Best Practices to Track Advertising Using Your Website Contact Form
In the age of data-driven decision-making, asking “How did you hear about us?” is still one of the simplest and most effective ways to understand which marketing channels are working, but most businesses are asking it the wrong way. They rely on the receptionist or business owner to ask this question in person — when it should be your website doing the talking for you. A well-designed contact form not only captures this information automatically but does it in a way that’s more accurate and useful.
Let’s break down how to get this right and make your contact form a smarter marketing tool.
Use a Checklist, Not a Dropdown
The biggest mistake businesses make is limiting customers to a single answer. A dropdown or radio button forces people to choose just one option, but the reality is they likely saw you in multiple places before reaching out.
Maybe they:
Saw your print ad in a magazine
Heard your name from a friend
Followed you on social media
Visited your booth at a community event
Received a direct mail piece
Or Googled you after seeing a street banner
People rarely act after a single touchpoint. Marketing is cumulative. A checklist (also called a multiple-select or checkbox field) allows your customer to select all the places they’ve seen you—giving you clearer, more useful data.
Customize the Checklist to Reflect Where You Advertise
Don't just include generic options like “Online” or “Word of Mouth.” List the specific places you advertise:
“St. Augustine Social Magazine”
“Google Search”
“Facebook or Instagram”
“Your Storefront Signage”
“Referral from a Friend”
“Local Event or Expo”
“Direct Mail Postcard”
“Saw Your Vehicle Wrap”
Being this specific helps you track actual ROI by platform, rather than guessing what "online" really means.
Here are a few examples….
You can see the problem with radio buttons here. It only gives the consumer one option to select.
How to Encourage More People to Fill Out the Form
Even with the best contact form, people need a little nudge. Here are some ways to increase completion:
Add Buttons: Encourage customers complete your contact form at every glance. A button on the home page, before the scrolls. A button on every page. A button in the main navigation and footer navigation.
Keep it Short & Friendly: Don’t make your form too long. Ask only the essentials.
Give Context: Say something like, “Who can we thank for your referral?” (Check all that apply.)”
Make It Mobile-Friendly: A clunky form on mobile will turn people off fast.
Follow Up with a Gift: A thank-you message page could link to a discount incentive if they schedule today.
The secondary benefit? Now you have their email address. A simple opt-in checkbox gives you the ability to communicate back with them through your marketing email list.
Your website’s contact form isn’t just a gateway for inquiries, it’s a goldmine for marketing data and list growth! But, only if you structure it correctly. Ditch the dropdown, get specific with a checklist, and make it easy and enticing to complete. By doing so, you’ll stop relying on memory and guesswork and start building a clear, accurate picture of what’s actually driving your business forward.
Need more advertising tracking help? These other blogs will help too: