Pump Up Any Website's Less-Than-Exciting Call To Action

The Sprocket Report

“Give Me Your Money” is the action all businesses ultimately call for if they want to stay in business, but other kinds of CTAs are also important such as those that generate leads or build customer relationships. So what do you do if no one is acting on your call?

Rarely does anyone get a CTA right the first time – even if you’re a marketing professional. With so many variables, many of which you can’t control, it takes some tweaking. Still, there are some basic best practices to start with and to go back to when fine-tuning your message. 

Decide on the offer

“Buy Now” may be the right choice when a customer is deciding on which color of widget they want. But what if they haven’t decided between the widget or the gadget? Make your offer appropriate for where your customer is on their buyer’s journey.

Especially for big-ticket items, folks will want to research and compare before making a decision, so the appropriate Call To Action might be along the lines of “Learn More.” Too many CTAs is confusing, but offering a choice between learning more or buying helps keep visitors on your website when they aren’t yet ready. 

Reward action-takers

No one wants more sales calls or emails, so to get people to provide contact information, bribery is usually required. If you know your sales funnel and ROI well enough to support a campaign, folks will respond to rewards like gift cards, but they won’t all be qualified leads. Offering a book, a checklist or a white paper better qualifies your leads, but since free information is available all over the internet, it’s vital that you create something really enticing.

Provide reassurance

Entry-level pricing or a free trial makes it easier for the customer to make a decision. Emphasize how this special deal is possible because you are absolutely certain that they are going to love your product or service.

Present the CTA emotionally

Remember that you aren’t promoting a thing – you’re promoting a feeling. As they say, all marketing is based on greed and fear, so frame your CTA in a way that shows how it will satisfy their greed or help them avoid their fears. 

Watch your language

Marketing people have studied copywriting language and certain words are statistically more engaging than others. There are a number of lists of “marketing power words” online and free tools that analyze headlines which will inspire you to write better CTAs.

Concentrate on the design 

Keep it simple and don’t be too cute or your audience won’t stay focused on your Call To Action. Make sure your CTA is easy to see by using attractive colors and high contrast and placing it “above the fold” on any electronic screen. If the page requires scrolling, a second CTA at the bottom might be necessary. 

Keep in mind that there is no magic formula and what was successful for one business may do nothing for another. Even so, we have all clicked on a CTA before, so we know the process works. Don’t forget to dive into your analytics to see how well your Call To Action is performing. What kind of people are clicking? What else on your website are they seeing? How long are they staying? Use that knowledge to tweak your CTA and see how that helps. 

If the checklist above looks totally tedious to you, that’s okay. We’re happy to be your marketing partner. Contact us today to discuss how we can work together for your business's CTA. 

Kate GingoldKate Gingold

I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.

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Full biography

I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.

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