A Call to Action (CTA) is a term used all over digital marketing. From blog pages to landing pages, and contact forms to social media buttons, a CTA is an integral part of moving users down the funnel towards conversion. We’re going to look at what a CTA is and how it can transform a page from a dead-end into a sale, booking, or phone call.
What is a call to action?
The call to action is a prompt on a website that directs the user to take an action. Usually, in the form of a hyperlink or a button, a call to action usually uses phrases like ‘find out more’, ‘contact us’ or ‘buy now’ to instil immediacy and action in a user to convert and either purchase or complete a contact form.
This simple feature is at the very bottom of the conversion funnel. By the point you reach a CTA you should have already supplied the user with all the information they need to make a decision. As such you’ll usually find CTAs at the end of an article or next to a product listing.
What is the purpose of a call to action?
Call to actions can be used for a variety of functions. In their most basic form, they are used as a lead generation device for sales. However, CTAs can be used for a range of other purposes;
Form Submissions
Forms are a vital part of gathering contact information for future email marketing, event planning, or outreach. If someone has gone to the trouble of filling out a form with their details it’s important to have an exciting CTA to get them to submit their information. Adding a colourful button that is easy to see and legible with a positive phrase like ‘Get started today’ is a great way to drive the conversion and ensure your form performs well.
Read More
Space is often at a premium on a website so setting up content in a shorter format with a ‘read more’ option is a great way to increase your word count without taking up vital real estate on your landing page. A ‘read more’ link or accordion button is a great way to get the users to follow on and continue engaging with your content and should be used wisely.
Social Sharing
It’s one we take for granted but every time you share a tweet, post, or photo using social buttons you are using a CTA. These buttons, even though they use icons, have become standard across the world and are understandable in all languages are one of the biggest success stories of CTA effectiveness.
Free Trials
CTAs are not just vital for sales but free trials. Free trials can open the door to sales, especially for subscription services like software trials or newsletters. These are great for thought leadership generation and email marketing and provide you with a pool of motivated users ready to take on your product or service.
Event Promotion
Last but not least, marketing your event online can be very difficult without a means to figure out how many people are attending or interested. Tickets are certainly one way of figuring this out, but what about free events like webinars? This is where event registration CTAs shine. Presented in button form they can help convert interested parties with reminders, bookings, or at least get their details so you can follow up closer to the time.
At Fifteen Design we are experienced at crafting websites that look as good as they convert. If you need a hand designing a new website or want to know more about how we can use SEO to improve your conversion rate and visibility then please contact us today and we’ll help you hit all the hallmarks of an effective landing page.