Online forms are a straightforward way to collect data for your business, allowing you to develop effective strategies and find high-quality leads. They also allow customers or clients to interact with you and give you valuable information.
Learning how to create online forms is easy with tools like Fill. The good news is that most form builders do not require any coding or design skills. All you need to do is drag and drop the fields you want.
Before you choose a form builder, let’s take a closer look at why you need one and how you can use this tool to your advantage.
Table of Contents
- What Are Online Forms?
- Why Should You Use Online Forms?
- How to Make a Form Online
- How to Create an Online Form Using Fill
- 5 Benefits of Creating Online Forms With Fill
What Are Online Forms?
An online form is a web-based interface allowing visitors to fill in and submit information. After gathering the data, you can use it for various purposes:
- collecting leads
- taking registrations
- conducting surveys
- gathering feedback
- evaluating applications
Forms usually consist of input fields requiring the user to fill in their name, email address, phone number, and other relevant information. The data collected is then stored in a database you can access later.
Why Should You Use Online Forms?
Faster processing time
With online forms, you can automate data entry. The information doesn’t need to be manually typed into a system, which saves time if you receive a lot of responses. You can set it up so that the data will automatically enter into your customer relationship management (CRM) system or spreadsheet.
Fewer errors
Whenever you enter data manually, there’s always a risk of human error. This can lead to incomplete or wrong information that can cause problems down the road. You can reduce the margin for error by setting up validation rules in your online form. This ensures that the data is accurate and complete.
Higher user engagement
Make your website more interactive and engaging with online forms. It provides two-way communication since you can gather information from users or provide instructions to them. For instance, you can conduct a survey to get customer feedback. This information will help enhance your services and improve customer support.
Secure data collection
Online forms allow you to gather information from site visitors without asking them directly. For example, physicians can use an online form to ask patients for their medical history before their first visit. Industries such as finance and law also use online forms to get information from clients without having to meet with them face to face.
Efficient lead generation
You can also use online forms to track your marketing campaigns. They can help you analyze which channels perform best and adjust your approach accordingly. If you run a Facebook ad campaign and include a form on the landing page, you can track the number of people who saw the ad, clicked on it, and filled out the form. You can also segment your leads to follow up potential customers more effectively.
Less paper waste
One of the most obvious advantages of using online forms is that you no longer need paper. On average, an office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. Online forms eliminate the need to print and mail out paper documents. This can help save resources and minimize environmental impact.
How to Make a Form Online
Whatever builder you choose, you can create a digital form in just a few steps. Creating one is generally the same even when using different tools. While there may be some variation in the layout, features, and process, expect to go through the following steps:
1. Choose a form builder
Create an account on your chosen platform. When you log in, you will be able to choose from a variety of templates or create your form from scratch. Your plan or subscription will determine the features you can access online.
2. Build a new form
You can also start with a blank sheet and add the fields you need. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need to add the input fields for each information you want to collect. For example, if you want to gather leads for your business, you’ll need to add fields for the person’s name, email address, and phone number.
Form builders also offer a variety of templates for you to choose from. Some form builders allow you to upload existing documents and convert them into fillable forms.
3. Format and customize your form
The next step is to edit and design your form. It includes:
- adding input fields
- setting up notifications
- customizing the layout of the document
- setting conditions or rules for certain fields
- using autofill or autopopulate to automatically provide answers
- adding placeholder or sample text
- adding drop-down options for selection
4. Test your form
After you have edited and checked your form, test it to ensure everything is working correctly. A critical aspect is compatibility with multiple web browsers and devices. Test it by filling out and submitting the form through different browsers and phones to see if the responses go through. Make sure the forms are easy to use, clear, and responsive.
5. Publish and Share Your Form
Publishing makes your form accessible to the public. You will need to provide a web address or link to your form so that people can access it. Publish it as a web page or include it in a marketing campaign. After your respondents hit submit, their responses are sent to servers for processing, analysis, and evaluation. Some apps allow you to keep track of who’s filling out your form after publishing it.
How to Create an Online Form Using Fill
Figuring out how to create forms online takes only a few minutes with this intuitive platform.
Here’s how to get started using Fill:
- Sign in to your Fill account. If you don’t have one, go to fillhq.com and create an account. You can do this for free.
- Open your web dashboard and go to the Tools section. Under Tools, select Online Forms.
- Click the Create Form button in the upper-right corner where you can choose to create your form in three ways.
Here are the three ways you can create forms using Fill:
Create from scratch
- Click the Create Form button, then choose New to start a new form.
- A window will open where you need to name your new form.
- Click Next.
Upload an existing document
- Click the Create Form button, then choose Upload.
- Upload the PDF or DOC file from your device or cloud storage.
- Name your document, and wait for it to be uploaded. The platform will automatically convert the existing file into a fillable online form.
Customize a template
To create your form using a template, follow these steps:
- Click on the From Template Gallery option after you click Create Form.
- A window will appear with the template gallery. You can also type in the name of your preferred template.
- Choose one and adjust fields as needed.
Whatever option you choose, you can then add fields by dragging the option from the left panel to the desired position. After you’re done creating your form, click on the publish button. You can now ask your respondents to fill out your online form by sending them a shareable link.
5 Benefits of Creating Online Forms With Fill
Centralized data-gathering system
All users are connected to a centralized network that stores and tracks all of your digital forms and documents. This ensures that all your departments have only one source of information. It also eliminates the need for duplicate data entry, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
End-to-end encryption
With data security at stake, our military-grade encryption protects users against cyber threats. The platform’s military-grade 256-bit encryption ensures only authorized parties have access. You can also avail of added security measures like signer ID identification and two-factor authentication.
Custom branding
You can personalize your online form to match your brand identity with our custom branding feature. Complete control over the form is in your hands to ensure it meets your specific requirements. View plans and choose a paid subscription to have access to this feature.
HIPAA-compliant forms
If you work in the healthcare industry, you must ensure that patient health information (PHI) is protected. Fill is HIPAA-compliant, so you can be sure that all PHI is kept confidential. You can create patient intake forms, consent forms, and survey forms that adhere to standard regulations.
Data analytics
After you’ve collected data from your online form, our built-in analytics tool allows you to generate reports and get valuable insights from the responses. You don’t need to switch to a separate system.
Experience the convenience of online forms today. Sign up with Fill and build your first form in minutes.
