Unlock Lead Generation: Elementor Forms Without Pro

Preface

Are you looking to capture leads effectively on your WordPress website without investing in Elementor Pro? You’re in the right place! Elementor is a powerful page builder, and while its Pro version offers advanced form features, you can still create functional and effective lead-capture forms with the free version. This guide will walk you through how to leverage Elementor’s basic form widget and integrate it with other tools to gather valuable leads. Let’s dive in and start turning your website visitors into potential customers!

Why Use Elementor Forms for Lead Capture?

Capturing leads is essential for growing your business. A lead capture form allows you to collect information from visitors interested in your products or services. By using Elementor, you can easily embed these forms directly into your website pages, making it convenient for users to submit their details. Even without Elementor Pro, you can still create a robust lead generation system.

Here’s why Elementor forms are a great option:

• Ease of Use: Elementor’s drag-and-drop interface makes form creation simple, even for beginners. Check out this guide for getting started with Elementor.
• Customization: You can customize the appearance of your forms to match your website’s design.
• Integration: While direct integration with popular CRM tools requires Elementor Pro, you can still connect your forms using workarounds, which we’ll cover in this guide.

Setting Up Your First Elementor Form (Free Version)

Let’s get started with creating a basic form using the free version of Elementor. Follow these steps:

1. Install and activate Elementor: If you haven’t already, install and activate the Elementor plugin from the WordPress plugin directory.
   If you need help with installing plugins check out: how to install wordpress plugins

2. Create a new page or edit an existing one: Open the page where you want to add your form.

3. Add the Form Widget: In the Elementor editor, search for the “Form” widget and drag it onto your page.

   Hint: The “Form” widget is available in the free version of Elementor.

4. Customize form fields:

   • Click on the form to open the settings panel.
   • Add or remove fields as needed. Common fields include Name, Email, and Message.
   • Adjust the field labels, placeholders, and validation rules.

   Here’s an example of basic HTML for a form field:

   <div class="form-group">
       <label for="name">Name:</label>
       <input type="text" id="name" name="name" required>
   </div>
   

5. Configure the Actions After Submit: This is where you define what happens after a user submits the form.

   • By default, Elementor saves submissions to the WordPress database and sends an email to the admin. You can modify these actions.

Essential Free Integrations for Lead Capture

While Elementor Pro offers direct integrations with many CRM and marketing automation tools, there are several ways to achieve similar results with free plugins and services.

1. Email Marketing Services via Zapier

Zapier (https://zapier.com/) is a powerful automation tool that connects different apps and services. You can use Zapier to integrate your Elementor form with popular email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or Sendinblue.

1. Install the “Contact Form 7” plugin: Yes, you read that right! Even though we’re using Elementor forms, Contact Form 7 can act as a bridge for Zapier.
2. Configure Contact Form 7: Set up a basic form in Contact Form 7. You don’t need to use it on your site; it’s just for Zapier to recognize form submissions.
3. Connect Zapier:
   • Create a Zap that triggers when a new Contact Form 7 submission is received.
   • Add an action to send the data to your email marketing service.

2. Google Sheets for Lead Tracking

Another simple yet effective method is to send form submissions to a Google Sheet. This allows you to easily track and manage your leads.

1. Install the “Contact Form 7” plugin: Again, we’re using it as a bridge for Zapier.
2. Set up a Google Sheet: Create a new Google Sheet with columns for each form field (e.g., Name, Email, Message).
3. Connect Zapier:
   • Create a Zap that triggers when a new Contact Form 7 submission is received.
   • Add an action to create a new row in your Google Sheet, mapping the form fields to the corresponding columns.

3. Webhooks

Webhooks allow real-time data transfer to other applications. If you’re comfortable with a bit of coding, you can use webhooks to send form data to various services.

Info: Elementor’s free version doesn’t directly support webhooks. You’ll need a plugin like “Webhook” or code a custom solution.

add_action( 'elementor_pro/forms/new_record', function( $record ) {
    $form_name = $record->get_form_settings( 'form_name' );

    if ( 'Your Form Name' === $form_name ) {
        $raw_fields = $record->get( 'form_fields' );
        $fields = [];

        foreach ( $raw_fields as $id => $field ) {
            $fields[ $id ] = $field[ 'value' ];
        }

        $webhook_url = 'YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL';

        $args = [
            'body' => $fields,
            'timeout'   => 45,
            'sslverify' => false,
        ];

        wp_remote_post( $webhook_url, $args );
    }

}, 10, 1 );

Best Practices for Designing Effective Lead Capture Forms

Creating a form is just the first step. To maximize lead capture, follow these best practices:

• Keep it Simple: Only ask for necessary information. The more fields you add, the lower your conversion rate might be.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your forms are responsive and look good on all devices.
• Clear Call to Action: Use clear and compelling button text (e.g., “Download Now,” “Get a Free Quote”).
• Privacy Policy: Always include a link to your privacy policy to build trust.
• Use Conditional Logic: For more advanced forms, consider using plugins that add conditional logic to show or hide fields based on user input.

Enhancing Your Forms with Custom CSS

To further customize the look and feel of your Elementor forms, you can add custom CSS. Here’s how:

1. Access the Advanced Tab: In the Elementor editor, select your form and go to the “Advanced” tab.

2. Add Custom CSS: Open the “Custom CSS” section and add your CSS code.

   Here’s an example to style the form button:

   .elementor-button {
       background-color: #007bff;
       color: #fff;
       padding: 10px 20px;
       border-radius: 5px;
   }
   
   .elementor-button:hover {
       background-color: #0056b3;
   }
   

Analyzing and Improving Form Performance

To make sure your forms are effective, track their performance and make adjustments as needed.

• Track Submission Rates: Monitor how many people are submitting your forms.
• Use Google Analytics: Set up event tracking in Google Analytics to track form submissions.
• A/B Testing: Test different form variations (e.g., different button text, field arrangements) to see what works best.

Hint: Consider using Google Tag Manager to easily implement Google Analytics event tracking.

Overcoming Limitations of the Free Version

While the free version of Elementor has some limitations, such as the lack of direct CRM integrations and advanced form fields, there are always workarounds:

• Use Third-Party Plugins: Explore WordPress plugins that offer additional form features and integrations.
• Custom Coding: If you’re comfortable with code, you can create custom solutions to extend the functionality of your forms.
• Upgrade to Elementor Pro: If you find that the free version is too limiting, consider upgrading to Elementor Pro for access to all its features. You can use this Prettylink to Elementor Pro

Conclusion

By following this guide, you can effectively use Elementor forms in the free version to capture leads and grow your business. While it may require a bit more setup than using Elementor Pro, the results are well worth the effort. Start implementing these strategies today and watch your lead generation efforts take off! Remember to keep testing and refining your forms to achieve the best possible results. Good luck, and happy lead capturing!