As a business owner or marketing professional you’ve likely seen the popular phrase known as a “Call to Action” or a “CTA”. But what is a CTA exactly?
A Call to Action is a targeted phrase or graphic linking to an offer that stands out to the visitors on your website or blog. It draws their attention toward something to act on, whether it’s a chance to sign up for a trial membership, to subscribe to your blog, or to browse through your product selections. At a time when online businesses are fighting to grab consumers’ attention, having clear and appealing Calls to Action can make the difference between succeeding with your marketing goals and being left behind.
To understand how to create more effective Calls to Action, here are some tips to help get you started:
Build Clarity into your Calls to Action Strategy
Most Web users would rather not have to scroll too far down a page to find what they’re looking for. That’s why a Call to Action should be located close to the top of the webpage - what Web designers call “above the fold.” It’s estimated that 50% of all people who visit a site won’t even look beyond this section, so you have to find ways to keep their attention in this part of each webpage.
An experienced marketer will also tell you that, in most cases, clarity trumps persuasion. In other words, always try to be upfront about what you’re selling than to be clever about it. For example, if you’re giving away a free ebook, it’s better to say “Download our FREE guide to X” than to put up a vague link that reads, “Download NOW” or “FREE ebook here!”
Not only does the offer that is plainly stated leave nothing to the imagination, it also empowers the consumer. By seeing a clearly written Call to Action, they’ll feel like they’re making an informed decision rather than responding to a desperate marketing ploy.
Make your CTAs Stand Out by Contrast
So much effort goes into making websites look appealing that it’s easy to lose sight of key details. When it comes to an effective Call to Action, you should make sure that the link doesn’t fade into the webpage’s background color or get lost among all the other page links. Learning more about contrasting colors (like red versus green or blue versus orange) can give your CTA the “pop” it needs to attract visitors’ attention and get more clicks.
Link your CTAs to a Dedicated Landing Page
When you create a Call to Action, the link that visitors click on should send them straight to a dedicated landing page related to that offer. It’s amazing how often businesses forget this and only link the CTA to their homepage. If you’re serious about generating new leads, then your link should send potential consumers straight to the product or offer page as advertised.
Thank You Pages and Additional Offers
A crucial step in creating better CTAs is to tailor them to engage your audience in different ways. For example, you could put a CTA offer and link on a product or services page using it to promote a specific offer associated with a specific product or service.
Another kind of Call to Action takes place after your consumers have made their purchase. This is known as a Thank You Page. When this page appears, you can show your appreciation for your consumers’ business by offering them additional savings, product demos, or providing links to similar products that they might be interested in.
Remember, the more you consider and review how your audience responds to your website’s links and offers, the better you’ll become at building and perfecting effective Calls to Action that convert more leads to customers.
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