How to Effectively Use a Call to Action (CTA)
A call to action represents a part of a webpage, advertisement, or piece of content that encourages your audience to do something. Calls to action can help your business to convert a visitor, or reader into a lead and can drive a variety of different actions depending on your content's goal. Surprisingly, there are many companies who don’t create clear and simple calls to action, however without them your audience might find it more difficult to engage with your content.
Why use a call to action?
Your customers are exposed to over three thousand marketing messages on average each day, so if you want them to do something – tell them. Otherwise your messages will just become part of the noise. As a brand, it’s your job to convince your audience. You want to get to know each other, but it’s your business that needs to take initiative.
When you’re crafting your call to action, ensure that you start with an action word, like such as ‘read’, ‘download’, ‘buy’ or any other relevant ones. Create a sense of urgency with words like ‘today’, ‘now’ or ‘in the next 24 hours” and tell your audience what’s in it for them if they do take action. Creating a sense of urgency around your offering is a great call to action, effectively activating the fear of missing out (FOMO).
Which calls to action to use?
There are two types of calls to action – direct and transitional. A direct call to action is something that leads to a sale, such as ‘buy now’, ‘book a call’ or ‘schedule an appointment’. There should be one obvious button on your website or your email campaigns that simply states what step do you want your reader to take. Make it visible by making it bolder or in a different colour and make sure it remains visible throughout the pages as visitors scroll through your page.
Visitors usually scan websites before they would read them. An effective way to position your call to action button on the website is on the top right corner and the other one on the left centre of the homepage. Your visitor’s eyes move in a Z pattern across the website so if you have your logo in the top left corner, a call to action in the top right and another one across below, this allows their eyes to register it and make it easy for them to navigate.
You can consider the following direct calls to action:
Buy now
Book now
Get started
Order now
Call today
Book a call
Schedule an appointment
Register today
Book a demo
Start today
Inviting people to register for a webinar or download an PDF are good examples of transitional calls to action. They are softer and usually offer something for free with the intention to keep the conversation going. You are not asking them to commit, but you are asking them to spend a little more time with your brand. Free information, trial or samples are all effective ways to introduce your audience to your products and services and you can consider using phrases such as:
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