Add Google Docs Contact Form to Blogger - Easy Guide
Adding a Contact Form to Your Blogger Blog Using Google Docs
While platforms like WordPress and Tumblr are popular, many bloggers continue to utilize Blogger. Google consistently updates Blogger, with the recent "Blogger in Draft" interface being a prime example.
Blogger remains an attractive option due to its cost-effectiveness and the flexibility it offers for complete customization, alongside the ability to use personal domain names.
Creating a Contact Form with Google Docs
A common question among Blogger users is how to implement a sophisticated contact form, similar to those seen on other blogs. Fortunately, integrating a contact form is achievable if you already use Google Docs.
This process is surprisingly straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise.
How it Works
The method leverages the form creation capabilities within Google Docs. When a user submits the form, the responses are automatically collected in a Google Sheet.
You can then access and manage these submissions directly from the spreadsheet.
Steps to Implement
- First, open Google Docs and create a new form.
- Design the form with the fields you require, such as name, email, and message.
- Once the form is complete, obtain the form's embed code.
- In your Blogger dashboard, navigate to the "Layout" section.
- Add an HTML/JavaScript gadget to your blog's sidebar or a specific page.
- Paste the embed code into the gadget's content area.
- Save your changes, and the contact form will now be visible on your blog.
This approach provides a simple and free way to add a functional contact form to your Blogger blog. It allows visitors to easily reach out to you, enhancing communication and engagement.
By utilizing Google Docs, you bypass the need for complex coding or third-party services.
Creating a Contact Form
The process starts by accessing Google Docs and initiating a new form, as illustrated in the image below. A title for the form can be entered for organizational purposes, though leaving it as "Untitled" will not affect functionality. To establish a functional contact page, incorporate a question utilizing the "paragraph text" type.
This question format provides ample space for users to submit detailed inquiries or comments.
It’s important to note that a new form defaults to including two example questions. The second sample question should be removed to avoid unnecessary, phantom submissions.
Adding Further Questions
Additional questions can be added, utilizing various answer formats like checkboxes or multiple choice, if desired. Making fields for contact information required ensures complete submissions.
Once the form is configured to your specifications, remember to save your changes.
Customizing Google Forms for Your Website
It's commonly known that Google Forms typically utilize pre-defined templates that may not always align with the aesthetic of your website. While embedding a form via an iFrame is an option, it doesn't alter the form's inherent design. Fortunately, a workaround exists to achieve greater customization.
Once your form is complete, navigate back to your Google Docs main page and access the associated spreadsheet. This spreadsheet serves as a repository for all form submissions. From within this spreadsheet, select the "Form" option in the menu bar, then choose "Go to live form".
With the live form page displayed, utilize your browser's functionality to view the page's source code. In my case, using Chrome on a macOS system, I simply right-clicked and selected "View Page Source" from the context menu.
This next step requires careful attention. Employ your browser’s Find feature (typically CTRL + F) to locate the phrase "form action". Upon locating it, you should observe code similar to the following:
<div class="ss-form><form action="YOUR_FORM_URL" method="POST" id="ss-form">
Remember the location of this code snippet, and then search for this subsequent code:
</script></div>
Select and copy all the code from the first identified line to the second. Feel free to paste this code into a text editor if that enhances your comfort level. This code will be utilized shortly.
Form Installation Process
Once the desired code has been copied to your clipboard, navigate to your Blogger administration panel. The instructions are based on the Blogger in Draft interface, though the process remains largely consistent with the original user interface.
Begin by creating a new page within your blog, giving it a title such as "Contact Me" or a similar designation. Upon opening the new page, proceed directly to the HTML editing mode and paste the copied code.
The form installation is now essentially finished. The page preview should resemble the image shown below, although variations may occur depending on individual system configurations.
Adjusting Form Appearance
Experience with my own blog revealed that layout issues, such as excessive spacing between the page title and the form or an answer box exceeding the blog's width, can occasionally arise. Fortunately, these relatively small problems are typically straightforward to resolve.
Should you encounter unwanted space separating the title from the questions, locate and remove any unnecessary
tags present in the code.
Conversely, if the answer box's width is causing display problems, identify the following code snippet:
<textarea name="entry.0.single" rows="8" cols="75" class="ss-q-long" id="entry_0"></textarea>
Modifying the "cols" attribute to a lower numerical value will reduce the width of the text area, allowing it to better fit smaller screens or different web browsers.
Furthermore, the appearance of the question text itself can be altered during page editing. Through sufficient customization, a form resembling the image below can be achieved.
Customization allows for a tailored user experience.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Excessive Spacing: Remove unnecessary
tags. - Answer Box Width: Adjust the "cols" attribute in the <textarea> tag.
- Font Styling: Modify fonts during page editing.
These adjustments ensure the form integrates seamlessly with the overall blog design.
Final Thoughts
Integrating a Google Docs form, styled to match your blog, into your Blogger site is a streamlined process. The methods detailed in this guide are also readily transferable to various other web platforms and blogging systems.
The possibilities extend beyond the scope of this demonstration, encouraging experimentation to unlock further customization options. Take the time to explore the features available.
Further Exploration & Support
We are interested in learning about the other platforms you utilize for creating web-based forms. How successful was the implementation of this tutorial for your own blog?
Should you encounter any difficulties during the form creation process, please don't hesitate to share your questions in the comments section. Alternatively, you can seek assistance from the community at MakeUseOf Answers.