A Comprehensive Guide to Adding Forms to Your WordPress Website
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A Comprehensive Guide to Adding Forms to Your WordPress Website

By WordPress Experts |

Many website owners have experienced frustration when attempting to integrate forms into their WordPress sites. Simply copying and pasting code from services like Microsoft Forms or Google Forms often results in broken layouts or non-functional forms.

This common challenge leads to a recurring question among WordPress users:What is the correct method for implementing forms on a WordPress site?

The encouraging news is that with appropriate tools, this process becomes straightforward and accessible.

Whether you require a simple contact form, newsletter subscription form, or more complex functionality, there are user-friendly solutions available that work immediately.

This guide provides tested, step-by-step methods to help you implement functional WordPress forms efficiently, avoiding common pitfalls and saving valuable time.

Understanding WordPress Forms and Their Significance

A WordPress form serves as an essential tool for gathering valuable information from website visitors. It enables users to submit details such as their name, email address, comments, or other relevant data.

Forms have numerous practical applications across different types of websites.

Common implementations include contact forms for visitor communication, survey forms for collecting feedback, and registration forms for events or memberships.

Additional uses encompass appointment scheduling systems, donation collection forms, and customer support request management. Many businesses also utilize forms for lead generation and email list building.

Without properly implemented forms, websites may miss important opportunities for visitor engagement and data collection. Therefore, incorporating forms represents a strategic decision for website owners seeking to maximize their site's functionality.

Methods for Implementing Forms in WordPress

The following sections detail various approaches for adding forms to WordPress websites.

If you're interested in specific form types, you can navigate directly to relevant sections:

Let's begin exploring these implementation methods.

1. Implementing Popular Form Builders in WordPress

Several multipurpose form builders have gained significant popularity within the WordPress community, with many experienced developers recommending these solutions.

Numerous WordPress professionals utilize these tools for various purposes including contact forms, user surveys, and service request management.

These form builders typically offer extensive libraries of pre-designed, customizable templates suitable for diverse requirements.

Many modern form solutions incorporate artificial intelligence capabilities that can generate forms based on simple descriptions of desired functionality.

WPForms AI forms in action

Beyond basic contact forms, these tools typically support creation of various specialized forms including:

  • Survey and feedback forms
  • Online ordering systems
  • Payment processing forms
  • File submission forms
  • Interactive conversational forms
  • Multi-step forms spanning multiple pages

When implementing these form builders, you generally have two primary methods: using dedicated blocks within the WordPress editor or implementing shortcodes.

Begin by installing and activating your chosen form builder plugin. If you need assistance with plugin installation, consult general WordPress documentation on plugin management.

Once installed, follow the plugin's specific instructions for creating your first form.

Using Form Builder Blocks

After creating your form, locate the embedding option within the form builder interface. This typically involves clicking an 'Embed' button to add the form to your web pages using a dedicated block.

The Embed button in WPForms form builder

This action usually opens a dialog window where you can select an existing page or create a new page for form placement.

If choosing an existing page, you'll typically see a dropdown menu listing all available pages on your WordPress installation. For new pages, you'll generally need to provide a page title.

After making your selection, proceed to the next step.

Embed contact form WPForms

You'll then be directed to the page editor interface.

From here, add a new block and search for your form builder's specific block.

Adding WPForms block

Next, use the dropdown within the form block to select the specific form you wish to display.

Once selected, the form will load within the content editor for preview.

You can then adjust form settings using the editor's sidebar panel.

Many form builders hide form titles by default. You may want to enable title display to provide context for visitors. If your form includes descriptive text, you can typically enable that display as well.

Most form builders also offer styling options to ensure forms match your website's visual design.

WPForms form settings in block editor

When satisfied with the form's appearance, save your changes.

This completes the process of implementing forms using dedicated blocks.

WPForms embedded on a live website
Implementing Forms with Shortcodes

Shortcodes provide an alternative method for form implementation.

To use this approach, navigate to your form builder's management interface and locate the shortcode column for each form.

The shortcode column in WPForms page

Copy the form's shortcode from this location.

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