Contact Form Template (Free + Copy-Paste Examples)

Every website needs a bridge between the business and its visitors. A contact form is that bridge. It's the digital handshake that turns a passive browser into an active lead, customer, or partner. Without a clear, simple way for people to reach you, you're leaving conversations—and opportunities—on the table.

But building a good one can be tricky. Too many fields, and people will abandon it. Too few, and you won't get the information you need. The goal is to create a website contact form that is easy to use, asks the right questions, and encourages visitors to get in touch.

This guide provides a practical, direct approach to creating the perfect contact form. We'll give you a free, copy-paste template, break down exactly what fields to include, show you different examples for various needs, and share best practices to help you get more responses.

What's in this guide:

• A ready-to-use contact form template

• What fields to include (and what to skip)

• 3 variations for different use cases

• Best practices to get more responses

What Is a Contact Form?

A contact form is a set of fields on a website that allows visitors to send a message directly to the site owner. Instead of requiring users to open their own email client, a form captures their information (like name and email) and their message, then sends it to a designated inbox. For any business, freelancer, or creator, it's an essential tool for generating leads, gathering feedback, and providing customer support.

Contact Form Template

Here is a standard, all-purpose contact form template that works for most small businesses and service providers. It balances collecting essential information without overwhelming the user. You can copy and paste the fields below as a starting point for your own contact us form template.

Contact Form

• Full Name *

• Email Address *

• Subject

• Message *

• How did you find us? (optional)

[Send Message]

What to Include in a Contact Form

Choosing the right fields is crucial. Every field you add increases friction and lowers the chance of completion. Here’s a field-by-field breakdown of what to include in your free contact form and why each one matters.

Field	Required?	Why include it
Full Name	Yes	Helps you personalize your response and know who you're talking to.
Email Address	Yes	This is essential. It's how you will reply to the inquiry.
Subject	Optional	A subject line helps you organize incoming messages and prioritize responses.
Message	Yes	This is the core of the inquiry, where the user explains their reason for contacting you.
Phone Number	Optional	Only ask for this if you have a clear reason to call the person. It's a high-friction field.
How did you find us?	Optional	Great for gathering marketing insight, but make it optional to keep the form short.

This structure can be adapted for more specific needs, like a client intake form template, which might require more detailed project-related fields.

Contact Form Examples by Use Case

Not every contact form serves the same purpose. Your needs will change depending on whether you're a freelancer with a portfolio or a B2B service provider qualifying leads. Here are three common variations (See more form examples for inspiration.)

1. Simple Contact Form (3 fields)

This is the most basic and user-friendly contact form example. It minimizes friction to maximize submissions.

• Name

• Email

• Message

Best for: Personal websites, blogs, and portfolios where the main goal is to open a simple line of communication.

2. Standard Contact Form (5 fields)

This is the most common format, adding a bit more context for business inquiries.

• Name

• Email

• Phone

• Subject

• Message

Best for: Small businesses and service providers who need to categorize inquiries and may need to follow up with a phone call.

3. Detailed Contact Form (with extras)

This contact form example is designed to pre-qualify leads, gathering more specific information upfront to save time on back-and-forth emails.

• Name

• Email

• Company

• Subject

• Message

• Budget Range (Dropdown)

• File Upload (for project briefs, etc.)

Best for: Agencies, consultants, and freelancers who need to qualify potential clients before the first conversation.

Contact Form Best Practices

A good template is only the beginning. How you present and manage your form makes a huge difference in its effectiveness. Follow these best practices to get more responses.

1. Keep it short: For most cases, 3-5 fields is the sweet spot. Only ask for information that is absolutely essential to start a conversation.

2. Mark required fields clearly: Use an asterisk (*) to show users which fields they must fill out. This avoids frustration and submission errors.

3. Use a clear submit button: The button text should be action-oriented. "Send Message" or "Get in Touch" is more effective than a generic "Submit."

4. Show a confirmation message: After a user clicks send, show a success message like, "Thanks for your message! We'll get back to you within 24 hours." This confirms the submission was successful and manages expectations.

5. Make it mobile-friendly: Your form must be easy to use on a smartphone. Ensure the fields are large enough to tap and the layout is responsive.

6. Test your form: Before you make it live, send a test submission to ensure the emails are being delivered to the correct inbox and that all functionality works as expected.

Create Your Contact Form in Notie

Building a website contact form shouldn't be a complex, technical task. With modern tools, you can create and deploy a form in seconds without writing any code. Notie is an AI-powered workspace that lets you generate forms just by describing what you need.

Simply type a prompt like "Create a simple contact form for my freelance business with fields for name, email, and a message," and Notie builds it for you instantly. All responses are collected in a clean, organized table, and you get built-in analytics to track views and submissions. It’s the fastest way to go from an idea to a functional form on your site.

Create your free contact form with Notie today!