Top 7 WordPress Form Plugins to Nurture Customers
WordPress is the most widely used content management system in the world, powering more than 40 percent of the web and counting. A top reason for its success among competitors is customization. From personal blogs to enterprise websites, WordPress can—and does—power just about any type of digital experience you could imagine.
This is due in large part to plugins, which are software components you can install on your WordPress site to add anything from analytics tracking to eCommerce functionality. Plugins are created by everyone from individual authors to large-scale software companies, and if there is a challenge to solve or the type of functionality you wish to add to your WordPress site, there’s probably a plugin you can use to make it happen.
While there are indeed a wide array of plugins for just about any use case (there are currently more than 60,000 free WordPress plugins available in the WordPress Plugin Repository), being able to fill a need on your website without having to manually code is what makes plugins so special.
This is true for so many of the great WordPress plugins available today, but it’s especially apparent when it comes to contact forms and lead capture, which you can add to your site using a form plugin.
If you’re interested in using a form plugin on your WordPress site, Keep reading for a closer look at:
- The Benefits of Form Plugins
- The Best WordPress Form Plugins
- Setting Up a Form Plugin on Your Site
- Managing Plugins With WP Engine
The Benefits of Form Plugins
Forms are incredibly useful but can be difficult to create from scratch. Plugins take the work out of setting up a complicated piece of code and allow you to start collecting data instantly.
There are countless uses for forms but some of the most common include:
- Gathering information: Whether it’s names, email addresses, or social media information, forms make it easy for users to give you what you need in one place.
- Increasing conversions: One of the most powerful uses of a form is to close on a deal. Add a newsletter signup to the bottom of an article, or include a place to schedule a consultation at the top of your home page. Make it a no-brainer for potential customers.
- Connecting with users: Are you looking to get an idea of who your readers are, or want ideas for future content? Consider adding a poll or survey plugin. Interacting with your site visitors is a great way to keep them engaged.
- Improving the user experience: Instead of listing a phone number and email, consider adding a contact form or a feedback option that allows users to ask questions. Forms make it as simple as possible for people to get in touch with you.
The Best WordPress Form Plugins
With hundreds of form plugins available in the Plugin Repository, it can be hard to know which ones will work best for you.
Depending on the functionality you’re looking for, some of these plugins might be better than others. Some are optimized for gathering contact details, others for quizzes or surveys. Regardless of how you intend to use it, there is likely a plugin that will fit your needs.
Let’s take a look at the best form plugins for WordPress.
Contact Forms
If you want to stay in touch with your users, contact forms are the way to go. Giving people an easy way to upload information will lead to more customer loyalty and engagement. Here are three of our favorites:
Contact Form 7
Easy to set up, Contact Form 7 is the oldest and most downloaded WordPress form plugin on the list with more than 5 million active downloads. Though it is entirely free, there are premium third-party add-ons available to extend functionality if you wish. Contact Form 7 will also interact well with your site supporting AJAX-powered submitting, CAPTCHA, and Akismet Filtering.
Ninja Forms
Ninja Forms is a powerful drag-and-drop option for someone who wants to get their form up and running as fast a possible. The base plugin is completely free but there are premium upgrades, which will allow you to extend your forms in the future. If you are new to WordPress and don’t want any developer help, this plugin could be a good fit for you.
Kali Forms
Another great drag-and-drop option, Kali Forms is incredibly easy to set up within minutes. The free version comes with a standard contact form and an employee information form. If you need more than that, you can bump up to the premium version with 13 additional templates including a job application form, appointment form, customer feedback form, and more.
Customizable Forms
All of the forms on this list can be customized but sometimes you need even more flexibility, which is where these plugins come in. If you have an idea for a form, these plugins can help you bring it to life. Though some of the more advanced features may require a little more technical knowledge, all of the base plugins are quick and easy to use.
Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms is one of the most full-featured options on the list. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for WordPress beginners to use but also comes with powerful features for developers, including an extensive API and a “Build Your Own Add-On” feature that lets you completely customize every part of your form. Gravity Forms is also the only plugin on the list that isn’t available in the WordPress Plugin Repository (because it is paid/premium-only), but if you need multiple forms or forms that are easily customizable, it may be the right one for you.
WPForms
WPForms is well-known for its contact form functionality, but it’s much more full-featured than that. More than 5 million people have downloaded the plugin, making it one of the most widely-used in the world. Forms built with WPForms are also 100% responsive, so they will look great on any device without any changes on your end. The free version has a beautiful contact form template but if you’re looking for more, the premium version comes with more than 500 templates!
Survey or Quiz Forms
An easy way to engage your audiences is with a survey or quiz. It could be something silly like “Who is your favorite Avenger?” or something useful like “What topics do you want us to write about?” These plugins will make it easy to whip up a survey or quiz in no time.
Formidable Forms
Formidable Forms isn’t only a survey or quiz plugin, in fact, even the free version is incredibly full-featured. But the plugin also includes one of the best quiz templates out there. All of the included forms are GDPR-compliant, making it easier to properly collect information from users in EU countries.
Quiz and Survey Master
Staying true to its name, Quiz and Survey Master is a great plugin for quizzes and surveys. This free plugin allows for multiple choice questions, true or false, open-ended questions, and more. You can even create a customizable email that sends results to every participant after they vote. With great functionality and an easy interface, Quiz and Survey Master will help you start interacting with your users today.
Setting Up a Form Plugin on Your Site
Though each of these plugins have different setups, the basic way to add a plugin to your site remains the same and is as follows.
You can add a plugin to your site right from the WordPress dashboard. Find the “Plugins” tab in the sidebar and choose “Add New.”
Type the category or name of the plugin you want to use in the search bar.
Once you’ve located the plugin, select the “Install Now” button.
After a quick installation process, you can either choose to activate the plugin from that same screen or go back to “Installed Plugins” underneath the main “Plugins” tab and activate it there.
It’s that easy! The plugin should now be running on your site and you can follow each plugin’s specific instructions to learn how to use it.
WP Engine is Here to Help
If you’re still unsure about installing and activating plugins on your site, or you just want to know that someone will be there 24/7/365 in case anything goes wrong, partnering with a managed hosting company is your best bet.
With WP Engine, you not only get award-winning customer support day or night, you can also take advantage of Smart Plugin Manager, which automates plugin and theme updates, so you don’t have to.
Gain peace of mind around your plugins with WP Engine. Find out more here!
Conclusion
Forms are incredibly useful for many websites. Whether you are collecting customer data, conducting a quiz, or even calculating a mortgage, form plugins can extend your site’s functionality without the need to manually add code yourself.
With so many plugins to choose from, we’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to the plugins available in the WordPress Plugin Repository, so if you’re looking for even more recommendations check out our Ultimate Guide to WordPress Plugins.
