DESIGN FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
How to design a contact page customers can use
The contact page should let a suitable visitor reach you and understand what will happen next. Start by deciding how messages actually arrive, then write the page around that route.
Choose the delivery method
An email link opens the visitor's email application. A submitted form sends information through a service or your own backend. A booking link takes the visitor to a separate provider. Tell the visitor which action they are taking; do not display “Message sent” for a button that only creates an email draft.
Ask for enough information
For a website enquiry, a name, reply address, current URL and a short project description may be sufficient. Make optional fields clearly optional. Avoid collecting sensitive material just because there is room for another input. W3C recommends clear labels, instructions and feedback for forms.
Provide an alternative
Display the contact address as readable text with a working email link. Someone without an email app configured may need to copy the address. If you offer another channel, keep its availability accurate rather than implying round-the-clock support.
Test the route from a phone
Open the page, fill the fields and check validation messages. For a server form, send an authorised test and confirm it reaches the intended inbox. For an email draft, confirm the recipient and body, then let the visitor control sending. Check the privacy notice explains where enquiry data goes.
Set realistic expectations
Say what information helps you quote and whether scope is reviewed before payment. Only state a response time if you can meet it. A useful closing line is “Send your current website and the pages you need; we will discuss the scope before preparing a quote.”
Before launch, compare the email address with the footer and About page. Broken contact details can undo the value of the whole site. Record who will review the inbox and what happens if the usual person is unavailable.
Sources and further detail
Technical references checked on 8 October 2026. Provider features can change.
Practical guidance with illustrative examples. Read our editorial standards or send a correction.