Count the fields and justify each one
Every field is a small tax on the visitor's effort. List each question on your form and ask what you would do differently without it. Name, a way to reply and a message are usually enough for a first inquiry. Ask for the address or the budget only if you cannot respond usefully without it.
If you need more detail, split it across two steps: a short first form now, and a longer intake sent after you reply. People who have already heard back are far more willing to answer ten questions.
Make each field easy
Put the label above the field, not inside it as a hint that disappears on typing. Use the right input types so phones show a number pad for phone numbers and an email keyboard for addresses. Mark optional fields as optional instead of starring the required ones, if most are required.
Avoid dropdowns with long lists when typing is faster, and avoid asking people to retype information, such as an email twice. Allow spaces and dashes in phone numbers rather than rejecting them.
Validate kindly
When something is wrong, show the message beside the field in plain words: 'Please enter a phone number we can call back,' not 'Invalid input.' Keep what the visitor already typed. A form that wipes everything after one error loses people for good.
Test with unusual but valid entries such as hyphenated names, apostrophes and international numbers if you serve customers who use them.
Control spam without punishing people
Spam bots find every public form. Use quiet defenses first: a hidden field only bots fill in, a time check, and a spam filter on the server. Image puzzles frustrate real customers and are hard for people using screen readers.
If you still get junk, route form messages through a service that filters them, and keep a separate folder for suspected spam so you can rescue real messages by mistake.
Design the moment after Send
Show a clear confirmation that says what happens next and when. Send an automatic email copy with your phone number. Then actually reply promptly, because response speed is often the deciding factor between you and a competitor. Know who is responsible for each incoming message and what the target is, for example the same business day.
Set up the notification emails so they do not land in spam. Test with a Gmail address and a company address.
Look at the data
Count how many people reach the form page and how many submit. If many arrive but few submit, shorten the form or look at the surrounding page. If many submit but few are real leads, the form may be too easy for the wrong audience or too vague about who you serve. Review a month of messages and adjust the questions based on what you wish you had known.
Common questions
How many fields is too many?
There is no fixed number. Start with the minimum you need to reply and add one at a time only when it clearly improves your response.
Should I use a phone number instead of a form?
Offer both. Callers want speed, writers want convenience, and many visitors use whichever is available at the moment.
This guide is general information. Search engines change how they work and their guidelines; check Google's current documentation for your situation. Nobody can guarantee a ranking.