Call to action (CTA): what it is and how to make it work

A call to action (CTA) or call to action is any indication that entices the user to perform an actionthrough a click.

This dynamic comes into play in any web interaction, where we need have the reader click a link or button to move to the next step.

It is a broad concept because it is a resource used in different contexts and with different objectives. A CTA can encourage the user to make a purchase on your website, subscribe to your newsletter, attend an event, download, access another website, etc.

There are many points to consider when create a CTA that is effective and generates conversions. For this reason, in this article we bring you all the information you need to compose calls to action.

📖 Bonus resource! At the end of this post we bring you an e-book with 100 examples of calls to action creative, so you can find inspiration and create effective marketing campaigns.

What is CTA?

Many times you will have heard how important it is to include a call to action on your site, but what is that? A CTA, its acronym in English, is a call to action that is presented as a phrase, button or link and directs the user to do somethinggenerally, promotes decision making.

Look at the example below:

In that case, the button is the CTA: the action being promoted is the download by the reader of the featured content.

The CTA has a strong persuasive charge since it is generally aimed at take the visitor to the next stage of your . This can be both generating a specific purchase and strengthening the relationship between the customer and the brand for future conversion actions.

Now, how to convince the reader to do what we need? This is where it becomes interesting to study everything we can think and design around a call to action to make it a click magnet. Let’s go!

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Guide to creating a call to action cash

A CTA may seem like a simple link or button, but there are so many elements involved that can make a big difference. Let’s take a look at it in detail.

Define a goal 🎯

The goal of any call to action is to convince the user to click. This action, so simple and key at the same time, can be oriented to the most diverse purposes.

We are going to see, next, the most popular ones to help you define yours.

  • Buy a product. To generate through your virtual store, the most important CTAs are two: the button to add products to the cart and the one that directs the check out.
  • Subscribe to a newsletter. The is a powerful tool to build customer loyalty and increase the average ticket, for example, through exclusive promotions.
  • Generate traffic to a website. Here it can be about promoting more visits to an article on your blog, visitors to your online store or web portfolio, among others.
  • Complete a form. Whether to participate in an event, request feedback about the shopping experience or register.
  • Actions in social networks. The CTAs we see in social media are aimed at promoting interaction, improving the rate of engagementincrease the follower base or the reach of the account.
  • Get a download. In the case of developing an application or writing an e-book, downloads are promoted so that the user can access the content created.
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Take into account the sales funnel 🛒

The sales funnel is a marketing concept through which they try to represent the different stages a user goes through before making a purchase. It is usually divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower.

The user “steps” through the funnel from the surface to the bottom, passing through the phases of attraction, consideration and conversion.

So if a person is just learning about a new brand, a CTA that prompts them to buy right away won’t be as wise. In this period, a call to action that invites you to read more content about the business, for example, will surely get more clicks.

Consider who you are targeting 💬

Along the same lines as the above, it is important to always bear in mind the characteristics of your reader.

A correct one can be the key to find the specific need of a user and obtain incredible results.

For example, a communication directed to a visitor who has already made a purchase in your virtual store can be focused on offering them a special discount on their second transaction. Instead, a marketing campaign aimed at expanding your customer base should provide information about your brand, what makes your business unique, and why they would make a first purchase.

A transversal point to everything mentioned is In what types of content (newsletters, social networks, etc.) do we include the call to action. For that, keep reading the next section where you will also find examples.

Where do we use CTA?

Considering that the concept of “call to action” grew out of marketing, They can be used in different ways and for different purposes.depending on the context in which they are found.

From the points we considered in the previous section to compose the call to actionwe are going to see concrete examples of the places where we can locate one.

Websites

All web pages of your brand can include calls to action. Of course, it is important to be moderate so as not to overwhelm the user.

Your brand’s home page is a good place to include a CTA for give a quick instruction to the visitor, on the first contact.

The user who arrived at the Home page of your online store, for example, is sure to be interested in learning about you in order to start buying, so invite them to do so! You can use calls to action like:

  • Go to all products
  • Get to know the gift kits!
  • see more

Pop-up window

In line with the above, just as the Home of your business suggests the user to perform certain actions, you can also include a pop up or popup window.

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Generally, they are used for people to sign up for your newsletter, or for very prominent promotions, for example, within the framework of an exceptional date such as .

newsletter

Email marketing is a very powerful tool for maintain contact with visitors, create dissemination campaigns and build customer loyalty.

This medium is very versatile and you can make use of CTAs depending on the objective in question. Some examples are:

  • Invite to read a content published on your blog: I want to read the guide!
  • Generate traffic to your e-commerce: Visit the online store.
  • Promote registration to an event: I want to attend the webinar.

Specific content

This point is, perhaps, the widest and where more space remains for the creativity of each creator.

A call to action at the end of each article from your blog, for example, can suggest the purchase of your products or services. In a specialized materialLike an e-book, featured snippets are often added with a link to your website.

Another recurring practice is the design of banner that promote certain actions, such as access to specific content such as the following:

Social networks

Social networks play a fundamental role in the communication of any brand. Are the closest point of contact with consumers and, for this reason, the CTAs that are in this medium have a high probability of being registered by your .

From images or videos on Instagram or Facebook to content on your , do not miss the opportunity to generate brand recognition and be present in the day to day of your customers.

Best practices for composing CTAs

A call to action Well done, it can make all the difference and bring you great results. There are several points and dimensions to take into account in this matter, for this reason, we bring you 5 infallible tips and to create them.

1. Use bright or contrasting colors

The easiest way to make one option stand out among others is to give it a contrasting color. This will quickly attract attention of the person who is on your site and will lead them to easily understand what the next step is.

Let’s look at the example of the store’s product page, which chose a very different color than the others for its “Add to cart” button:

Another good example is the case of Amazon, which despite having a product page loaded with a lot of information, manages to clearly distinguish the call to action on their page.

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2. Pay attention to the size

A larger size option will be easier to find. Also, remember that it should not be excessive. It is about designing a CTA that is striking and notable, but not invasive, since this will cause rejection by the user.

The challenge is to find the perfect size such that it fulfills its function and maintains good aesthetic criteria at the same time.

3. Stay consistent

If you’ve decided that your product page call-to-action will have a certain shape, color, and size, it’s a good idea to keep those rules on all of your store pages.

The clients learn that options that have those characteristics trigger actionsthen whenever you see one you’ll want to click on it.

4. Limit options

It is proven that offering too many alternatives is negative for the decision-making process. It is important that on pages where your customer has to make important decisions (for example, in the shopping cart) there are not too many options available.

This will limit distractions and make it easier for your client to move on to the next step.

If, however, you need to offer more options, take care that they do not compete with the main option. How? Using neutral colors and a smaller size.

5. I chose the words well

When you decide what text will go inside your call to action, try to be as descriptive as possible of what will happen once your client chooses it. This is especially important for those who initiate sensitive actions such as check out.

Following this advice, You will provide predictability and security to your customer, avoiding frustrations and improving their shopping experience.

We are almost at the end of this article on CTAs, but before we go, we have some exclusive content to help you with the composition of these links.

In the following e-book you will find 100 examples of calls to action in different contexts and with different objectives. Do not miss this free material!

Now yes, you are ready to build calls to action to help you improve your conversions. We hope that this content will help you to obtain more and better results in your commercial strategies!

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