How many fields should I have on my online form to increase form conversions? There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to online forms field limits. Based on the 2015 report in MECLABS Research Digest, elements to increase conversion are:
1. Increasing motivation
2. Increasing the weight of the value proposition
3. Increasing the incentive to act
4. Decreasing friction
5. Decreasing anxiety
What’s interesting about #4, “Decreasing friction”, is it occurs in the mind of the prospect, so it can be real or perceived friction. This could mean the perceived length of time or the perceived level of effort. Therefore, adjusting the layout and/or design of the form, while keeping the same number fields, can make a huge difference in conversions. Even eliminating unnecessary copy or leveraging bullets can provide a lift in responses.
A longer page or having “below the fold CTA” isn’t always a bad thing either. An interesting study by MECLABS was done wherein a longer page netted 220% more leads than a page with the call-to-action above the fold, most importantly because the value proposition was clear and had better placement. Read more about how important the value proposition placement is in this presentation: Top 5 Ways to Make Your Value Prop Perform.
When assessing your online forms, look for ways to simplify the eye path through better content organization and test your forms. Finally, going through the process yourself can provide additional insights.
