WPForms is a popular and user-friendly WordPress plugin that allows you to create various forms for your website, such as contact forms, survey forms, and more. It’s perfect for beginners because it doesn’t require any coding knowledge.
This guide will walk you through the basics of setting up and using WPForms on your WordPress site.
Step 1: Installing WPForms
Before you can create forms, you need to install the WPForms plugin on your WordPress website.
Log in to your WordPress dashboard. You can go to your website’s admin area by adding /wp-admin to the end of your domain name and log in with your credentials.
After that, navigate to Plugins. On the left-hand menu, click on “Plugins,” then select “Add New.”
In the search bar at the top right, type “WPForms.” Once you find the WPForms plugin (look for the orange icon), click on “Install Now.” After installation, click the “Activate” button. WPForms is now ready to use on your site.
Step 2: Creating Your First Form
Now that WPForms is installed, let’s create a simple contact form.
On your WordPress dashboard, you’ll see a new menu item called “WPForms.” Click on it, then select “Add New” to start creating a form.
WPForms offers several templates to get you started. For a basic contact form, select the “Simple Contact Form” template. This template includes fields like Name, Email, and Message, which are commonly used in contact forms.
Once the template is loaded, you can customize it by dragging and dropping additional fields from the left-hand panel to the form on the right. For example, you might want to add a phone number field or change the order of the fields.
Simply drag the fields to where you want them.
Click on any field in the form to edit its details. You can change the label (e.g., change “Name” to “Your Name”), make a field required, or add a description to guide your users.
After customizing your form, don’t forget to click the “Save” button at the top of the screen.
Step 3: Adding the Form to Your Website
Now that your form is ready, you’ll want to add it to a page or post on your website.
Create or Edit a Page/Post: Go to “Pages” or “Posts” in your WordPress dashboard and either create a new one or edit an existing one.
If you’re using the Gutenberg editor (the default WordPress editor), click the plus (+) icon to add a new block. Search for “WPForms” and select it.
After adding the WPForms block, you’ll see a dropdown menu. Click on it and select the form you just created. Once you’ve added the form to your page or post, click “Publish” or “Update” to make it live on your site.
Step 4: Managing Form Entries
After your form is live, you’ll start receiving entries from your visitors.
To see the form submissions, go to the WPForms menu in your WordPress dashboard and click on “Entries.” Here, you’ll see a list of all the submissions, with details like the date of submission and the content of each field.
If you want to keep a record of the entries, you can export them by clicking the “Export” button. This will download the entries as a CSV file, which you can open in spreadsheet software like Excel.
Step 5: Enhancing Your Forms
As you get more comfortable with WPForms, you can explore its advanced features.
- Conditional Logic: Show or hide fields based on user responses.
- Notifications: Set up email notifications to be alerted whenever someone submits a form.
- Integrations: Connect WPForms to email marketing services, payment gateways, and more.
Conclusion
WPForms is a powerful tool for creating forms on your WordPress site, and it’s designed to be easy for beginners. By following this guide, you can quickly set up and customize your forms, making it easier for visitors to interact with your website.
As you become more familiar with WPForms, you’ll discover even more ways to enhance your forms and improve your website’s functionality.
