How to Add a Contact Form in WordPress

Adding a contact form to your WordPress website is essential for allowing visitors to reach you easily. Whether you’re running a blog, business site, or e-commerce store, a contact form provides a seamless way to engage with your audience. This guide will walk you through how to add a contact form in WordPress using a plugin.

Let’s dive into the steps:

1. Choose a Contact Form Plugin

WordPress offers a variety of plugins that make it easy to add a contact form without any coding skills. Some popular plugins include:

1. WPForms (Beginner-friendly)
2. Contact Form 7
3. Ninja Forms

For this guide, we’ll use WPForms due to its simplicity and powerful features.

2. Install WPForms Plugin

To install WPForms, follow these steps:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
3. In the search bar, type "WPForms."
4. Click Install Now next to the WPForms plugin, and then click Activate.

WPForms is now active on your site, and you can start creating your contact form.

3. Create a New Contact Form

After activating WPForms, the next step is to create your form.

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to WPForms > Add New.
2. You’ll see a form setup screen. Name your form (e.g., "Contact Us").
3. Select the Simple Contact Form template. This template includes basic fields like Name, Email, and Message.

4. Customize Your Contact Form

WPForms allows you to customize your form as needed. You can add or remove fields to suit your preferences.

1. Click on any field to edit the label, add a placeholder, or make it a required field.
2. To add new fields, drag them from the left panel and drop them into your form.
3. WPForms offers additional field types such as phone numbers, dropdowns, and checkboxes.

5. Set Up Form Notifications and Confirmations

You can configure notifications and confirmation messages that users will receive after submitting the form.

1. In the form builder, go to Settings > Notifications to customize who gets emailed when a form is submitted (e.g., you or a team member).
2. Under Settings > Confirmations, you can create a thank-you message that displays after someone submits the form. You can also redirect users to a specific page if needed.

6. Embed the Contact Form on Your Site

Now that your contact form is ready, it’s time to add it to your WordPress site.

1. Go to the page or post where you want to add the form.
2. In the WordPress editor, click on the Add Block button (the plus icon).
3. Search for WPForms, and click on the WPForms block.
4. Select your form from the dropdown menu.

Your contact form is now embedded in the post or page.

7. Test Your Form

Before going live, it’s crucial to test your contact form to ensure it works properly.

1. Visit the page or post where the form is embedded.
2. Fill in the form fields and click Submit.
3. Check your email inbox to confirm you’ve received the form submission.

8. Monitor Submissions

After the form is live, you can track all submissions directly in your WordPress dashboard.

1. Go to WPForms > Entries to view all form entries. You can also export the entries for future use.

FAQ

1. Can I add more fields to the form?
Yes, WPForms allows you to add various types of fields, such as phone numbers, dropdown menus, and checkboxes.

2. Is WPForms free?
WPForms has both free and premium versions. The free version includes basic features, while the premium version offers more advanced functionalities.

3. How do I prevent spam submissions?
WPForms includes built-in spam protection through CAPTCHA or honey pot techniques to reduce spam submissions.

4. Can I add a contact form without a plugin?
While it's possible to manually code a form, using a plugin like WPForms is recommended for ease of use, especially for beginners.