A call-to-action is used in marketing and advertising to compel customers to take a desired action. If done right, they can increase conversion rates.
What is a call-to-action?
A call-to-action (CTA) is a marketing term for a catchphrase, sentence, or paragraph that encourages the reader to take immediate action. It can be found in any marketing material (digital and print) but these days you’re most likely to notice it at the end of an email or social media post.
CTAs are used as a marketing tactic for businesses to increase conversion rates. A call-to-action can be persuasive and take many forms. It can be an order or a request, or it could simply be a suggestion.
The goal is to get the reader or visitor to your website to do what you want them to. You are encouraging a potential customer to take action on your marketing message.
How to create an effective call-to-action
There are so many different types of CTA buttons and messages. There are also many ways to make your call-to-action stand out. Here are some tips on how to create a compelling CTA:
Be specific: Your CTA should be clear and tell the reader precisely what you want them to do. For example, if you want them to sign up for your newsletter, say, “Sign up for our newsletter” instead of just “Subscribe”.
Be urgent: Urgency can be communicated in two ways; time and action. Urgency of time communicates a specific deadline in which your reader needs to act. Urgency of action communicates that your reader needs to act without delay.
Be meaningful: Your CTA should be clear and provide meaning for your users and what they should do next.
What are some call-to-action examples?
The different ways you could craft a CTA are almost endless, and they all have unique benefits.
They can be as simple as “click here” or “sign up now”, but you will generally get better results if you create a sense of urgency, excitement, intrigue, or offer your reader value.
An exciting call to action will make readers want more, while an enticing one will make the reader want to know more. All in all, the type of call to action you use depends on your desired result.
Some examples are:
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2) Buy now to get 50% off
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What are the best practices for crafting a call-to-action?
The best practices for creating CTAs are not just about having a catchy line or a good headline. They should also provide value to the visitor, be straightforward and to the point, and easily understood.
Great graphics are essential to make your call to action more enticing and exciting. Graphics should be clean and clear to get the best results.
What if your site’s getting visitors, but they’re not converting to customers?
Studies show that placing multiple CTAs on a page can significantly increase the conversion rate.
CTAs are an essential part of any successful marketing campaign, and knowing how to use them effectively can make all the difference to your customer engagement and conversion.