Looking to get your target audience to buy your product(s)/ service(s)? Or are you looking to get people to donate to your cause, contact you, or read more about your work? In all these cases, you’ll need a strong call to action (CTA) game on your website… One that people just can’t resist clicking.
In this blog, we’ll give you a brief introduction to what CTAs are and how you can make sure your CTAs are irresistible to click. We’ll talk about some of the different types, what makes a good CTA, and how you can test the kind of CTAs that works for you and your website.
What is a CTA on a website?
A CTA (call-to-action) is a button, image/icon, or line of text that prompts the viewer to click and do something. It’s important to note the best CTAs are short and sweet, to the point, and encouraging to the visitors to take an action on your website. Common examples you will have seen on the websites you have visited are “Sign Up”, “Download Here” or “Buy Now.”
But a CTA doesn’t have to be pushy. Think of it as helpful road sign leading to the next step of the journey for your customer.
Do I need a call to action on my website?
Yes! Whether you sell products, offer services, want visitors to contact you, or just read more about you—you need clear CTAs to direct them. Think about it, have you ever visited a new website and thought, “Ok, great but what am I supposed to do now? Where do I go from here? How do I find that out?” We all have experienced this before! You do not want those visiting your website to ask themselves these kinds of questions. You need to path out that journey for them.
When the journey isn’t clear and CTAs aren’t used, or are not clear and precise, we hit the back button and try a different website. That’s why every website, no matter the website, can benefit from a clear call to action, even if it’s a simple button like “Learn More.”
So how do I add call to actions to my website?
First, you need to decide what you want the CTA to do. So, you need to figure out what kind of CTA you want, where you want it to go, and what it needs to say. Ask yourself: “What do I want people who visit my website to do?”
After you ask yourself that question, it’s likely you will have a few things on your list but we advise you focus on the thing you classify as a priority. That’s what your main CTA should be. Instruction/direction to your priority. For example, if you are an online store, you want them to buy your products, so you will commonly use “Buy Now” as a call to action near the products you sell. If you’re a consulting website, you will want them to book an appointment or get in touch with you, so you will use CTAs such as “Book Today” or “Call Now”. Whatever your goal is, your CTA should help you achieve it!
Examples of call-to-action to add to your website
Now that you know what you want to achieve with your website and how you want the visitor to journey through your website, let’s choose the best CTA. Here are the different types of CTAs you need to know:
Popular CTAs
How does the saying go… there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, and that applies perfectly here. These are simple, to the point, and they work a treat:
- Sign Up
- Donate
- Join Now
- Get Started
- Learn More
Personalised CTAs
By using more personal CTAs, you’re putting your work front and centre, showing you’re proud of it. Here are a few examples of personal CTAs you can use today:
- What We Do
- Talk to Us
- Our Philosophy
- My Portfolio
CTAs for discounts and urgency
Did you know you can use CTAs to create a sense of urgency or fear of missing out for your customers? For example, you can encourage your customers to take up a limited time offer or promote a new discount you want your customers to know about. Here are a few common examples you will have seen on varies different websites:
- Get Your Discount Today
- Activate Your 25% Off Voucher
- Claim Your FREE Sample Today
CTAs for your different audiences
If your website has the purpose to reach out to different audiences, you can provide different CTAs that lead to different places on your website. For example, you might have some content that is aimed at the new visitors and some for people who already know you. Here is a short list of CTAs you can add to your website with the purpose of reaching different audiences:
- I’m New Here / I’m a Returning Customer
- Continue in English / Continue in French
- For Kids / For Parents
- Shop All / Shop Newest
CTAs that emphasise free or hassle-free
A great CTA will help your customers overcome common hesitations (for example, the cost of something being too much or something taking up a lot of time). Whatever it may be, you want to reassure and encourage the visitor to the website to take action. Here are some simple ways you can do this:
- Start Your Free Trial
- Set Up In Just 10 Minutes
- Try It Now For Free
What makes a good call to action?
Successful CTAs should use instructive language, like “Start Your Trial Today” or “Build Your Bespoke Website.” You want people to take action, feel empowered and positive about it all. You’re basically putting them in control and that’s what you want to do.
However, if you offer a service that people feel unsure about, a more low-key CTA could help them take the first step. For example, if you’re a therapist, maybe your target audience has been hesitant about getting in touch. A CTA that’s more inviting like “Let’s Have A Chat” or “See How We Can Help You” will work better than an instructive CTA like “Call Us!” or “Take Charge!”
Your CTAs Checklist
How to make a good call to action button
When deciding on the best CTA for your website, we know it can get a little confusing. But here is a short list that will help you make sure your CTAs are working to ensure the best results:
- Do the CTAs on your website stand out to grab your audience’s attention?
- Are they easy to click on, or tap from all devices especially mobile?
- Is the instruction clear?
- Is it clear where the button will take you once you click?
- Are you offering only one or two choices?
- Is your CTA placed in the right place? For example, placing the CTAS at the top of the page is convenient for your audience so they don’t have to scroll down to get to it?
- Is the CTA short and sweet (2-6 words)?
On the plus side, having your own website means you can try different CTA phrases and ideas whenever you want. With a little experimentation, you can see what works best for your business and your audience!
