A call-to-action (CTA) is a very important part of every marketing asset you have.
It acts as the catalyst, that gives users that final push to take whatever the desired action is.
This could be making a purchase, signing up for your newsletter, or getting in contact.
What are the key principles and strategies for creating an effective CTA that grabs attention, inspires action, and then boosts conversions?
Understand your goal
If you have a CTA, you will have an objective.
Your objective is whatever you are looking for the user to do, and the results you want that action to bring.
This includes generating leads, driving sales, or increasing engagement.
When creating your CTA, it should be aligned with the action you want the user to take.
It should be relevant and focused, leaving no room for misunderstanding on their part.
Use action words
Your language can make a world of difference in a CTA, you should opt for action verbs that inspire immediate action from the user.
Examples of action verbs:
You must also consider how persuasive your language is.
Creating a sense of urgency or excitement will push the user to take action quickly.
If they are in the consideration phase of the buyer journey, they are more likely to purchase if it says “Limited Time Offer”, than if it was the same price but not presented as an offer.
Replace “Buy” with “Buy Now”, small changes like this can completely change their perception of the transaction.
Keep it simple
Make your CTA clear and concise to help the user act, if it’s vague they are much more likely to put it off or not even consider it.
Keep it short and to the point, by using straightforward language that is easy to understand.
You want to ensure you leave no room for ambiguity.
Let them know exactly what you want them to do.
CTA’s will be used on a range of marketing assets, the point of the asset in its entirety is to tell them why, the CTA should act as a simplified ‘how’.
Create a sense of value
The user won’t just click on a CTA with no motive.
You have to highlight the benefits they will gain by carrying out the desired action, and convince them that it’s worth their time and money.
The benefits must be clearly articulated to convince them, such as “Save 50%”, “Gain Insider Action”, or “Unlock Exclusive Content”.
This also includes creating that sense of urgency that we mentioned earlier.
Many eCommerce sites will implement countdown timers with their limited-time promotions, which will help convince the user to take action quickly.
Think about the design and placement
A CTA needs to be visually appealing, or nobody will click on it.
One way you can make it attention-grabbing is by using bold typography, contrasting colours, or eye-catching buttons.
The CTA should stand out from the rest of the page content, to ensure its visible and noticed by the user.
This can be done using whitespace or visual elements, to keep it separate.
Once you have designed the CTA, you should strategically place it in a spot where the user’s attention will naturally gravitate.
For example, you should always have a CTA at the end of a compelling blog article, as the reader will end up at the bottom eventually.
Test and optimise
Once you have planned, designed, and implemented your CTA, many will be tempted to simply forget about it.
This is one of the worst things you can do, as the data you collect with a CTA is incredibly valuable.
If you have multiple CTAs on your website, check which ones work the best, and worst.
Note the differences between them, and see if there are any changes you should make.
A/B testing is an efficient way to get this data, you should A/B test different variations of your CTA and see what your best option is.
When you analyse your user’s behaviour and conversion data, you can make smarter choices based on real data that will lead you to success.
Make improvements whenever possible and make data-driven optimisations, to maximise the number of conversions your CTA is receiving.
Crafting an effective CTA is a skill that significantly impacts the success of your marketing efforts, so it’s a skill you should continuously work on.
By understanding your objective, using action words, creating a sense of value, and using persuasive design techniques, you can help push users to take the desired action.
Always ensure you are testing, analysing, and optimising your CTAs to maximise their effectiveness, and ultimately drive higher conversions.
Do you need help with your marketing efforts?
Contact our team to find out how PageNorth can help you.
