what is a contact form
contact form is box on website where visitors type message and click send. message arrives in your email.
how it works:
visitor fills in fields: name, email, phone, message.
visitor clicks send button.
website processes form and sends email to your inbox.
you receive email with visitor's information and message.
you reply by email or phone to continue conversation.
why use contact form instead of just email address:
reduces spam: email address displayed on website gets scraped by bots. contact form hides your actual email address.
collects structured information: form has specific fields. ensures you get name, phone, and message format you want.
looks professional: dedicated contact page with form signals established business.
works on mobile: easier for mobile users to fill form than open email app and type address.
tracks submissions: can see who contacted you and when even if email gets lost.
what contact form needs to work:
server-side processing: code that takes form data and sends email. requires hosting that supports this.
spam protection: prevents bots submitting hundreds of fake messages. usually captcha or similar.
email configuration: hosting needs to send email properly. not all cheap hosting does this reliably.
privacy compliance: form collecting personal data needs privacy policy explaining how data is used.
contact form limitations:
not instant messaging: visitor submits form and waits for your email reply. not real-time conversation.
requires working email: if your email breaks, you miss messages. need reliable email service.
can still get spam: determined spammers find ways around protection.
alternative to contact form:
display email address directly: simple but invites spam.
display phone number only: works if you answer phone or want calls instead of emails.
link to email address: clicking opens email app. works but less professional looking.
computer web contact forms:
included on every website. email address hidden from spammers. reliable delivery. spam protection active.
see what's included in our website service.
based in mere, wiltshire. work anywhere.