A Call to Action (CTA) is the gateway to conversions. Whether you’re encouraging visitors to make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or download an ebook, your CTA plays a pivotal role in guiding them toward taking the desired action.
But not all CTAs are the same. A well-crafted CTA can make the difference between a bounce and a conversion. If you want to learn the secrets to creating a compelling call to action button that persuades readers to click, this blog is for you. We highlight call to action best practices to ensure you design a CTA that is hard to ignore.
But first, let’s take a moment to understand what a CTA is.
What is a CTA Button?
Imagine you’re heading to the coffee shop for a regular cup of joe, but as you enter, the smell of fresh pastries has you stalling in front of the pastry display. Wallet in hand, you can’t make up your mind whether or not to buy that irresistible slice of cake. Then you notice the sign in the corner – Tuesday special – 50% off. You’ve made your decision.
Great story, but what’s that got to do with CTAs?
Well, think of the sign in the corner as a CTA. It jolts you out of indecisiveness and convinces you to take action. A well-designed CTA can do that and more.
Don’t believe me?
I’ve got a few facts to prove it.
- According to Wisernotify, using a call to action on a website can increase conversion rates by 161%.
- Wordstream states that embedding just one CTA in your emails can boost sales by 1,617%.
- As per Hubspot, customers are 16x more likely to share information about their purchase on social media and your business if a CTA button is on the post-purchase page.
Now that you know how helpful a CTA is for your business, let’s get down to business and learn how to do it right.
Tips for Creating a Killer Call to Action Button
Yes, a CTA button is a powerful element of your marketing and sales campaign – but only if it has the right features. The following CTA best practices can help make it more persuasive and drive better results.
1. Understand Your Audience
A CTA gives readers a clear sense of direction, allowing them to make a decision. However, that’s only possible if it connects with the target audience.
In order to craft an effective CTA, you need to have a deep understanding of your audience so your message resonates with them. Start by creating detailed audience personas that define preferences and pain points. Knowing what your audience wants, their challenges and motivations can help you create a CTA that convinces them to click.
For example, a CTA for a fitness app targeting busy professionals might say, ‘Start Your 7-Minute Workout Today.’ It highlights a quick and effective solution for people who don’t have time to exercise. Since the message is relevant and appealing, the audience feels understood, so they’re more likely to engage.
2. Use Action-Oriented Language for CTA
The language you choose for your CTA matters. One of the best ways to make your CTA impactful is to start your message with a verb. This can help jumpstart the reader into taking action. Make sure to choose verbs that align with your business and what you want readers to do. For example, e-commerce websites typically begin with words like ‘Buy’ and ‘Order’, while service-based businesses use ‘Book’ and ‘Call.’
But generic phrases like these can lose momentum. Choosing action-packed phrases such as ‘Join the Movement’ can inspire enthusiasm, or ‘Start Your Free Trial Today’ can create a sense of urgency.
Additionally, align the tone of the CTA with your brand personality. A fun, energetic brand might use ‘Let’s Do This!’ whereas ‘Start Your Free Consultation Today’ might be better for a more professional company.
3. Be Clear and Concise
A strong CTA communicates the value proposition clearly and motivates action without unnecessary fluff. Remember, CTAs aren’t huge – you’ve got limited space to work with. So make sure every word delivers maximum impact.
To achieve this, you need to choose words that are direct, persuasive, and aligned with the audience’s needs. Create urgency and inspire action with time-sensitive phrases like ‘Today’ or ‘Now.’ The key is to get straight to the point and keep your CTA simple. Too many words can overwhelm or dilute the message.
4. Leverage FOMO
Urgency and scarcity are powerful psychological motivators. By incorporating FOMO (fear of missing out), you can encourage your viewers to act before they miss their chance. For example, “Limited Time Offer – Sign Up Now” or “Only 3 Spots Left – Reserve Yours Today” can nudge users to take action quickly.
However, authenticity is crucial. Misleading your customers can erode trust in your brand. So, use FOMO only when it genuinely applies. Done right, you can add a persuasive push to your CTA without being overly pushy.
5. Ensure the CTA Button Text is Clear
The last thing you want is for readers to ignore your CTA. If you want them to take action, make sure they can read the message. Sure, the right typography can make it easier to read. But make sure the text size fits nicely inside the button without overcrowding.
You can experiment with the text and CTA button size to find an optimal size that does not overwhelm the surrounding content or squish the text inside. More importantly, make sure there is enough contrast between the letters and the color of the button.
6. Choose the Right CTA Button Color
Colors can evoke different emotions and responses, so the color of your CTA can influence a user’s decision. For instance, red is a powerful hue, evoking urgency and excitement. Using a red button with text like ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Get Started’ can encourage people to take quick action.
7. Ensure Your CTA Stands Out
What’s the point of a CTA that no one notices? An effective button design draws the attention of visitors immediately. So, what should you do to make your CTA stand out?
For starters, use contrasting colors to make a CTA pop against the background. Always ensure there is a high contrast between the CTA button color and the background.
But there is one more aspect you should consider. By using call to action button colors that align with your brand identity, you reinforce brand recognition, create a cohesive visual identity, and make everything look visually appealing.
8. Incorporate Enough Negative Space
Negative space, or empty space, around your CTA, helps draw attention to the button by isolating it from other design elements. This ensures it doesn’t get lost in a cluttered layout.
With more breathing room, your CTA not only becomes more prominent, but it also enhances readability and creates a clean, professional look. By balancing the negative space surrounding your CTA, you can guide the viewer’s attention directly to it, improving the chances of engagement.
9. Strategically Position Your CTAs
Believe it or not, where you place your CTA greatly influences its effectiveness. Strategic placement ensures the CTA is more visible to users at moments when they are most likely to click.
The question is – where?
You can vary the position of the CTA depending on what page it’s being displayed on. For instance, a CTA on the homepage is more effective when it’s displayed prominently above the fold, while a CTA at the end of a blog encourages readers to take the next step. On product pages, a CTA near the descriptions or price can nudge users toward a purchase.
However, different websites will get different results. The following chart shows the results of a study conducted by Grow & Convert exploring the effectiveness of CTAs in email capture forms positioned in different locations on a page.
Some users respond better to CTAs in headers, while others prefer sidebars or buttons at the bottom. Test different CTA placements to identify what works best for your audience.
10. Use an Easily Identifiable CTA Shape
We’ve covered several important aspects of a CTA button design so far, but does the style matter? Sure, why not?
You can design a button any way you want, but the ones that have seen the most conversions are typically rectangular and rounded rectangles. Believe it or not, the button’s shape can convey subtle meanings, too, such as sharp corners for energy and rounded corners for friendliness.
So, would it be a good idea to try something different?
Well, actually, no.
Visitors who land on your page need to be able to find clickable content. And that’s only possible if it’s easily identifiable. With the help of buttons, your clickable content stands out and is hard to miss.
Let me explain.
For example, you want to encourage visitors to shop from you. You could hyperlink the information, like the ‘shop’ in the example below. But, potential customers may skip over it because it’s easy to overlook it against the light background.
The business could benefit from using button alternatives like clickable images or icons to serve as a CTA, maintaining functionality and visual appeal. Visitors would instantly hone in on it and take action. And the best part is that you can easily customize the color, style, and size so it aligns with your brand identity.
11. Tailor CTAs for Different Interaction Points
Placing different CTA buttons across various touchpoints can improve interactions with potential customers and help drive conversions. For example, a CTA within a video got Kissmetrics 380% more clicks than their normal sidebar CTAs.
But remember, each page of your website serves a unique purpose. So whether it’s the homepage, a product page, a blog post, or a landing page, you need a tailored CTA for each one. Moreover, make sure the content in the button aligns with your customer’s position in the buying journey. For instance, based on the user behavior and intent of someone in the awareness phase, a soft CTA like “Learn More” is more appropriate. Conversely, for users ready to convert, a direct CTA such as “Buy Now and Save 20%” is more effective.
Mapping CTAs to the customer journey ensures you’re not pushing too hard too soon or being too passive when action is imminent. Tailoring CTAs to specific stages builds trust and guides users seamlessly through the funnel.
12. Incorporate Visual Cues
Using the right CTA button graphics can drive visitors to take action. For instance, arrows in the CTA or animations that subtly draw attention to the CTA make it more effective. According to a case study by Helzberg Diamonds, buttons that have arrows saw a 26% increase in clicks.
Take a look at the following landing page CTA. The primary CTA, ‘Get Your Free Trial in 3 Minutes,’ is visually dominant, so visitors are focused on looking at it. Moreover, the tick mark in the CTA helps promote positive action and outcomes.
13. Optimize CTA For Different Devices
Optimizing your CTA for different devices is essential to ensure a seamless user experience and maximize conversions. Users interact with websites on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, each with unique screen sizes and interaction patterns. On desktops, CTAs can be larger and include more detail, while on mobile devices, they must be compact, highly visible, and easy to tap. Therefore, responsive design is crucial to ensure CTAs adapt smoothly to various screen sizes without compromising functionality or aesthetics.
Additionally, consider call to action UX, such as thumb-friendly placement for mobile CTAs to enhance usability. Also, optimize the content in the button depending on what device your customer is using. If they’re on a laptop, the CTA could say ‘Learn More.’ And if they’re on a mobile phone, the CTA could say, ‘Call Now.’ By tailoring CTAs for each device, you can ensure accessibility and engagement across all platforms.
14. Personalize the Experience
Personalization is key to making users feel valued. Tailored CTAs that adapt to user behavior or preferences can significantly improve engagement. For instance, after someone finishes reading a blog post, a CTA like “Enjoyed This Article? Download the Complete Guide” feels relevant and timely.
But, businesses can customize CTAs based on customer information, such as name, location, browsing history, purchasing history, etc. For instance, the following CTA in an email to a previous customer fosters a sense of connection and encourages users to take the next step.
15. Test and Optimize Regularly
A/B testing allows you to compare variations and identify which performs better. For example, you might test different phrases, colors, or button sizes to see what drives the highest click-through rates (CTR).
Tools like HubSpot, Google Optimize, and Optimizely can help you determine which CTAs resonate better with your target audience. They provide valuable insights into user behavior, helping you refine your approach over time. But even a well-designed CTA can benefit from ongoing optimization. So make sure to A/B test your CTAs regularly to ensure they remain effective and relevant.
Get Your CTAs Right
Creating a compelling call to action button requires a blend of creativity, psychology, and strategic thinking. By understanding your audience, being clear and specific, and optimizing both design and messaging, you can craft CTAs that inspire action and drive conversions.
So, get started today (our CTA for the day) and up your CTA game to instantly convert visitors into customers.
