly the same information as the previous example of KeySmart, these two forms look completely different. It’s a great example of how you should let your branding guide you. As their brand is more quirky, they could afford to get more playful with the design and coloring. Also, because Ban.do didn’t have to add as much information, they had more room to play around with color and graphics, without running the risk that their page would overwhelm visitors. All in all, it just proves that contact forms don’t need to be boring. Depending on your brand identity and target audience, you can manage to add some humor to help encourage engagement.
5. Tommy John
Tommy John’s Contact Page is another example of how you can use this space to redirect website visitors to other pages on your website. This approach can help to increase the time that they spend on your website, while decreasing the number of inquiries you get that require your attention. Sure, one of the main goals of forms is to encourage engagement. Though, you also don’t want to create unnecessary work for your team. Not only do they politely redirect customers to other sections of their website, but they also nudge them to try out various ways to reach them. In addition to the standard email form, customers can also phone them, use live chat, or even text them. And, if customers do decide on the more traditional approach (filling out a website form), they do it a little bit differently than some of the other brands. Instead of leaving the subject line blank, they list a few options using a drop-down menu. This can be very effective. Not only is it quicker for customers to complete, but it also serves as a type of conversation starter. Perhaps your customers didn’t realize that they could reach out to you about product availability? Now, that they know they can, you might just have clinched one more sale.
6. RIDE Snowboards
If you’re lucky to have various departments that can help you respond to your incoming customer enquiries, you can follow the example of RIDE Snowboards and add a field where customers are asked to select the relevant department from a drop-down menu. This way, incoming requests will get rerouted to different departments. All in all, it’s a great way to save time and streamline your communications. Just like some of the other examples, RIDE Snowboards also add a call to action to redirect visitors to another page. In this case, it actually works as a type of incentive too. Customers can also send them requests for free stickers. All they need to do is send a self-addressed stamped envelope to them. So, while embedded forms are the way to go, it’s an example of how you can still incorporate snail mail into your communication and marketing strategies. In exchange for a few free stickers, they grow their network of brand advocates and build their mailing list all at the same time.
7. If I Made
If I Made is run by a group of creatives who offers an alternative learning resource for entrepreneurs and creatives. The form they’ve created to join their mailing list can serve as a learning moment too. Most of the time, brands simply ask users to share their email address if they want to subscribe to their newsletter or mailing list. Though, If I Made adds a few more relevant fields, without making the form too long. In addition to requesting an email address, they also ask users to share their name and tick the boxes in which they’re interested. Just by asking these two extra questions, you’re creating several opportunities for email personalization. It also helps to build trust as you’re planting the seed that subscribers will get emails with topics that they’re actually interested in. So, it’s a win-win for both the brand and the subscribers.
Wrapping Things Up
Forms might be basic, but they remain key tools. They can help you to streamline communication, improve the customer experience, grow your list, and generate sales to mention only some of its main uses. Yet, if you don’t get the basics right (and there aren’t many), users won’t want to complete your forms, even if they actually really want to join your mailing list. Keep the custom fields few, add a possible discount code, and it will lead to more engagement.
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