The must-have forms you need for your website

When it comes to your website, it isn't just some fancy digital business card. It’s your 24/7, always-on, never-needs-a-coffee-break salesperson. And guess what? If your site isn’t equipped with the right forms, it’s basically standing there with its hands in its pockets, watching potential customers walk away!

That’s where website forms come in. They’re the digital handshake, the “Hey, let’s talk” moment that turns casual visitors into serious prospects. Whether someone’s booking a demo, dropping a question, or signing up for the latest updates, forms make it exceptionally easy for people to connect with your business—and for you to track those connections.

Companies generating 40% or more of their leads through online methods like forms, on average, grow 4x faster than companies that generate more of their leads through offline channels. If you want growth, forms are your best bet.

But let’s be honest: manually dealing with form submissions is a nightmare. Scattered emails, lost leads, and way too many “Hey, did we follow up on that?” moments. That’s why you need a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, like Copper, that automatically syncs every form submission straight into your pipeline, keeping you and your team on top of every opportunity.

But which forms do you need on your website?

Not all forms are created equal, and the ones you choose should align with your business goals. Before slapping a form on your website, ask yourself:

Who are you trying to reach? Your target audience determines the type of form and the questions you should ask.
What information do you actually need? Too many fields can scare people away—keep it simple and only ask for essential details.
How will you manage submissions? If you're manually tracking responses in spreadsheets (yikes) it’s time to use a CRM to automatically organize and follow up.
Where should forms live? Your contact form belongs on a dedicated page, while lead gen forms should be strategically placed on blog posts, landing pages, and pop-ups.

Based on your answers to these questions, some of the forms you might want on your website include:

Contact forms
Forms for gated content
Forms for a demo request
Project inquiry forms
Forms for a newsletter sign-up

By choosing the right forms and integrating them with Copper CRM, you’re not just capturing leads—you’re also making sure they don’t get lost in the shuffle.

Where should your forms live?

Where your forms live can make or break your conversion rates. According to Factors.ai, static forms (the ones embedded on a page) tend to perform better than pop-ups, with an average success rate of 45.53% compared to 25.96%. But that doesn’t mean pop-ups are completely useless—it just depends on how and when you use them.

When to choose static forms

Static forms work because they feel natural. When placed in high-traffic areas like blog posts or resource pages, they blend into the experience instead of interrupting it. Visitors can engage with them on their own terms, which often leads to better results. The downside? If a form is buried at the bottom of a page or stuck in a low-visibility spot, people might not even notice it.

When to use pop-ups

Pop-ups demand attention—sometimes in a good way, sometimes not. They can work well when triggered at the right moment, like when a visitor is about to leave or after they’ve engaged with your content. But if they appear too soon or feel intrusive, most people will close them without a second thought. Google also isn’t a fan of aggressive pop-ups, especially on mobile, so they can hurt your rankings if overused.

So what’s the move? If you’re using pop-ups, be strategic—make sure they offer real value and don’t get in the way of the user experience. And if you’re going with static forms, place them where people are already engaged. No matter which route you take, keep things simple, clear, and easy to fill out.

The types of forms you need on your website

1. You 100% need a Contact Form

Copper Forms - Creed Media — Creed Media has a designated Contact Page with an email, but each webpage also has an option at the bottom right corner for a Contact Us form to pop up.

You need a contact form. Period. If people have to dig around your site to figure out how to reach you, they won’t. They’ll just bounce.

For instance, if you run a marketing agency, and a potential client lands on your website they may be interested in your services but aren’t ready for a full sales call just yet. Instead of making them hunt for your email, they can quickly and easily fill out a simple contact form—on a designated Contact Us page—sharing their name, business, and what they’re looking for. Voila! Now, your team now has a warm lead that’s already in Copper CRM, ready for follow-up.

Plus, it’s a game-changer because it gives prospects a friction-free way to reach out, filters out spam so you only get real inquiries, and helps you pre-qualify leads by collecting relevant information upfront.

2. Create forms for gated content

Let's Talk Talent gated content form — Let’s Talk Talent uses a two-field form to get prospects or customers to sign up to get access to their whitepapers.

When it comes to generating leads, 84% of marketers use form submissions. That’s why a lead generation form can turn your website into a lead magnet.

Instead of saying, “Hey, call us if you’re interested,” these forms give visitors a reason to hand over their info—think free guides, exclusive content, webinar sessions, or early access to something cool.

For example, let’s say you’re running an online coaching business and have an amazing free eBook about productivity hacks. Instead of just letting people download it, you set up a lead gen form: “Enter your email to get your free guide!” Now, you’re not just sharing valuable content, you’re also collecting leads to nurture in Copper CRM with automated follow-up emails.

This tactic is also a great way to build a marketing list that you can target with the right content for the future.

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3. Give a hands-on experience via Demo Request or Consultation Forms

Copper Forms — Copper CRM uses a form for potential prospects who want a demo of the platform.

A demo request form is your best friend if you offer a service or product that needs a little showing off. And honestly, most people don’t really want to send an email just to schedule a call. Instead they probably want instant booking, and a smart form makes it ridiculously easy.

Maybe you’re a software company offering an AI-powered sales tool that wants to make it easy for potential users to schedule a live demo. Instead of trading emails to find a time, visitors fill out a form with their name, company, and preferred time slot. The request automatically syncs into Copper CRM, triggering a notification for the sales team to follow up.

4. Use a Project Inquiry Form to attract the right clients

Waverly Ave Consulting — Waverly Ave. has a designated Contact page for potential prospects to provide details about their needs.

Not every lead that comes your way is a great fit. If you’re a media company, agency, or consultant, you don’t just want more leads, you want the right leads. That’s where a project inquiry form comes in. It helps you filter out the tire-kickers and time-wasters by collecting key details upfront, so you can focus on serious clients who actually need your expertise.

Picture this: You run a creative agency, and instead of playing email ping-pong with potential clients just to figure out their budget and timeline, they fill out a form right on your site. They tell you what they need, their industry, their goals, and—yes—their budget. That info flows straight into Copper CRM, so your team can quickly assess fit, prioritize leads, and start meaningful conversations without the guesswork.

Ready to capture more leads?

If you’re tired of juggling scattered web forms and manually tracking leads, it’s time to upgrade. Copper Forms makes it stupidly simple to capture leads, stay organized, and actually close more deals.

With Copper CRM, every form submission flows seamlessly into your pipeline, automatically creating new contacts, leads, or opportunities based on the type of form submitted. You can set up automated follow-ups, assign team members to handle inquiries, and track every interaction in one place—so no lead falls through the cracks.

Copper also integrates with Google Workspace, meaning your emails, meetings, and tasks related to form submissions are effortlessly linked to each contact. Plus, with powerful reporting tools, you can analyze form performance and see exactly which sources bring in the most valuable leads.

Want to see it in action? Try Copper CRM and Copper Forms for 14 days free.