2. Contact Forms

Contact Forms in WordPress: Adding a Simple Contact Form to Your Site

Contact forms are an essential feature for most websites, allowing visitors to get in touch with you easily without revealing your email address. However, WordPress doesn’t come with built-in contact form functionality. To add a contact form to your site, you’ll need to install a plugin. In this guide, we’ll cover how to add a contact form to your WordPress site and recommend two popular plugins: Contact Form 7 and Forminator.

Why Use a Contact Form?

A contact form is a simple and secure way for users to reach out to you without exposing your email address. It also provides a better user experience compared to displaying your email on the page. With a form, users can send messages directly from your website, and you can easily manage and respond to inquiries.

Some key benefits of using a contact form include:

• Security: Prevents spam by masking your email address.
• Ease of Use: Provides a clear way for users to contact you without leaving your site.
• Organisation: Allows you to manage messages directly from your WordPress dashboard or via email notifications.
• Customisation: You can tailor the form to collect the specific information you need.

How to Add a Contact Form to Your WordPress Site

Since WordPress doesn’t come with a contact form by default, you’ll need to install a plugin to add this functionality. There are several plugins available, but we recommend two of the most popular and user-friendly options: Contact Form 7 and Forminator.

1. Using Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 is one of the most widely used plugins for adding contact forms to WordPress websites. It’s simple to install and configure, and it offers a wide range of features, including customisable forms and email templates.

Here’s how to add a contact form using Contact Form 7:

1. Install Contact Form 7 Plugin

   • From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
   • In the search bar, type "Contact Form 7" and click Install Now.
   • Once installed, click Activate.

2. Create a New Contact Form

   • After activation, you’ll see a new menu item called Contact in the left-hand sidebar. Click on it.
   • Click the Add New button to create a new contact form.
   • By default, Contact Form 7 provides a basic form with fields for name, email, subject, and message. You can add or remove fields as needed by editing the form.

3. Configure the Form Settings

   • In the Mail tab, set up the email address where you want to receive messages.
   • You can customise the email template, adding form data such as the user’s name or message in the email body.

4. Embed the Contact Form on a Page

   • After creating your form, you’ll be given a shortcode (e.g., [contact-form-7 id="123" title="Contact form 1"]).
   • Copy the shortcode and paste it into any page or post where you want the contact form to appear.
   • Publish the page, and your contact form will be live!

5. Customising the Form

   • Contact Form 7 allows you to customise your form by adding different fields (e.g., dropdowns, checkboxes, etc.) using simple shortcode tags.
   • You can also style the form using CSS to match your website’s design.

2. Using Forminator

Forminator is another popular and easy-to-use plugin for adding forms to your WordPress site. It allows you to create not just contact forms, but also surveys, polls, and payment forms. Forminator is highly customisable and offers more features out of the box compared to Contact Form 7.

Here’s how to add a contact form using Forminator:

1. Install Forminator Plugin

   • From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
   • In the search bar, type "Forminator" and click Install Now.
   • Once installed, click Activate.

2. Create a New Form

   • After activation, you’ll see a new menu item called Forminator. Click on it.
   • Click Add New to create a new form.
   • Select Contact Form as the type of form you want to create.

3. Customise the Form Fields

   • Forminator allows you to drag and drop various fields to create your contact form, such as name, email, message, phone number, etc.
   • You can customise each field's label, placeholder text, and validation rules to ensure you collect the correct information from users.

4. Set Up Email Notifications

   • Under the Emails tab, you can configure email notifications for both the site admin and the user. You can set the recipient email address, customise the email subject and body, and even set up autoresponder emails.

5. Publish the Form

   • Once you’re happy with your form, click Publish.
   • Forminator provides you with a shortcode (e.g., [forminator_form id="123"]) that you can copy and paste into any page or post on your site.

6. Additional Features

   • Forminator allows you to integrate your forms with third-party services such as Mailchimp, PayPal, and Stripe.
   • You can also use advanced features like conditional logic, where certain fields appear only if specific conditions are met.

Which Plugin Should You Choose?

Both Contact Form 7 and Forminator are excellent choices, but they offer different features. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:

• Contact Form 7:

  • Simple and straightforward to use.
  • Suitable for basic contact forms.
  • Offers extensive customisation via shortcode and HTML.

• Forminator:

  • More feature-rich with options for creating surveys, polls, and payment forms.
  • User-friendly drag-and-drop form builder.
  • Allows third-party integrations with tools like Mailchimp, PayPal, and Stripe.
  • Comes with built-in email notifications and advanced features like conditional logic.

If you’re looking for a straightforward and reliable contact form plugin, Contact Form 7 is a solid choice. If you need more advanced functionality or a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, Forminator might be a better fit for you.

Conclusion

While WordPress doesn’t come with a built-in contact form, adding one to your website is easy with the help of plugins like Contact Form 7 and Forminator. These plugins allow you to create customisable, user-friendly contact forms that help visitors get in touch with you without exposing your email address.

Both plugins are free and offer powerful features, but Forminator provides additional functionality for creating advanced forms like surveys and payment forms.

Once you’ve added a contact form to your site, don’t forget to test it to ensure that it’s working properly. Regularly check your form submissions and email notifications to stay on top of any inquiries.

If you need further assistance setting up a contact form on your WordPress site, feel free to contact the EncodeDotHost support team.

Now you’re ready to add an easy-to-use and functional contact form to your website!