An opt-in form is how you collect explicit permission from website visitors to send them marketing emails. When a visitor submits your opt-in form, their contact information is added to your CRM automatically and any follow-up automations you have configured begin immediately — no manual data entry required. Adding an opt-in form to your WordPress site turns your website into a lead capture tool that works around the clock.

This article covers how to create and configure a WordPress opt-in form using the Keap WordPress plugin. Before you begin, complete the Keap WordPress plugin setup. You will also need to decide where on your website you want the opt-in form to appear and what information you want to collect from visitors — such as name, email address, or phone number.

Opt-In Form Types

When creating a new opt-in form, you will be asked to select a form type. The form type controls how and where the form appears on your WordPress site. The available form types are listed below.

• Pop up — Displays the form as an overlay that appears after a specific amount of time, when a visitor scrolls to a specific point on the page, after leaving a comment, or when a visitor makes a purchase.
• Fly in — Displays the form as a panel that slides in from the bottom of the screen after a specific amount of time or when a visitor scrolls to a specific point on the page.
• Below post — Places the form at the end of a blog post or page. Visitors who have read an entire post are highly engaged, making this placement effective for capturing opt-ins from interested readers.
• Inline — Inserts the form directly into the content of a page or post at any location you choose using a shortcode.
• Locked content — Hides a section of your page content behind the opt-in form. Visitors must submit the opt-in form to unlock and view the hidden content. Locked content is placed between the shortcodes [inf_infusionsoft_locked optin_id="optin_#"] and [/inf_infusionsoft_locked] in your page editor.
• Widget — Places the form in a widget area of your WordPress site, such as a sidebar or footer.
• Bar — Displays the form as a banner across the top of your page, useful for announcing promotions or directing visitors to take a specific action.

How to Create a WordPress Opt-In Form

1. Log in to your WordPress account. In the WordPress left-hand menu, click Infusionsoft to expand the Infusionsoft section. Then click Opt-in Forms to open the Opt-In Forms management page.
2. Click the New Opt-In Form button in the top-right corner of the Opt-In Forms management page to begin creating a new form.
3. Select the form type that matches how you want the opt-in form to appear on your website. See the Opt-In Form Types section above for a description of each available form type. Click the form type to select it and proceed.
4. Enter a name for your opt-in form in the name field. The form name is for your internal reference only and helps you identify the form in the Opt-In Forms list. After entering a name, click Next: Design to proceed.
5. Enter your Legacy API Key and your App ID in the fields provided, then click Authorize to connect the opt-in form to your CRM. Your Legacy API Key is a secure access key that allows the WordPress plugin to send contact data from the opt-in form into your CRM. Your App ID identifies which CRM account receives the submitted contact data. Both fields must be filled in before clicking Authorize.
6. Choose a form layout from the available options. The layout controls how the form fields are arranged visually on the page. After selecting a layout, click Next: Customize to proceed.
7. Choose a color template for your opt-in form. You can adjust individual colors after selecting a template. After selecting a template, click Next: Customize to proceed to the field customization step.
8. Add the fields you want to collect from visitors who submit the opt-in form — such as first name, last name, and phone number. The Email Address field is always required and cannot be removed from the form.
9. Click the Preview button in the top-right corner of the page to open a preview of how your opt-in form will appear to website visitors. Use the preview to check the form's appearance and field layout before finalizing the design.
10. Click Next: Display to open the Display Settings step where you will configure where the opt-in form appears on your WordPress site.
11. Select where on your WordPress site the opt-in form should appear. The available display location options are: everywhere on the site, the home page only, the archives page, certain page or post categories, pages specified by shortcode tags, specified individual pages, and specified individual posts.
12. Click Save and Exit at the bottom of the Display Settings tab to save the opt-in form. The new form will appear in the Opt-In Forms list on the Opt-In Forms management page. Repeat this process to create additional opt-in forms for other locations on your website.

Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Opt-In Forms

What is a Legacy API Key and where do I find it?

Your Legacy API Key is a secure access key that authorizes the Keap WordPress plugin to send contact data from your opt-in form into your CRM. You can find your Legacy API Key in your CRM account settings under the API section. If you are not sure where to locate your Legacy API Key or App ID, contact Keap Customer Support for assistance.

Can I place more than one opt-in form on my WordPress site?

Yes. You can create multiple opt-in forms and configure each one to appear in a different location on your WordPress site. For example, you can have a Pop up form on your home page and a Below post form on your blog posts. Repeat the steps in the How to Create a WordPress Opt-In Form section above for each additional form you want to create.

What happens after a visitor submits the opt-in form?

When a visitor submits the opt-in form, their contact information is added to your CRM automatically as a new contact record. Any automations you have configured to trigger when a new contact is added — such as a welcome email sequence — will begin immediately after the form is submitted.