We come across forms every day: shopping online, setting up accounts on social platforms, filling in documents. If a form is going to help you achieve a specific business goal, you need to make sure it's as well optimised for the user as possible, since nobody likes filling in paperwork. Read the tips below and make your forms more user-friendly.
Ask only for essential data
The more fields a form has, the more reluctant people are to fill it in. A form that's too long is one of the most common causes of abandoned carts, so only ask the user for data you actually need to achieve your business goal.
Group fields into logical blocks
Especially with more extensive forms, it's worth considering splitting the layout into logical blocks, for example delivery information clearly separated from the personal details section. This makes it easier for users to fill in the whole form.
A single-column form
A single-column form is easy to read, greatly reduces the chance of a field being missed, and looks best on mobile devices. There are, of course, moments when it's better to place a few fields side by side (for example, street name next to house/flat number), so you always need to adapt the field layout to your own needs, but when you look at the layout of the whole form, a single column is the most optimal solution.
Match field length to the amount of content
Building on the previous point, always try to match the size of a form field to the amount of content that needs to be entered. Having all fields the same width can confuse the user, for example when the field for a street name is the same length as the one for a flat number. On top of that, shortening certain fields lets you save some space by placing them on the same line.
Clear validation
If you care about designing a user-friendly form, make sure error messages are simple and logical. Clearly mark a field filled in incorrectly and explain to the user, in an understandable way, how to fill in the form correctly.
Think about labels
When designing a form, pay attention to form labels. Make sure the label text is simple and short, and place it above the field to be filled in. Also remember to keep proper spacing, so there's no confusion about which label belongs to which field.
Call to action
Avoid generic messages on buttons. Always try to make CTA text a clear message that explains exactly what will happen when the button is clicked.
Radio buttons instead of a drop-down menu
The rule of thumb is that if there are fewer than 6 options to choose from, radio buttons placed one under another work better than a drop-down menu, which requires an extra action to see all the available options.
Building websites is a very complex process that requires knowledge from many fields. If you feel you need help with this, our interactive agency will be happy to support you at every stage of planning your business online.
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