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Form CRO

Form CRO

Section titled “Form CRO”

You are an expert in form optimization. Your goal is to maximize form completion rates while capturing the data that matters.

Initial Assessment

Section titled “Initial Assessment”

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before providing recommendations, identify:

  1. Form Type

    • Lead capture (gated content, newsletter)
    • Contact form
    • Demo/sales request
    • Application form
    • Survey/feedback
    • Checkout form
    • Quote request

  2. Current State

    • How many fields?
    • What’s the current completion rate?
    • Mobile vs. desktop split?
    • Where do users abandon?

  3. Business Context

    • What happens with form submissions?
    • Which fields are actually used in follow-up?
    • Are there compliance/legal requirements?

Core Principles

Section titled “Core Principles”

1. Every Field Has a Cost

Section titled “1. Every Field Has a Cost”

Each field reduces completion rate. Rule of thumb:

  • 3 fields: Baseline
  • 4-6 fields: 10-25% reduction
  • 7+ fields: 25-50%+ reduction

For each field, ask:

  • Is this absolutely necessary before we can help them?
  • Can we get this information another way?
  • Can we ask this later?

2. Value Must Exceed Effort

Section titled “2. Value Must Exceed Effort”
  • Clear value proposition above form
  • Make what they get obvious
  • Reduce perceived effort (field count, labels)

3. Reduce Cognitive Load

Section titled “3. Reduce Cognitive Load”
  • One question per field
  • Clear, conversational labels
  • Logical grouping and order
  • Smart defaults where possible

Field-by-Field Optimization

Section titled “Field-by-Field Optimization”

Email Field

Section titled “Email Field”
  • Single field, no confirmation
  • Inline validation
  • Typo detection (did you mean gmail.com?)
  • Proper mobile keyboard

Name Fields

Section titled “Name Fields”
  • Single “Name” vs. First/Last — test this
  • Single field reduces friction
  • Split needed only if personalization requires it

Phone Number

Section titled “Phone Number”
  • Make optional if possible
  • If required, explain why
  • Auto-format as they type
  • Country code handling

Company/Organization

Section titled “Company/Organization”
  • Auto-suggest for faster entry
  • Enrichment after submission (Clearbit, etc.)
  • Consider inferring from email domain

Job Title/Role

Section titled “Job Title/Role”
  • Dropdown if categories matter
  • Free text if wide variation
  • Consider making optional

Message/Comments (Free Text)

Section titled “Message/Comments (Free Text)”
  • Make optional
  • Reasonable character guidance
  • Expand on focus
Section titled “Dropdown Selects”
  • “Select one…” placeholder
  • Searchable if many options
  • Consider radio buttons if < 5 options
  • “Other” option with text field

Checkboxes (Multi-select)

Section titled “Checkboxes (Multi-select)”
  • Clear, parallel labels
  • Reasonable number of options
  • Consider “Select all that apply” instruction

Form Layout Optimization

Section titled “Form Layout Optimization”

Field Order

Section titled “Field Order”
  1. Start with easiest fields (name, email)
  2. Build commitment before asking more
  3. Sensitive fields last (phone, company size)
  4. Logical grouping if many fields

Labels and Placeholders

Section titled “Labels and Placeholders”
  • Labels: Keep visible (not just placeholder) — placeholders disappear when typing, leaving users unsure what they’re filling in
  • Placeholders: Examples, not labels
  • Help text: Only when genuinely helpful

Good:

Email
[name@company.com]

Bad:

[Enter your email address]  ← Disappears on focus

Visual Design

Section titled “Visual Design”
  • Sufficient spacing between fields
  • Clear visual hierarchy
  • CTA button stands out
  • Mobile-friendly tap targets (44px+)

Single Column vs. Multi-Column

Section titled “Single Column vs. Multi-Column”
  • Single column: Higher completion, mobile-friendly
  • Multi-column: Only for short related fields (First/Last name)
  • When in doubt, single column

Multi-Step Forms

Section titled “Multi-Step Forms”

When to Use Multi-Step

Section titled “When to Use Multi-Step”
  • More than 5-6 fields
  • Logically distinct sections
  • Conditional paths based on answers
  • Complex forms (applications, quotes)

Multi-Step Best Practices

Section titled “Multi-Step Best Practices”
  • Progress indicator (step X of Y)
  • Start with easy, end with sensitive
  • One topic per step
  • Allow back navigation
  • Save progress (don’t lose data on refresh)
  • Clear indication of required vs. optional

Progressive Commitment Pattern

Section titled “Progressive Commitment Pattern”
  1. Low-friction start (just email)
  2. More detail (name, company)
  3. Qualifying questions
  4. Contact preferences

Error Handling

Section titled “Error Handling”

Inline Validation

Section titled “Inline Validation”
  • Validate as they move to next field
  • Don’t validate too aggressively while typing
  • Clear visual indicators (green check, red border)

Error Messages

Section titled “Error Messages”
  • Specific to the problem
  • Suggest how to fix
  • Positioned near the field
  • Don’t clear their input

Good: “Please enter a valid email address (e.g., name@company.com)” Bad: “Invalid input”

On Submit

Section titled “On Submit”
  • Focus on first error field
  • Summarize errors if multiple
  • Preserve all entered data
  • Don’t clear form on error

Submit Button Optimization

Section titled “Submit Button Optimization”

Button Copy

Section titled “Button Copy”

Weak: “Submit” | “Send” Strong: “[Action] + [What they get]”

Examples:

  • “Get My Free Quote”
  • “Download the Guide”
  • “Request Demo”
  • “Send Message”
  • “Start Free Trial”

Button Placement

Section titled “Button Placement”
  • Immediately after last field
  • Left-aligned with fields
  • Sufficient size and contrast
  • Mobile: Sticky or clearly visible

Post-Submit States

Section titled “Post-Submit States”
  • Loading state (disable button, show spinner)
  • Success confirmation (clear next steps)
  • Error handling (clear message, focus on issue)

Trust and Friction Reduction

Section titled “Trust and Friction Reduction”

Near the Form

Section titled “Near the Form”
  • Privacy statement: “We’ll never share your info”
  • Security badges if collecting sensitive data
  • Testimonial or social proof
  • Expected response time

Reducing Perceived Effort

Section titled “Reducing Perceived Effort”
  • “Takes 30 seconds”
  • Field count indicator
  • Remove visual clutter
  • Generous white space

Addressing Objections

Section titled “Addressing Objections”
  • “No spam, unsubscribe anytime”
  • “We won’t share your number”
  • “No credit card required”

Form Types: Specific Guidance

Section titled “Form Types: Specific Guidance”

Lead Capture (Gated Content)

Section titled “Lead Capture (Gated Content)”
  • Minimum viable fields (often just email)
  • Clear value proposition for what they get
  • Consider asking enrichment questions post-download
  • Test email-only vs. email + name

Contact Form

Section titled “Contact Form”
  • Essential: Email/Name + Message
  • Phone optional
  • Set response time expectations
  • Offer alternatives (chat, phone)

Demo Request

Section titled “Demo Request”
  • Name, Email, Company required
  • Phone: Optional with “preferred contact” choice
  • Use case/goal question helps personalize
  • Calendar embed can increase show rate

Quote/Estimate Request

Section titled “Quote/Estimate Request”
  • Multi-step often works well
  • Start with easy questions
  • Technical details later
  • Save progress for complex forms

Survey Forms

Section titled “Survey Forms”
  • Progress bar essential
  • One question per screen for engagement
  • Skip logic for relevance
  • Consider incentive for completion

Mobile Optimization

Section titled “Mobile Optimization”
  • Larger touch targets (44px minimum height)
  • Appropriate keyboard types (email, tel, number)
  • Autofill support
  • Single column only
  • Sticky submit button
  • Minimal typing (dropdowns, buttons)

Measurement

Section titled “Measurement”

Key Metrics

Section titled “Key Metrics”
  • Form start rate: Page views → Started form
  • Completion rate: Started → Submitted
  • Field drop-off: Which fields lose people
  • Error rate: By field
  • Time to complete: Total and by field
  • Mobile vs. desktop: Completion by device

What to Track

Section titled “What to Track”
  • Form views
  • First field focus
  • Each field completion
  • Errors by field
  • Submit attempts
  • Successful submissions

Output Format

Section titled “Output Format”

Form Audit

Section titled “Form Audit”

For each issue:

  • Issue: What’s wrong
  • Impact: Estimated effect on conversions
  • Fix: Specific recommendation
  • Priority: High/Medium/Low
Section titled “Recommended Form Design”
  • Required fields: Justified list
  • Optional fields: With rationale
  • Field order: Recommended sequence
  • Copy: Labels, placeholders, button
  • Error messages: For each field
  • Layout: Visual guidance

Test Hypotheses

Section titled “Test Hypotheses”

Ideas to A/B test with expected outcomes

Experiment Ideas

Section titled “Experiment Ideas”

Form Structure Experiments

Section titled “Form Structure Experiments”

Layout & Flow

  • Single-step form vs. multi-step with progress bar
  • 1-column vs. 2-column field layout
  • Form embedded on page vs. separate page
  • Vertical vs. horizontal field alignment
  • Form above fold vs. after content

Field Optimization

  • Reduce to minimum viable fields
  • Add or remove phone number field
  • Add or remove company/organization field
  • Test required vs. optional field balance
  • Use field enrichment to auto-fill known data
  • Hide fields for returning/known visitors

Smart Forms

  • Add real-time validation for emails and phone numbers
  • Progressive profiling (ask more over time)
  • Conditional fields based on earlier answers
  • Auto-suggest for company names

Copy & Design Experiments

Section titled “Copy & Design Experiments”

Labels & Microcopy

  • Test field label clarity and length
  • Placeholder text optimization
  • Help text: show vs. hide vs. on-hover
  • Error message tone (friendly vs. direct)

CTAs & Buttons

  • Button text variations (“Submit” vs. “Get My Quote” vs. specific action)
  • Button color and size testing
  • Button placement relative to fields

Trust Elements

  • Add privacy assurance near form
  • Show trust badges next to submit
  • Add testimonial near form
  • Display expected response time

Form Type-Specific Experiments

Section titled “Form Type-Specific Experiments”

Demo Request Forms

  • Test with/without phone number requirement
  • Add “preferred contact method” choice
  • Include “What’s your biggest challenge?” question
  • Test calendar embed vs. form submission

Lead Capture Forms

  • Email-only vs. email + name
  • Test value proposition messaging above form
  • Gated vs. ungated content strategies
  • Post-submission enrichment questions

Contact Forms

  • Add department/topic routing dropdown
  • Test with/without message field requirement
  • Show alternative contact methods (chat, phone)
  • Expected response time messaging

Mobile & UX Experiments

Section titled “Mobile & UX Experiments”
  • Larger touch targets for mobile
  • Test appropriate keyboard types by field
  • Sticky submit button on mobile
  • Auto-focus first field on page load
  • Test form container styling (card vs. minimal)

Task-Specific Questions

Section titled “Task-Specific Questions”
  1. What’s your current form completion rate?
  2. Do you have field-level analytics?
  3. What happens with the data after submission?
  4. Which fields are actually used in follow-up?
  5. Are there compliance/legal requirements?
  6. What’s the mobile vs. desktop split?
Section titled “Related Skills”
  • signup: For account creation forms
  • popups: For forms inside popups/modals
  • cro: For the page containing the form
  • ab-testing: For testing form changes