Have you ever visited a website, read the content on the page you’ve landed on, and wondered what you’re supposed to do next?
Or even worse, maybe you actively tried to take the next logical step (find a way to contact the company, or sign up for a free trial) and had to give up because you couldn’t figure out how to do it.
This blog will talk you through exactly what a call to action is, the elements that make a good one, and the best calls to action that copywriters use for different types of content.
What is a call to action in copywriting?
A call to action, or CTA, as it’s known for short, is a vital element of any web page content. It is a closing statement in a blog post, eshot, or webpage that tells the reader what you’d like them to do as a result of reading that piece of content.
Without a call to action, a potential customer may not know what they’re supposed to do next. And unless they’re very highly invested in using your company in particular for some reason, this is likely to send them straight to your closest competitor’s website.
Examples of calls to action
Calls to action can take many forms, depending on the context. For example, an informative ‘how-to’ style blog post will require an entirely different call to action than a social media post promoting your new product or service.
Blog post call to action
Written a blog post recently? If you haven’t included a call to action, when someone reads it, they are likely to leave your site without completing any further tasks. This means no further interaction with your site, and no leads or sales for you.
A simple, “Sign up for our newsletter,” would be a useful phrase here. This would enable you to get their contact details as a prospective customer. Additionally, it will ensure that they are informed of other relevant products and services that may be of use to them.
E-commerce site call to action
Websites that sell products or services online will need entirely different calls to action including in the content.
It’s no use asking someone to sign up for a newsletter if you just want them to buy a jumper! Common examples of calls to action used on e-commerce sites are:
- Buy now
- Add to cart
- Add to wishlist
- Checkout
B2B call to action
There are some strategies that often work well when selling a product or service to a customer, such as fear of missing out. However, when your copywriting is aimed at other businesses (B2B marketing), the commonly used phrases used to create a sense of urgency can come across as desperate or ‘clickbaity.’
Think about building value and trust when writing a B2B call to action. Phrases such as ‘find out how’ with links to further information work better here.
Jazz up a simple ‘learn more,’ by using words that are specific to your industry. For example, if you sell children’s shoes, you could use, “Grow with us,” or, “Jump into the world of company name.’
An effective call to action clearly communicates what the user can expect when they take the next action. This can significantly improve your click-through rate.
How to create a compelling call to action
It’s not just about the words themselves when it comes to creating a powerful call to action. There are a number of useful strategies that can be extremely effective in compelling those clicks:
- Attractive design: The best calls to action grab the reader’s attention. Brightly coloured buttons that contrast with the colour of the web page or email catch the reader’s eye.
- Highly visible: The call to action should be the most noticeable thing on the eshot, blog post or web page. Make sure your font size is a little larger than the rest of the text on the page.
- State a benefit: What will the reader get out of completing your call to action? If you can follow up your call to action with the word, “Why?” then consider adding further explanation of the benefits of clicking that button.
- Short and sweet: Having said the above, keep it as short as you can. The button or link itself should just be a few words long. If you need to explain the benefits of clicking on it, pop a paragraph in a box below.
- Convey urgency: Unless you’re talking to other businesses, conveying a sense of urgency, such as a limited time offer, can convince users to take the desired action sooner rather than later.
How do I know if my call to action is working?
There’s no guarantee that one call to action will perform better than another, so the best way to discover what works is to test it out.
You can measure the success of each call to action via a conversion rate formula. Google Analytics will tell you how many times people visited your site from each specific source. Check it out to find out whether your audience preferred the, “Find out more,” button in your latest email, or the, “Get started,” link in your new blog post!
Get in touch
If you’re interested in hiring me as a freelance copywriter, please…
Ooh look, there’s my call to action. In nice big writing, just like I said!
If you’d rather have a chat in person, you can give me a call on 07821 873 861. I always aim to respond to any emails or voicemails within 24 hours, so I won’t keep you waiting!