Must-Have Features for a Lead Gen Form

Did you know that 84% of marketers use form submissions to generate leads?That’s because lead gen forms are one of the most direct, effective ways to convert curiosity into conversion!

What is a Lead Gen Form?

A lead gen form (short for lead generation form) are the forms you see on websites, landing pages, or ads to collect visitor information such as names, emails, phone numbers, or preferences.
Let’s say, a pop-up offering a 10% discount in exchange for your email, or a website form asking for your company information to book a demo, or a quiz that recommends the right product based on your answers - all of these are examples of a lead gen form in action.

Here’s a live example from Deel.com

They’ve got an appealing multi-step lead gen form on their home page for interested customers to book a demo. 

Why Lead Gen Forms Matter

Think of it this way: no matter how great your product or service is, you can’t start a conversation with a potential customer unless you have a touchpoint - you need a phone number, an email address, a name, something!
Without it, they’re just an anonymous passerby in a digital crowd you can’t actually reach. 
That’s why lead gen forms are one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to get them. They’re great for so many reasons:

• High ROI: When optimized well, a lead gen form can outperform cold outreach and paid ads in terms of cost per lead.
• Lead nurturing: Once someone fills out your form, you can engage them with targeted emails, content, offers, and build a relationship over time.

But you only get these benefits if your forms are done right. Are you using the right type of lead gen form in the right place? Does your lead gen form have the features needed to make them effective? 
So in this article, we take you through the different types of lead gen forms businesses can use, from contact forms and newsletter signups to quizzes and demo requests. We also cover the must-have features that make these forms effective, including multi-step flows, autofill options, privacy compliance, spam prevention, CRM integration, and more.

Types of Lead Gen Forms

There’s more than one way to collect a lead, depending on your objective. Some common types of lead gen forms include:

• Contact forms: Probably the most common form of lead gen form.
• Newsletter signups: This is best for collecting email addresses from users who want updates, promotions, or content from your brand.
• Gated content forms (eBooks, whitepapers): Used when you want to give your users access to valuable downloadable content, for which they need to submit their email ID.
• Demo request forms: Let potential customers request a live product demo, usually in exchange for business information.
• Surveys and quizzes: These are best to engage users while gathering insights or segmenting them based on preferences and needs.
• Event registrations: Used to capture attendee information for in-person or virtual events
• Webinar signups: Collect leads interested in joining live or recorded webinars, often used for education or sales funnels.

If you belong to a specific industry, you can also explore our article on lead forms for different industries.

Must-Have Features for Lead Gen Forms (With Examples and What We Love About Them!)

A powerful lead gen form brings together looks, function, trust, and ease. Here’s what every great lead generation form that you make for your business should have:

Clean, On-Brand Design 

• Simple, uncluttered layout
• Colors and fonts that reflect your brand
• A user-first design approach: easy on the eyes, clear to navigate

We love how this lead gen contact form uses a clean, on-brand design with fun, friendly CTAs tailored to different audience types. They know their audience enough to make it super easy by letting users self-select their intent. 

Basic Contact Fields

• To reduce friction, stick to the essentials - only ask for what you really need. This ‘Website Grader’ form is a fantastic example for keeping it simple. With just two essential fields ‘Website Link’ and ‘Email ID’ - no first name, last name, company, or any of that extra stuff. Just a 2 field form with a clear, action-driven CTA + a value add in return. 0% friction. 

Multi-Step Forms for Lengthy Processes

• Multi-step forms are an essential feature for breaking up long forms into steps to reduce drop-offs. Ideal for demo requests or onboarding sequences.

• This massage company’s multi-step form eases users into a multi-step “self-care quiz” instead of a typical intake, which sets the tone for meaningful recommendations. This form proves how multi-step forms can feel more like a helpful conversation than data collection if designed right.

Mobile-Friendly Forms

• Optimize for all screen sizes
• Use responsive design to improve experience on phones and tablets

We love this Lacoste pop-up lead generation form because it nails the mobile-friendly experience - it’s responsive, easy to read, and fits perfectly within a phone screen without overwhelming the user.

Auto-Fill and Zip Code Auto Fill

• Auto fill features help reduce the amount of typing a customer is required to do, which means more completions! All you have to do is enable browser auto-fill to make the process faster, many form makers also have this feature to auto-fill other types of form fields.

Privacy and Compliance

• 29% of people abandon a form over privacy concerns - well, stop giving them a reason to bounce! Depending on where you are collecting data from, don’t forget to Include GDPR, TCPA, FCC consent checkboxes. Be transparent about how data is used Many compliances ask for explicit consent, and this checkbox can make or break your form. Form builders like MakeForms have this as an in-built feature.

CAPTCHA or OTP Verification

• A fairly new but extremely helpful feature is an OTP verification in lead gen forms, it helps block spam and bots. It’s the best way to ensure you are getting real, qualified leads!

If your forms are collecting a lot of spam or fake leads, then you can read our article on How to prevent spam here.

Alternative Contact Options

• Commonly businesses use a standard contact form, but adding in an alternate phone number, chat, or WhatsApp alongside your form give users other options to get in touch with you. 

This contact form is a great example of directing customers to different contact points alongside encouraging open communication by offering up their email id, LinkedIn as well as address in a clear manner.
 

Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

The quality of copy on a form is hugely underestimated. It’s the words that guide, reassure, and convert. A compelling CTA and even the microcopy under a field, every word plays a role in making users feel informed, safe, and motivated to take action. Pair that with clean, intentional visuals, and your form transforms from functional to truly persuasive.

We cannot get over that empowering headline and strong call-to-action combo- “What will you achieve today” and “Get Evernote free” ! It’s clear, benefit-driven, and visually stands out in bold green. Evernote definitely successfully motivates their users to act immediately with this form.

Thank You Page (Post-Submission)

• Always acknowledge the submission; collecting someone’s details without a follow-up feels impersonal and super one-sided. A simple thank-you and clear next steps like “Check your inbox” or “Book a time” shows respect and keeps the conversation going.

How thoughtful is this Thank You page?! It acknowledges the submission, sets clear expectations ("you should hear from us within one business day"), and adds a personal, human touch with a friendly video. Bonus points for keeping users engaged with a link to the Learning Center - a smart way to offer value while they wait.

Lead Alerts, Automation, CRM Integration

• Connecting your form to a CRM helps keep things organized and ensures no lead slips through the cracks. Setting up instant alerts or autoresponders can speed up response times, and simple automation for follow-ups can make the process even more consistent.

Tips to Boost Form Conversions

Even the best-designed form can underperform without a few smart tweaks. Here are some practical tips to help you improve form conversions and get better results from your efforts:

• A/B test layouts, headlines, and CTAs: helps you understand what actually drives conversions by comparing variations.
• Time and place matter: inline, pop-up, slide-in – different placements work better depending on the user journey.
• Add trust signals: things like testimonials and badges reduce hesitation and build credibility.
• Ensure forms are accessible: accessibility ensures all users, including those with disabilities, can interact with your form, widening your reach.
  These tactics are made possible only by using the best lead generation tools, many of them have these features built into their software. 

Last word

Take a look at your current lead gen form and compare it against this checklist. Spot any gaps? Tweak and test improvements! Your future pipeline (and sales team) will thank you.
Ready to level up your forms? Start with our guide: create a lead capture form with MakeForms.