Overview #
Before going live, it’s essential to test every form on your website—such as contact forms, booking forms, and lead capture forms—to ensure they are working correctly and sending notifications as expected. A broken or misconfigured form can result in lost leads, missed opportunities, and poor user experience.
This guide walks you through how to properly test your website forms to confirm they’re fully functional.
Step 1: Identify All Active Forms on Your Site #
Review your website and make a list of all pages that include forms. Common types include:
- Contact Forms
- Newsletter Sign-up Forms
- Booking or Appointment Forms
- Request a Quote Forms
- Event Registration or RSVP Forms
- Surveys or Feedback Forms
Make sure to test each form individually—even if they seem similar.
Step 2: Submit a Test Entry for Each Form #
How to Test: #
- Visit the live form page on your site (not the editor view).
- Fill out the form completely using real or dummy data.
- Click Submit and observe the behavior:
- Does a success message appear?
- Is there a redirect to a thank-you page?
- Is the user experience smooth on mobile and desktop?
📌 Tip: Use a real email address when testing so you can check for email delivery.
Step 3: Check Email Notifications #
After submitting each form:
✅ Confirm that the admin notification is sent to the correct email address.
✅ Check the “From Name” and “Reply-To” fields are correctly configured.
✅ If the form sends an auto-responder to the user, make sure it’s formatted properly and arrives in the inbox (not spam).
Troubleshooting Tips: #
- If you’re not receiving emails, check:
- Spam or junk folders
- Notification settings inside the form plugin (e.g., Gravity Forms, Elementor Forms)
- SMTP configuration (ensure it’s set up using a plugin like Gravity SMTP or WP Mail SMTP)
Step 4: Test on Multiple Devices and Browsers #
Test forms on different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) and browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) to confirm:
- Fields display properly
- Buttons are easy to click
- The form is responsive and styled correctly
Step 5: Check Form Entries in the WordPress Dashboard #
If you’re using a form plugin like Gravity Forms, Formidable Forms, or WPForms, check the backend to ensure the form submission was logged correctly.
- Navigate to the form entries section (e.g., Forms → Entries in Gravity Forms)
- Confirm that your test submission appears
- Make sure all submitted fields are stored correctly
Step 6: Confirm GDPR/Privacy Settings #
- Check for any required consent checkboxes
- Ensure submitted data is handled according to your privacy policy
- Consider adding a link to your privacy policy near your forms
Conclusion #
Thoroughly testing your website forms ensures that potential customers, clients, or users can reach you successfully—and that you receive every inquiry or lead. Make this a standard part of your pre-launch checklist to avoid missing critical communications after your site goes live.
