![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/FEATURED-Tips-to-Optimize-Your-Registration-Forms.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Registration forms serve many purposes. You might use them to register people for a webinar or live event. You might use them to capture email addresses for your newsletter. Or maybe you want users to sign up for your SaaS product or an ecommerce account.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However you use registration forms, they\u2019re important to your business, so it\u2019s important to optimize them for conversions.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s talk about some ways you can minimize registration form friction (the likelihood users will ignore the form or abandon it mid-way) and capture more sign ups.<\/p>\n
[content_upgrade cu_id=\"12784\"]Want a quick guide on optimizing your registration forms? Use this free checklist![content_upgrade_button]Click Here[\/content_upgrade_button][\/content_upgrade]<\/p>\n
Have you ever completed a field only to receive an error message because your input didn\u2019t meet requirements you didn\u2019t know existed?<\/em><\/p>\n This often happens with password fields. You input your go-to password but the form fails because it didn\u2019t have the right capital letters, special characters, numbers, or whatever.<\/p>\n If one of your fields has special requirements, explain them to your registrants on the form so they know before<\/em> they enter their information. If your requirements are simple, you can place them in the placeholder text.<\/p>\n But if your requirements are complex (maybe you have three or four), place them somewhere on the form so they\u2019re visible even when the user is typing.<\/p>\n The physical design of the form is an important component of optimization. Users tend to scan over forms before they complete them. They do this to identify reasons not to invest time into it.<\/p>\n First, keep your forms to one column. Eye tracking studies<\/a> show that single columns work best because they create a simple workflow. Your users won\u2019t be confused about what they\u2019re supposed to do next. (This is default in Gravity Forms<\/a>).<\/p>\n Second, group similar information together. For instance, ask for personal information all at once before moving to a new category.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how one form was redesigned to create a smoother workflow. It may be physically longer on the page, but it\u2019s actually an easier experience for users.<\/p>\n Throughout your marketing, it\u2019s always important to speak about benefits<\/em>, not features. Your registration forms are no exception.<\/p>\n Why do your users complete your registration forms? Is it because they really want to open an account, reserve a webinar seat, or attend your event?<\/p>\n No, of course not. They want the benefits<\/em> that come from doing those things.<\/p>\n ContentVerve increased conversions by 31%<\/a> on this Betting Expert registration form simply by changing the copy to focus on the benefits of signing up.<\/p>\n Think about what your users get by signing up. Will they learn tactics to grow their business? Will they receive help from someone who can solve their problems? Then use that language in your form title and call to action button.<\/p>\n This seems like a silly optimization technique, but it actually works. Forms on the right side of the page convert 24.6% more users<\/a> than forms on the left side of the page.<\/p>\n What causes this effect?<\/p>\n When we view a web page, we generally read it from left to right in an F-shaped pattern. This means it\u2019s smart to put the form\u2019s title at the top, supporting copy on the left, and the form on the right. If you use benefits-based language, the user consumes the benefits<\/em> of the registration form before they\u2019re asked to complete it.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a webinar landing page that places their form well:<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth pointing out that this doesn\u2019t apply to general contact forms. Those should be placed on the left side of the page because the user is usually primed to complete the form before they arrive on the page.<\/p>\n The \u201cRetype password\u201d field is so ubiquitous you might assume it\u2019s a necessary part of form design, but that couldn\u2019t be farther from the truth.<\/p>\n Repetitive fields are annoying and off-putting. Why do websites do it? To prevent users from mistyping their password and failing to enter their account.<\/p>\n That begs the question: Why are users likely to mistype their password? Because sites hide the password content behind a row of asterisks as if hackers are standing over their shoulders.<\/p>\n A better solution is to offer your users a small checkbox that allows them to hide or display their password field content. This gives them control over how they complete your form and lets you eliminate an unnecessary field.<\/p>\n Take a look at this form. What\u2019s the first thing you think about?<\/p>\n That\u2019s an awful form. It looks like a homework assignment. No one wants to complete that, even if there\u2019s something super valuable at the end.<\/p>\n First, get rid of all of your non-required fields. If you don\u2019t really need it, don\u2019t ask for it. In some cases, people don\u2019t even look at non-required fields<\/a>. You can always get that information at another time once they\u2019re on your email list.<\/p>\n![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/registration-form-placeholder-text.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/password-requirements.png\")
<\/p>\n2. Make Your Form Simple and Scannable<\/h2>\n
![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/registration-form-design.jpg\")
<\/p>\n3. Talk About Benefits, Not Features<\/h2>\n
![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ContentVerveSC.jpg\")
<\/p>\n4. Put the Form on the Right Side of the Page<\/h2>\n
![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/registration-form-on-right.png\")
<\/p>\n5. Don\u2019t Ask for the Password Twice<\/h2>\n
![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ask-for-passwords-once.png\")
<\/p>\n6. Remove Superfluous Fields<\/h2>\n
![\"Registration](\"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Old-School-Form.png\")
<\/p>\n