Create a Form For Blogger Using Google Docs

Hey Gang,

Sometimes it is said that the more you pay for something the more you get. While sometimes that is true, however, in the world of websites and blogging you have to find ways around and makes things work. There are some really exciting technologies out there for forms, but for those who are starting out and need to work on a tighter budget, or even for those who want to keep funneling more of their business funds into other areas of their business, this is a great option, in this blogger/photographers opinion. So here we go!

So it was asked in one of my Photography groups, "Is it possible for clients to email/contact you straight through your website if you use blogger but have a domain name?" Thank you Jessica Burns :D

The Answer is yes, and you don't even HAVE to have a domain name, how great is that? A quick note here, in doing this I will also show you how you can create other types of forms and questionnaires (like Family Questionnaire's, Senior Questionnaire's) and use them right on your Bloggity Blog, Blogger Style!

Go to http://docs.google.com


Log in with your Blogger Username and Password

Left Side of Page Drop down box Click on Create Then... CREATE FORM

NAME YOUR FORM

TYPE IN QUESTION ONE 

ON THE QUESTION TYPE DROP DOWN BOX NOTICE YOUR OPTIONS (you can use text, paragraph text, multiple choice, check boxes, choose from a list, scale, or grid. These will come in handy when creating forms like Questionnaires for Pre-Consultation, Seniors, even Weddings.)

MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU TYPE IN YOUR QUESTION YOU ALSO CHECK THE MAKE THIS A REQUIRED QUESTION BOX BEFORE HITTING DONE

Repeat this process with Sample Question 2 (hover over it and to the right you will see a pencil to EDIT) 

Once you repeat this process with Sample Question 2, you will notice there are no other obvious options for more questions.....

In the Upper Left Hand Corner under the +Add Item Drop down box you will see your options for Question Types (here I chose Paragraph Text)

Here you can add text like (If you would like to book a session or have any questions please respond here ) in the Question Title 

MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU TYPE IN YOUR QUESTION YOU ALSO CHECK THE MAKE THIS A REQUIRED QUESTION BOX BEFORE HITTING DONE

Here is what it will look like at this point

In the Picture just above this and all the others, you will notice at the bottom of your page a BLACK bar with a "You can view this published form here and a link" If you click that link a new tab opens (don't worry you won't lose your work) and you will see what it will appear like on your Blogger page! COOL HUH?

Go back to the Other tab where your work space is.... Do you see Next to the +Add Items button is button that says Theme: Plain if you click that you will see the below images

If you click on any of these images (CLICK ON the image itself not the name under the image)

 It will take you from plain like above to this

ok SORRY for side-tracked  just don't want you to miss any steps and have to start over if you want it "pretty or funky"

Now we are here again...

On the Right is a Button that says See Responses (click this to reveal Dropdown box) Click SPREADSHEET                             A new Tab opens up!!! 

Click on TOOLS -----> Notification RULES

Check boxes for A USER SUBMITS A FORM and EMAIL - RIGHT AWAY (Or once a daily if you prefer) Check Save and then Done

CLOSE that Spreadsheet tab and go back to your Form tab. In the Upper Right hand corner you will see a button More Actions - Dropdown box to Embed

COPY this EMBED link (this is what links your form to your Email)

Go to Your Blogger  and Go to Add new Blank Page

NOW KEY PART Make SURE you are on HTML and NOT COMPOSE

COMPOSE

HTML - SEE HOW DIFFERENT THE INFORMATION BAR IS?
PASTE your EMBED information into your HTML page

To check it Click on Compose and you will see your Contact Form or Whatever form you created
Now Name your Page - Save and Publish

You will see your New Page appear wherever your pages are listed, mine happen to be under my header

Let's Test it

OK Let's go to email and see what we have

Click the link provided in the email (if you choose to be notified every time you will get a notification PER instance but if you click on the most recent email and go to that link you will see all the previous contacts)

IF you click the View Full Spreadsheet next to Highlighted, there are tons of things like email the spreadsheet, adjust it...all kinds of things to do!!!



So that's it for this part of the tutorial, there are a pretty endless amount of things you can do with these contact sheets. I will prep a new Step by Step on Questionnaires and Online Forms.




Thank you and I hope this helps

Until We Click Again,
~Alisha