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Tired of Low-Quality B2B Leads From Online Forms? Try These Simple Fixes

Successful digital marketing is a multi-step effort, from content strategy to social media to healthy conversion rates that support a robust sales process.

The good news is that your content marketing may be humming along, generating leads to your website and growing your email list. As any marketer knows, the (potential) bad news is that’s only part of the story. All B2B leads from online forms are not created equal.

Is your website plagued by clunky, ineffective lead-generation forms with high abandonment rates? Or, perhaps low-quality leads are negatively impacting your email marketing campaigns. You’re far from alone. Many B2B marketers struggle to capture highly qualified leads through their website forms.

At Funnel Envy, our clients know that forms are critical to their sales automation toolbox. HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing report shows that marketers rank automation campaigns among their top three tactics for improving performance.

This post will look at some actionable tweaks to improve your lead quality. Let’s take a look.

Reasons Why Forms Generate Low-quality Leads

Online forms are among the most effective tools for generating leads, so what can go wrong? It turns out quite a few things.

The culprit behind low-quality leads often lies in traditional lead gen form builders. These tools frequently prioritize data collection over lead conversion. They might entice you with features that allow you to capture every conceivable data point about a potential customer. But this approach backfires. It leads to lengthy forms that overwhelm and frustrate users.

The result? Website visitors abandon the form halfway through, leaving you with incomplete or inaccurate data. Worse yet, you may be attracting leads who are not a good fit for your product or service.

Below are a few specific reasons why your web forms might be underperforming:

Data Over Conversion. Traditional builders often prioritize capturing every possible data point about a potential lead. This data-centric approach might seem appealing—after all, more data means more insights, right? Wrong. In reality, bombarding users with a barrage of questions creates friction.

Getting Multi-Step Forms Right. Many traditional builders encourage lengthy, multi-step forms. Each additional step acts as a hurdle, increasing the likelihood of abandonment. Remember, sales leads are not just data – they are busy people. Prospects at the top of the funnel won’t waste time navigating a complex form if the value proposition isn’t immediately apparent.

That’s not to say that multi-step lead forms are never effective. For complex processes, like a real estate financing application or even paying taxes, multi-step forms are very effective. Our video Introduction to Multi-Step Interactive Form Design offers some guidance and lead generation form examples.

Asking the Wrong Questions. Not all information is created equal. As we’ll see in the next section, personalization is critical in modern forms. You need to gather data that helps you identify potential customers who fit your offering well. Traditional forms might include generic questions that do little to qualify leads.

A Rocky Road: Poor user experience (UX) for your users. Confusing layouts, unclear instructions, and a lack of mobile responsiveness all contribute to poor UX. Imagine lead generation forms with confusing labels, tiny font sizes, and buttons that are difficult to click on a mobile device. Frustrated users will simply bounce, leaving you with no leads at all.

Don’t be discouraged! There is a better way. You can transform your contact forms from lead-sucking black holes into powerful lead-generation tools by implementing conversion-focused form design.

Here are our top suggestions to our clients to improve website and form performance:

Conversion-Focused Form Design: A User-Centric Approach

The antidote to these common pitfalls lies in conversion-focused lead generation form design. This approach prioritizes a smooth user experience (UX) while gathering only the essential information to qualify leads. Here are some fundamental principles that underpin conversion-focused forms:

A User-Friendly Interface is Key. A clean, intuitive layout with clear labels and ample white space is paramount. Users should be able to navigate the form effortlessly, understanding exactly what information is needed at each step.

Frictionless Submission Process. Consider a “friction audit” to ensure the form process is smooth and error-free. Items to check include clear instructions, well-defined input fields, and a strategically placed call to action (CTA) button that’s easy to find and click.

Targeted Questions, Maximum Impact. We don’t subscribe to the “more data is better” philosophy. Our forms ask for the essential contact details needed to qualify leads effectively, ensuring you capture valuable information about potential customers who fit your products or services well.

Crafting a Compelling Value Proposition. Forms should communicate the user’s value proposition. People are more likely to invest time in completing a form if they understand the benefit they’ll receive in return, such as accessing exclusive content, downloading a valuable resource, or receiving a free trial or consultation.

Progressive Disclosure for the Win. This technique only reveals additional form fields after the user completes the previous ones, reducing initial form complexity and keeping users engaged.

The Power of Conditional Logic for Personalization. Use conditional logic to personalize the lead generation form experience. For example, the form might adjust the displayed questions based on the user’s initial responses, keeping the form relevant and reducing the number of fields users must complete. McKinsey reports that consumers respond to personalized interactions, with 71% expecting such experiences and 76% feeling frustrated when they don’t occur. Most marketers (94%) report that personalization boosts sales.

Mobile-First Always. With the ever-increasing dominance of mobile browsing, ensuring your lead generation forms are responsive and user-friendly on all devices is crucial.

By implementing these principles, you can create forms that are not only user-friendly but also highly effective at capturing high-quality B2B leads.

Optimizing for Continuous Improvement

Even the most well-designed forms can benefit from ongoing optimization. A/B testing involves creating two or more variations of your lead capture forms and splitting your website traffic to see which version performs better. For example, you might test contact form templates with a single CTA button versus one with two.

By tracking key metrics such as submission and conversion rates, you can identify the winning variation and implement it across your website. Testing is a continuous process that allows you to refine your web forms over time, ensuring they remain high-performing lead-generation machines.

The Rise of Generative AI: A Boost for Forms?

Generative AI (GenAI) is a rapidly evolving technology with the potential to revolutionize various fields, including form design and optimization. Here’s a glimpse into how GenAI can play a role in the future of forms:

Personalized Form Content: GenAI personalizes form content based on user data or website behavior. Imagine a form that dynamically adjusts the questions or language based on the user’s industry or previous interactions with your website. This level of personalization could significantly improve user experience and increase completion rates.

Source: HubSpot

Smarter Conditional Logic. GenAI can take conditional logic to the next level. Hubspot found that 77% of marketers surveyed say GenAI helps them create more personalized content. By analyzing user input and website behavior, GenAI could suggest additional relevant questions or automatically skip irrelevant sections, further streamlining the form experience.

Automated A/B Testing. GenAI can automate the testing process, continuously testing different form variations and suggesting optimizations based on real-time data analysis. This automation can save marketers valuable time and resources while ensuring their forms evolve for maximum performance.

FunnelEnvy: Your Strategic Partner in Building High-Performing Forms

Has this article sparked some inspiration for you in how to tweak your forms to improve lead quality?

Remember, a lot of funnel advice out there is geared toward e-commerce. FunnelEnvy is the leading provider of growth services for B2B, Lead generation, and SaaS.

We know that you don’t generate revenue through a shopping cart.

FunnelEnvy offers a comprehensive range of resources, from free webinars and videos to a Done-For-You (DFY) conversion-optimized forms service to dramatically improve your lead generation and fully customized consultancy services.

Are you ready to ditch the frustration of low-quality leads and unlock the true potential of your website forms? Don’t settle for mediocre results. Take the first step towards lead generation success. Book a consultation with FunnelEnvy today and learn how our DFY conversion-optimized forms and strategic guidance can help you generate a flood of high-quality B2B leads in just 30 days.

By Kala P|2025-05-12T04:37:13-07:00June 24th, 2024|Lead Management|0 Comments

Beyond Aesthetics: How to Design High-Converting Forms That Capture the Right Leads (Without Losing Data)

In the ultra-competitive SaaS digital marketing and B2B lead generation world, strategic social media and content marketing to generate leads is only the first step. Contact forms must do the heavy lifting and capture info from a healthy share of website traffic.

Every form submission counts. Some of the most common questions we hear are about how to design high-converting forms. Many businesses struggle with lead generation forms plagued by low completion rates, unqualified leads, and data errors.

This struggle begs the question: how can you design user-friendly and effective forms that capture valuable leads with clean data?

The answer lies in a strategic approach that goes beyond aesthetics. Here are some best practices and tips for how to optimize your B2B forms for conversions and ensure accurate data capture:

The UX Advantage: Why Beautiful Forms Convert Better

First impressions matter, so your web design is critical. Remember that your visitors usually encounter forms within the context of your website design, so the forms should integrate seamlessly into the website experience.

Beyond that, poorly designed contact forms can create user experience (UX) friction, leading to frustration and form abandonment. Below, we look at how prioritizing UX can significantly improve conversion rates.

How to Design High-converting Forms

Streamlined Design. Keep it simple! Building trust with top-of-funnel visitors takes time. Limiting the number of capture form fields to only the most essential information feels less invasive and helps optimize your conversion rate.
For example, asking for a phone number may be a turn-off for some prospects. Consider an a/b test to see if there is a difference in conversion rates with and without the cell phone input field. Utilize clear labels and intuitive layouts to guide users through the process effortlessly.
Social proof. Include brief social proof, like testimonials. Downloadable case studies that go deeper with social proof can help increase form conversion rate and move prospects down the funnel.
Engaging Visuals. Incorporate visuals like icons, progress bars, or subtle animations to make your form more visually appealing. Remember, white space is your friend – avoid cluttering the design. Consider implementing a/b testing to determine which visual elements are most effective.

Source: Funnel Envy / ExactBuyer Case Study

Sometimes its helpful to see an example in action. Check out our Case Study for ExactBuyer, a a data enrichment and sales enablement SaaS. By partnering with FunnelEnvy to implement a Reform custom lead capture form, ExactBuyer was able to roll out a multi-step form workflow that included routing, qualification, enrichment and integration with Hubpsot.

The new form experience increased conversions from high quality prospects while simultaneously filtering out spam and low quality leads.

A/B Testing: The Power of Data-Driven Decisions

In today’s digital marketing landscape, data is king. A/B testing allows you to collect data from different versions of your forms and see which performs better. It can be anything from testing different headlines and layouts to experimenting with the number of form fields.

At Funnel Envy, we use AI to power up traditional A/B testing. In general, here’s how A/B testing can benefit your B2B lead gen forms:

Identify Conversion Killers. Test different elements of your form to pinpoint what’s hindering conversions. Is it the length? The wording of a specific question? A/B testing helps you isolate these factors and make informed decisions.
Optimize for Different Audiences. Consider segmenting your audience and testing variations targeted to specific user groups for a more personalized experience and potentially higher conversion rates.
Continuous Improvement. A/B testing is an ongoing process. By consistently testing and refining your forms, you can ensure they stay optimized for maximum performance.
Mobile-Responsive Design. Optimize your lead capture forms for all mobile devices. With the rise of mobile browsing, a responsive design is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for high conversion.

Beyond Design: Conversion-Focused Features for High-Quality Leads

Aesthetics are important, but a truly high-converting lead gen form goes beyond just looking good. Here’s where built-in conversion optimization tools can make a real difference:

Conditional Logic. Personalize the form experience by dynamically showing or hiding fields based on user selections, increasing user engagement and reducing irrelevant data collection.
Progress Indicators. Clear progress bars or step indicators let users know where they are in the form completion process, building trust and motivating users.
Clear Error Messages. Eliminate frustration with helpful and specific error messages that guide users toward correcting their input.

Capturing the Right Data: FunnelEnvy’s Approach to Form Design and Optimization

At FunnelEnvy, we understand that effective lead capture is about quality, not just quantity. Here’s how we collaborate with you to optimize your lead generation forms:

Targeted Questions. We work with you to identify the information most valuable for qualifying leads. This process ensures your contact forms capture the right data, allowing you to focus on nurturing leads with a higher conversion potential.
Compelling Value Proposition. Why should users fill out your form? Craft a clear and concise value proposition that entices users to complete the form by highlighting the benefits they’ll receive (e.g., free trial, white paper download).
Data Validation and Enrichment. Prevent errors and incomplete data with built-in data validation tools. Consider data enrichment options to enhance your lead profiles with valuable insights.
Seamless Integration: Keeping Your Data Flowing Smoothly. A well-designed form is only half the battle. Ensure smooth data flow by seamlessly integrating your forms with your existing marketing ecosystem. This flow allows you to automatically route leads captured by your contact form into your CRM, marketing automation platform, or email marketing software.

The Benefits of High-Converting Forms

By investing in form optimization, you unlock a multitude of benefits:

Increased Conversion Rates. High-converting forms capture more qualified leads, pushing your sales and marketing teams closer to their goals.
Improved User Experience. A streamlined, user-friendly form experience builds trust and fosters positive brand perception.
Enhanced Lead Quality. Capturing the right data allows you to segment your leads effectively and personalize your marketing efforts for better engagement.
Accurate Data Capture. Minimize data loss and errors with validation tools, leading to cleaner lead profiles and more efficient marketing campaigns.

Advanced Techniques: Taking Your Forms to the Next Level

Once you’ve mastered the basics of form optimization, you can explore more advanced techniques to further enhance your lead capture efforts. Here are a few examples:

Multi-Step Forms: Break down lengthy forms into smaller, more manageable steps, which can improve user experience and reduce abandonment rates. We have created a deep-dive video series on how multi-step forms can help solve the problems of low-converting forms and poor lead quality. Check it out here!
Progressive Profiling. Gradually collect more information about leads over time through interactions and website behavior. This information allows you to build a more comprehensive profile without overwhelming users upfront.
Hidden Form Fields. Some form fields can be pre-populated with information from user behavior or previous interactions. Doing this allows you to personalize the experience and reduces the need for manual input.

Moving Ahead: The ROI of Investing in High-Converting Forms

Optimizing your B2B lead gen forms is an investment that pays off in the long run. Focusing on user experience, capturing the right data, and implementing data-driven strategies can significantly improve your lead-generation efforts.

Remember, high-converting forms generate more qualified leads, improve brand perception, and drive sales growth. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-designed form in your B2B marketing strategy.

Refrain from settling for mediocre results. A well-designed and optimized form can be a game-changer for your B2B lead generation strategy. We utilize a data-driven approach to crafting high-converting forms that capture the right leads with clean data every time.

Let’s talk! Consider partnering with FunnelEnvy to unlock the full potential of your lead gen efforts.

By Kala P|2025-05-12T04:37:13-07:00June 10th, 2024|Lead Management|0 Comments