How to Create a Multi-Page Form in WordPress (Step-by-Step)

Collecting information from users through online forms is crucial for many websites and businesses. However, long, single-page forms can be overwhelming and lead to high abandonment rates.

That‘s where multi-page forms come in. By splitting your form across multiple pages, you can create a friendlier user experience and boost conversion rates.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk through how to build a multi-step form in WordPress using the powerful WPForms plugin.

Why Use a Multi-Page Form?

Here are some of the key benefits of breaking up your forms into multiple pages:

• Less intimidating for users – A form with 10+ fields on one page looks daunting. Splitting it up across steps appears more manageable.

• Higher completion rates – Reducing cognitive overload leads to fewer abandoned forms. Multi-page forms have been shown to improve conversions by over 20%.

• Better mobile experience – On smaller screens, scrolling through a lengthy form is frustrating. Multiple pages prevent excess scrolling.

• Logical grouping of fields – Organize fields into logical sections to guide users smoothly through your form.

• Progress indicator – Visual progress bars show users their completion progress and encourage form submission.

As an experienced WordPress developer, I‘ve found that multi-page forms dramatically increase conversion rates compared to long, single-page forms. Here are some statistics:

• Forms over 10 fields have an abandonment rate of over 80% (WPBeginner)
• Multi-page forms decrease abandonment by 22.5% compared to single page (HubSpot)
• 98% of testers said they preferred multi-step checkout forms (Baymard Institute)

It‘s clear that multi-page forms reduce cognitive load and friction, leading to better outcomes for conversion-focused forms.

Now that you know why multi-page forms are effective, let‘s see how to create one in WordPress.

Step 1: Install and Activate WPForms

For drag-and-drop form building, the WPForms plugin is our top recommendation. It‘s user-friendly yet packed with powerful features.

After trying all the major form builders over my 15 years as a WordPress developer, I can confidently recommend WPForms as the easiest way to create multi-page forms.

To add WPForms:

1. Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.

2. Search for "WPForms".

3. Install and activate the WPForms plugin.

4. Click WPForms > Settings and enter your license key if you have a paid plan to unlock additional features.

5. You‘re now ready to start creating multi-page forms in the next steps.

Step 2: Create a New Form

WPForms makes it easy to create a form tailored to your needs. Here‘s how:

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to WPForms > Add New.

2. Give your new form a name.

3. Select the "Blank Form" template.

4. Click Create Form to launch the drag-and-drop form builder.

This will open a blank form canvas allowing you to fully customize your multi-page form.

One tip I have is to sketch out the field flow on paper first before building your form. This helps you visualize the logical grouping and sequence of fields across pages.

Step 3: Add Fields to the First Page

Now, it‘s time to add some fields for the first page of your multi-step form:

1. Drag and drop fields from the left sidebar onto the page. Add any fields you need like Name, Email, Phone, etc.

2. Customize each field using the settings sidebar on the right.

3. Arrange the fields into a logical order.

4. Make sure the fields are labeled clearly so users know what to enter.

5. Delete any unnecessary default fields using the trash can icon.

The first page should contain the initial fields you want users to fill out when they start your form. Keep it short – ideally 3-5 fields maximum. More than that can overwhelm users right off the bat.

Step 4: Add a Page Break

Once you‘ve built out the first page, it‘s time to add a page break to create the next step:

1. Under the "Fancy Fields" section, drag the Page Break field onto the bottom of the first page.

2. This will automatically append a next page to your form.

3. A progress indicator will also be added to show steps at the top.

4. The submit button will move to the final page.

Now you have a 2-page form with a working next button to navigate between steps.

The page break field is the perfect way to split your form visually. No other special configuration is needed.

Step 5: Customize Navigation Settings

You can customize the navigation experience using these steps:

1. Click on the page break field to open its settings.

2. Enter a page title to be displayed in the progress indicator.

3. Choose whether to show page numbers in the progress bar.

4. Pick a progress bar style – circles, line, connector, etc.

5. Set the progress bar position – top or bottom.

6. Change the progress indicator color to match your brand.

7. Modify the Next button text, e.g. "Continue", "Next Step", etc.

With these options you can configure navigation that provides an optimal user experience.

The key is finding a style and flow that matches your branding. I like to A/B test different configurations to see which ones convert best.

Step 6: Build the Remaining Pages

Now you can create additional pages by adding more fields after each page break:

1. Insert new fields needed for the second page following the initial page break.

2. Place another page break at the bottom when you want to end the page.

3. Continue adding fields and page breaks until you‘ve built all the required steps.

4. Use field toggles and conditional logic to selectively show or hide fields based on user responses.

5. Ensure the final page contains the submit button so users can complete the form.

With WPForms powerful form builder, you can quickly create forms with any number of steps to match your needs.

When structuring your pages, think about breaking up long forms into logical sections. Each page should cover a related set of information.

Step 7: Add Your Form to a Page

When your multi-page form is complete, insert it into a post, page or widget area:

1. From the form editor view, click Embed > Add New Page in the top toolbar.

2. Give the new page a title to hold your form.

3. Select creation options like the template and status. Click Create Page.

4. Your form will automatically be embedded on the new page.

5. Alternatively, use a WPForms block or shortcode to add it anywhere on your site.

6. View the front-end of your site to test your multi-step form.

Now visitors will be able to access and use your convenient multi-page WordPress form.

I recommend adding your form to a dedicated landing page for maximum conversions. This gives you full control over the surrounding layout and content.

Advanced Features

WPForms has even more features to take your multi-page forms to the next level:

Save and Resume

Let users save their progress and continue later. No one wants to re-enter answers if their form times out or browser closes unexpectedly. Save + resume is huge for long forms.

Partial Entries

Save incomplete entries when users drop off to follow up. You can send targeted emails urging abandoning users to complete their form. Partial entries recapture lost leads.

Conditional Confirmation

Custom confirmations based on user answers. Send tailored messages based on how they respond. A personalized confirmation improves relevance.

Form Abandonment

Encourage completion with targeted emails if abandoned. Remind the user with a friendly nudge email to complete their form for maximum conversions.

Multi-step SMS/Emails

Automated messaging after each step. Keep users engaged with relevant notifications as they progress through sections.

Approvals

Send notification emails to approve submissions. Route form submissions to assigned team members for review before acceptance.

These advanced features can help squeeze more conversions from your multi-step forms. Review the WPForms documentation to learn more.

Final Thoughts

And that‘s how you can create effective multi-page forms for WordPress without any coding. This simple yet powerful approach will help you boost conversions and get more high-quality leads.

Try adding multi-step forms to your site today using WPForms. You can get started with the free version or upgrade to unlock more features.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m happy to help you build conversion-focused WordPress forms.