A website form operates like a conversation. It can tell users about you, and allow users to tell you about themselves. Forms are the most common communication between a website and its users. This post focuses on how to build an effective form.
My name is:
A form starts with a purpose, a reason to be built, a name. These names include titles like Search, Blog, Registration and Store. Each name corresponds to a purpose. Are you allowing users to search for content? Are you asking their opinions? Do you need to sign them up? Can you sell them something? This purpose focuses on the "Who, What, Where, Why and How," and provides boundaries to work within.
Form: My name is Registration Form.
Getting to know you:
What do you want to accomplish? In a typical conversation, two people take turns communicating. Each person’s turn is broken down into giving information and then receiving information. A form works the same way, broken down into taking turns.
Form: Do you want to register?
User: Sure I want to register.
Form: Please give us your information.
User: How much information? I hardly know you.
In a registration form, you could gather all sorts of information. You could register users, sign them up for a newsletter, get a referral to their friends, add them to a social network, or gather payment information for purchases. Each element requires the collection of specific data. Common data fields include a user name, password, email address, full name, credit card number, expiration date, address, phone number, comments, and preferences. However, this amount of information may deter users from signing up.
User: I don’t know if I want to give you all of that.
Form: But we need it.
Sometimes you do need it, but most of the time you do not. Although gathering all personal information seems useful, it will not accomplish anything unless you can get the user to sign up. Get the user in the door first, and then ask for more information over time. It is like a date. Don’t rush in too quickly and take it slow.
If the main purpose is to get this person to register for our site, you only need a “User name”, “Email” and “Password.” And if you don’t mind using an email address as a user name, you can shrink your needs even further. Necessity is the key word here.
Form: I need an email address and password.
User: That's it?
Form: That's it.
User: Done!
Talk to you later:
The confirmation is the last part of the form. For the most part, simple confirmation text is fine. But you can go the extra mile and allow users to add more information to their profiles or sign up for additional features.
Form: Thanks for Registering!
Form: Now that you have registered, here is your Profile page. Here you can update your information and sign up for more options!
Conclusion:
So there you have it. We have three simple steps to think about communicating using forms.
1) Define what you need.
2) Keep it as simple as possible and get customers in the door.
3) Keep it friendly and easy, and you can get more from them later.
It is that easy.