Call to action.
It’s a pretty dynamic phrase, isn’t it?
In the marketing world, a call to action (CTA) refers to the section of a landing page that asks visitors to take the next step. It’s a basic inbound marketing practice that nonetheless conjures up images of trumpets sounding and the cavalry riding to the rescue.
Do the calls to action you’ve placed on your website live up to this reputation? If not, don’t worry. We’re here to save you from boring CTAs with these tips.
1. It’s A Call To Action, So Use Language That’s Actionable
A good CTA gets right to the point and starts with a verb: “Learn,” “Find,” “Discover,” Download.” Terms like these empower your readers and keep your copy short yet effective.
2. How Will They Benefit?
Visitors need to know why downloading your e-book or signing up for your webinar is worth giving up their contact info. That’s why it’s important to make the benefits of clicking your CTA button crystal clear. Tell them what they’ll get with that mouse click and how they’ll be able to use it.
3. Now, Now, Now
The internet is a busy place, and it’s easy for your readers to get derailed. Keep them focused by creating a CTA design that conveys a feeling of urgency. They don’t just need to download your offer, they need to download your offer TODAY or even NOW.
Besides, people respond to the concept of FOMO (fear of missing out). If you tell your visitors you’ll be offering an opportunity that might not come around again – “Sign Up Before Registration Ends” – they’ll be more likely to respond to your CTA.
4. Big, Big, BIG
When they’re online, people don’t read, they scan. What’s more, they scan your site in an F-shaped pattern, which means anything buried at the bottom right of your site is going to get missed.
That’s why you need to have a big, bold CTA design that readers can’t possibly miss. As HubSpot points out, there’s no industry standard for how big or small a CTA can be, so test different sizes to see how they affect conversions.
5. “I,” Not “You”
If you read our blog – or just read this sentence – you’ll see we enjoy writing in the second person POV. You are our valued customers – or potential customers – and we want that to come across in what we write. But when it comes to CTAs, it might be more useful to switch to a first person POV.
Studies have shown that customers are more likely to engage when the CTA is written in the first person. See what happens if you structure your calls to action with first-person phrases like “Download my free e-book.”
6. Make It Stand Out
Your CTA design shouldn’t fade into the background of your site. Use a design that contrasts somewhat from the rest of your site. The button should also appear clickable. Otherwise, people may not click it.
Finally, place it somewhere on the website where it will get noticed, whether it’s at the top of your site, or at the end of every blog post.
Worried your CTAs aren’t that compelling? Contact IQnection. Our inbound marketing team has spent more than 16 years crafting website content designed to attract your ideal customers.
