Set up a form in ConvertKit in five minutes

ConvertKit's form builder lets you create a sign-up form without writing code. You pick a template, add your fields, customize the look, and embed it on your website or landing page. The form collects subscriber names and email addresses, and you can set it to send an automated welcome email the moment someone subscribes.

The process works the same whether you're building your first form or your tenth. ConvertKit stores all the settings in one place, so you can edit the form later without starting over.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into ConvertKit, go to the Forms section, and choose between a modal (pop-up), inline (embedded on the page), or landing page form.
  • Name your form, select which email list it feeds into, and add a welcome email that sends automatically when someone subscribes.
  • Customize the headline, button text, and colors to match your site, then copy the embed code and paste it into your website's HTML or page builder.
  • Test the form by submitting a fake email address to make sure it works and the welcome email arrives.
  • ConvertKit tracks how many people see the form and how many actually subscribe, so you can see what's working.

Log in and choose your form type

Open ConvertKit and click Forms in the left menu. Click the blue Create a form button. ConvertKit shows you three options: Modal (a pop-up that appears on top of your page), Inline (a form that sits directly on your page like a box), or Landing page (a full page ConvertKit hosts for you).

Most people start with a modal or inline form. A modal grabs attention but can annoy visitors if it appears too soon. An inline form sits quietly on your page and works well in a sidebar or at the end of a blog post. A landing page is useful if you want ConvertKit to host the entire page and you don't have your own website yet.

Click the type you want. ConvertKit takes you to a template picker with several pre-built designs. Pick one that looks close to what you want — you'll change the text and colors in the next steps.

Name the form and pick your email list

At the top of the form editor, you'll see a text field that says Untitled Form. Click it and type a name you'll recognize, like "Blog Sign-Up" or "Homepage Modal". This name is only for you — subscribers don't see it.

Below that, find the dropdown that says Send new subscribers to or List. Click it and choose which email list this form should add people to. If you only have one list, it's already selected. If you have multiple lists (one for blog readers, one for course students, for example), pick the right one now.

Next, look for Send a welcome email or Automation. If you've already created a welcome email in ConvertKit, you can pick it here. The email sends automatically the moment someone submits the form. If you haven't created one yet, you can set this up later.

Edit the headline, button, and form fields

In the form editor, you'll see the text that appears on the form itself. Click the headline (usually something like "Join my newsletter") and type your own. This is the first thing people read, so make it clear what they're signing up for — "Get writing tips in your inbox every Friday" is better than "Subscribe now".

Click the button text (usually "Subscribe" or "Sign up") and change it if you want. Some people use "Yes, send me updates" or "Get access" — whatever matches your tone.

Below that, you'll see the form fields. By default, ConvertKit includes Email and First Name. You can add more fields (like a phone number or company name) by clicking Add field, but keep it short. The more fields you ask for, the fewer people will submit the form. Most newsletters only need a name and email.

Change colors and styling to match your site

Look for a Design or Styling tab in the editor. Here you can change the background color, button color, text color, and font. Pick colors that match your website so the form looks like it belongs there, not like something pasted on top.

You can also adjust the width of the form and add a border or shadow if you want. These changes are optional — the default styling works fine. If you're not sure what looks good, leave it as is and change it later after you see how it looks on your actual page.

When you're happy with how it looks, click Save at the bottom right. ConvertKit saves your changes automatically, but clicking Save makes sure everything is locked in.

Get the embed code and put it on your website

After you save, ConvertKit shows you an Embed or Share button. Click it. You'll see a block of code that starts with <script> or an iframe tag. Copy the entire code block.

If your website uses a page builder (like Elementor, Divi, or Squarespace), look for a Custom Code or HTML block, paste the code there, and save the page. If you edit your site's HTML directly, paste the code where you want the form to appear. If you're not sure how to add code to your site, check your website platform's help docs or ask your web host.

For a modal form, you usually only need to paste the code once on your homepage or in your site's footer — it will appear on every page. For an inline form, paste it on the specific page where you want it to show.

Test the form before you tell people about it

Go to the page where you pasted the form code. If it's a modal, wait a few seconds or refresh the page — the pop-up should appear. If it's inline, scroll to where you placed it. The form should be visible and look like you designed it.

Submit the form using a fake email address (like "test@example.com") and a test name. Check that the form accepted the submission and showed a thank-you message. Then log into ConvertKit and check your email list — the test subscriber should be there. If you set up a welcome email, check your inbox to make sure it arrived.

If something doesn't work, go back to the form editor, check that the list is correct and the code is pasted in the right place, and try again. ConvertKit's support docs have troubleshooting steps if the form doesn't show up at all.

Monitor form performance and make changes

After your form is live, ConvertKit shows you how many people saw it and how many subscribed. Go to Forms in the left menu and click your form's name. You'll see a dashboard with numbers like "Views" and "Conversions" (the number of people who actually submitted it).

If very few people are subscribing, try changing the headline or button text and see if that helps. If the form barely gets views, it might be in a spot on your page where people don't scroll. You can edit the form anytime — just click it in the Forms list, make your changes, and save.

ConvertKit keeps all your old forms in the list, so you can see which ones perform best. Over time, you might create different forms for different pages or audiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same form on multiple pages?

Yes. Copy the embed code once and paste it on as many pages as you want. ConvertKit tracks all submissions together. If you want different forms for different pages, create a new form in ConvertKit instead of reusing the same code.

What happens if I change the form after it's live?

Your changes show up immediately on your website. The embed code stays the same, so you don't have to paste anything again. Old subscribers aren't affected — only new people see the updated form.

Can I add a form to my email signature?

No, email signatures can't run code. But you can add a link to your landing page form or a link to your newsletter page in your signature instead.

How do I know if someone unsubscribed from the form?

ConvertKit tracks unsubscribes in your subscriber list, not in the form itself. Go to your list and look for an "Unsubscribed" section to see who left.

Can I require people to confirm their email before they're added to my list?

Yes. In the form editor, look for Double opt-in or Confirmation email. Turn it on, and ConvertKit will send a confirmation email asking people to click a link before they're officially subscribed.