A well-crafted call-to-action (CTA) is one tool in your arsenal that can help turn casual browsers into committed customers for your business. CTAs come in several forms, such as a button, a link, or a catchy phrase.
Whether you’re looking for a sale, a newsletter sign-up or a click-through to your blog, a call-to-action persuades the reader to make the conversion. This blog post, part of our content essentials series, will take you through the basics of creating effective call-to-actions and explain how to make them work for you.
Clarity is key
Readers need to immediately recognise your CTAs so that they know exactly what action they need to take next. If they’re unsure what they’re supposed to do, your call to action is immediately useless. Any confusion is likely to lead to lost conversions. To make your CTA clear, use simple but exact language. For example, opt for “Sign Up for Our Newsletter”, or “Get Your Free Trial”, rather than ambiguous messages such as “Click Here”.
Time-sensitive triggers
To craft a persuasive CTA, you need to write using compelling language. This will encourage readers to take the action you want them to, as they’ll feel a sense of urgency. Using time-sensitive words like “now”, “limited time” or “exclusive” means the consumer is more likely to fear missing out, and want to click through using your CTA.
A stand-out design
To make sure that consumers are noticing your call-to-action, its design has to draw attention. Engaging copy won’t matter if your site visitors aren’t reading it. That’s why user design is an important consideration when crafting your pages. You might want to use a contrasting colour for your CTA button or place your text somewhere on the page so it will be easily seen.
Personalise your phrases
Just because your CTAs need to be written in a certain style, doesn’t mean they have to lose your brand’s personality or tone of voice. Personalising your call-to-actions for your readers can resonate even better with your users and make them feel less forced. Use language that feels authentic to your brand to reach out to your site’s visitors and they will respond by following your intended action.
Consider user intent
When deciding where to place your call-to-actions, don’t forget to think about user intent. A pushier CTA looking for a sales conversion won’t have the same effect on a first-time visitor to your page who might just want to explore your site. Where a consumer is in the buyer’s journey will impact the type of message they best respond to.
Make it mobile-friendly
Lastly, when you’re optimising your site, don’t forget to make your call-to-action mobile-friendly. Today, vast numbers of users are visiting your site from their mobile, so you’ve got to ensure your CTAs are as easy for them to navigate as they are for laptop or desktop users. Make sure they’re easily clickable and provide a seamless experience across all devices. This will ensure they’re as effective as they can be.
By investing time in good call-to-actions, you’re bridging the gap between users leaving your site and becoming customers. That’s why we believe effective CTAs are a content essential for any business.
To get tips on some of the other content essentials, visit our blog. Or, if you think our team of experts could help you, get in touch today.