As a digital marketer, there are many things to do with your web content to skyrocket your sales conversions.
One of them is “creating Calls to Action (CTAs) on your site”.
This guide contains some Call to Action examples that you can use on your site if you have no idea of how calls-to-action work.
But first of all, you need to know how to create a Call to Action so you can optimize the conversion rate of your site and boost your sales in real-time.
If that cuts across your mind, the following points will be addressed here.
- What does a Call to Action mean?
- How does a Call to Action work?
- What are the eight types of Call to Action?
- How to create a Call to Action?
- What Call to Action examples can you use on your site?
Without much mouthing, let us delve in.
What is a Call to Action and how does it work?
A Call to Action is a graphic user interface that comes in the form of an image or line of text to incentivize your website visitors and keep them going down your sales funnel.
Creating the perfect Call to Action can make your audiences take any action you want them to take on your site.
If you intend to sell a product or service on your site, your CTAs will act as your salesman.
When someone visits your website, your CTAs will tell the visitors to click certain buttons or phrases and its end result is to convert the audience into potential buyers.
So, if you know how to create the perfect Call to Action, you’ll definitely get more click-through rates (CTRs) on your site.
The content of the CTAs must be something that can make the audience decide to take the action you want them to take.
An example of what a high-converting Call to Action can do for you as a marketer is to make an audience place an order.
In that case, an example of a perfect CTA can be “Order Now”.
This type of CTA can be found on most eCommerce websites.
In B2B leads generation, the primary function of a CTA is to get the attention of the audience on your products or services and command patronage.
You might not be able to place your CTAs just anywhere you like on your site.
The reason is that some parts of the site catch more attention than others.
Traditionally, marketers have embraced the best practice to place CTA buttons “above the fold” on landing pages or on the top portion of a web page, which is visible without a user having to scroll. WordPress
You can equally place your CTAs in any of the following places on your website to improve their conversions.
- Top of the page
- Middle of a long blog post
- End of blog posts
- Sidebar
- Welcome pop-up message
- Email marketing content
You don’t need to litter a page with too many CTAs just because you want to take advantage of the strategic places.
All you need to do is to run A/B tests and find out what parts of your pages are garnering more clicks.
It would be important to state that a Call to Action is best effective when they are used as buttons.
Apart from using a Call to Action button, you can also use Call to Action phrases or any other forms of CTA that go well with your site and the target customers.
Types of CTAs to be on your site
While doing content marketing, you’ll come across different types of calls-to-action (CTAs) you can use on your website.
Each may serve different purposes as your audiences differ in categories.
Among your audiences are:
- Visitors – People who visit your site just to read and leave.
- Leads – People who have the potential to buy your services or products.
- Customers – People who have bought from you.
- Promoters – People who like what you do and want to help you spread the word.
Ideally, you would like your visitors to become leads, leads to become customers, and customers to become promoters.
For that reason, you need different Calls to Action on your website to bring all your audiences down your sales funnel.
These include:
#1. Form submission CTAs
Before you have your website visitors registered as a leads, they need to do a couple of things.
They would need to fill out a form and click on a submit button so you can have their data stored in your database.
Given that your website visitors are close to turning into leads, it’s important that you allow them to go through a lackluster submit button.
The traditional Call to Action submit button is no longer effective because people nowadays need more reasons to click a button and submit their data on a site.
So, instead of using a single word like “SUBMIT” in your call to action button, you can opt for a short phrase.
This will enable you to spice your CTAs with some power or emotional words that can entice the audience.
Examples of such high engaging CTAs are:
- “Register to claim your seat”
- “10 seats remain, claim yours now”
- “Register now that registration is free”
In light of this, you should employ the use of a Call to Action button with a phrase that is more specific to the sales offer which you want the visitors to submit their details for.
#2. Lead Generation CTA
First of all, it’s important to note that Calls to Action primarily help digital marketers to generate leads.
As seen in the image above, the marketer attracts the audience with a free 30days trial.
So, anyone opting for the package, using the button “Try it Free for 30 Days” will have to register, by so doing they will have to submit their name and email address to opt in.
So, what is a lead or how can you generate leads?
Lead generation is attracting and converting a new audience into someone with a clear interest in your products or service.
To get a stranger interested in your brand, you need to find a way of attracting people to what you do by using lead generation CTAs.
The system can make the audience share their contact information while applying for an offer on a website.
You can leverage on the contact information of the audience to create familiarity between him and your brand until you’re able to convert him into a potential customer.
Here is a pro tip for writing a successful lead generation CTA.
- Create a product that is relevant to your audience.
- Design a Call to Action button to make the audience opt-in for the gift.
- Let the button point to another page with a short form to obtain useful information on your site.
- Send an exact gift to all users that opt in.
- Follow up with users to convert them into potential customers.
Since your intent is to convert your visitors into customers, it would be better to place your lead generation CTA where the audience can see very clearly.
To make this simple, there are tools that you can use to find out what part of your site or web page visitors spend much time on.
Examples of such analytics tools are:
- Crazy egg – This shows a heat map of where visitors spend more time on your site.
- Facebook pixels – It helps you to measure your customer actions on your site.
- Google Analytics – You can check your organic sessions with this tool and know how many users scroll to the end of your blog post.
Once you know where to place your CTA on your site, then you can begin turning your visitors into leads and leads into customers.
In order for this to work, your CTA buttons must be eye-catching and have the ability to quickly communicate the value the visitors would gain after clicking them.
#3. The “Read More” button
Considering WordPress for instance, most modern website themes come with a display format that shows just the first 35 to 45 words of a blog post on the homepage.
These snippets of content use a default Call to Action button: “Read More”, “Learn More” or “Continue Reading”!
WordPress blogs are not the only cases where the “read more” button is employed.
There can be “Read More” buttons on a customer case study page, a press newsroom, etc.
The “Read More” button entices webpage visitors to delve deeper into a post or page after reading the 35-word long summary by clicking the button.
The “Read More” button also allows your content to get the statistics that it deserves.
This way, web visitors can click through your homepage and the post would have its traffic accredited to it rather than the homepage.
#4. Social sharing buttons
Social sharing buttons are one of the best types of calls to action that motivate users to share your content on social media.
They are a simple way by which your website visitors, leads, customers, and promoters engage with your brand.
On your website, in order to get the best out of your social sharing buttons, you have to place them in the right place.
For instance, it’s inappropriate to place your social sharing button on a page where visitors are sharing personal information.
Adding a sharing button on such a page will raise a very serious privacy concern which the visitors won’t want to risk.
As a result of this, you won’t get the most of the typical CTA button.
One big advantage of social media call-to-action buttons is that it is super easy to customize.
#5. Service or product discovery
There are times when new website visitors wander around your site, trying to decipher the purpose of the site.
You might want to employ a Call to Action that can help you win the prospects.
Product or service discovery buttons don’t have to be too fancy.
You can have a simple text on the button as your product or service discovery button.
#6. Lead nurturing CTAs
Nurturing is what a digital marketer does when the lead is acquainted with the product or service but not ready to subscribe to it.
In this stage, you have to entice your leads with another type of offer.
This offer should be similar to the original offer, as it should strengthen their resolve to pay for the initial product or service.
Some of the offers that can be used in lead nurturing include free quotes, free eBooks, product demos, free trials, etc.
It would be better to place the leads nurturing CTAs on parts of your site that your leads visit more often.
#7. Closing the sales call to action button
The last step that is at the bottom of the sales funnel is usually “Closing the Sale”.
This is the marketing step you take after lead generation and lead nurturing.
Here, you convert your website leads into customers.
It would be important to note that this CTA is sales-focused and can make your potential customers want to buy your service or your product.
#8. Event promotion CTAs
This type of Call to Action is usually employed when a marketer wants to throw an offline or online event.
There are a lot of places on a site where event promotion CTAs can be deployed.
Overall, it should only be deployed in parts of the sites that visitors spend more time on.
How to create a Call to Action (CTA)
As I stated earlier, your CTA is the best part of your content marketing as it helps guide your users down your marketing funnel with clear-cut instructions on what you want them to do next after landing on your page.
With the aid of informative CTAs, you can transform leads into tangible customers.
Since lead conversion is vital, it is important that you take your time to write your Call to Action in terms of wording, positioning, color, and other factors.
In the course of subsequent paragraphs, I will walk you through how to practically create and optimize your CTAs in order to land better marketing results.
#1. Keep your Call to Action phrase brief
If you don’t want to wind up with an ineffective Call to Action phrase or button, then try not to make them wordy and too long.
Keep the text of your CTA short and make sure you stick to the point.
In terms of optimization, try to keep the words no longer than four words.
You might be wondering why you need to keep the phrase short because you have a lot to say!
Well, you can save yourself from the dilemma of having to use long text that the audience wouldn’t want to waste time reading.
You have to be economical in writing a Call to Action and also use strong or emotional words.
Here are some working examples of short Calls to Action phrases:
“Yes, I’m in” or
“Yes, send me Y!”
Where “Y” is any kind of incentive – giveaway, free download, or newsletter that can attract the interest of the audience.
Speaking in the voice of the consumer with this kind of CTA can make visitors read your thoughts to themselves as though they were theirs.
You can use this where you want the audience to opt in or subscribe to something.
#2. Create urgency
You need to create a feeling of scarcity as it is a popular trick that most marketers use to incite the fear of missing an offer or opportunity in the audience.
Psychologically, when the audience finds out that he has a limited time to make a decision whether to register for something or not, he will rather opt-in.
So, here are some tips for creating urgency with your Call to Action in writing.
- Use words like “Limited”, “Last Chance”, “Sales Ends Tomorrow”, “Shop Now”, “Start Now”, “Sign Up Today”.
- Design an interactive countdown timer that indicates when your offers will expire.
Your Calls to Action should be able to induce a “FOMO” ( Fear of missing out) that would make users quickly complete the action you prompt them to do.
#3. Make your point crystal clear
You should endeavor to always use Call to Action phrases that are not vague or misleading.
In the bid to avoid creating misleading CTAs, try to motivate the audience to like what you are offering.
One big con of using misleading CTAs is that they have a kill switch that chase visitors away from a website.
Consequently, when the visitors leave a site unhappily, they never return again.
Nobody likes the idea of clicking a button with the expectation of a particular event, but shockingly seeing another thing.
#4. Ensure your Calls to Action are clickable
The best interface to place a Call to Action is “a button”.
However, the button must have a link beneath it so it can send the audience to the next page he aims at when he clicks the button.
The idea of creating a Call to Action button is to make your audiences be able to click on the button and land on another page.
Whether the button is a 3-D graphic or motion graphic, you should design your Call to Action in a way that can be distinct from other visual items on your site.
By doing so, your CTAs will be enticing.
#5. Blend the CTA with the theme of your page
When the audience clicks a Call to Action, he should be brought to a landing page that gates to the same marketing offer that the Call to Action represents.
So, don’t compromise.
The page title, heading, imagery, and subject need to match up with that of the correlating Call to Action.
The reason for this is that your visitors might bounce if they are met with misleading CTAs.
Your website leads should immediately have the impression that they are in the right place if they follow your CTAs.
#6. Let your Calls To Action stand out
Make sure that your Calls to Action doesn’t blend right into its background.
In a bid to adhere to your company’s branding (colors, fonts, etc), make your CTA stand out as much as you can.
Place your Calls to Action on a white background on your site in order to make them appear bold and bright.
Always make use of contrasting colors, so that users can know where to click.
Focus on the visual hierarchy of your CTA to make sure other clickable elements on your site such as ads don’t distract the audience from clicking your CTAs where necessary.
No matter what colors you opt for, ensure that the CTA text is super visible.
Another helpful tip that would make your CTA stand out is to avoid using random paid advertisements and so many stock photos that can dilute the meaning and value that you intend to offer.
#7. Use numbers in your CTAs
In order to get higher click-through rates from your leads, employ the use of numbers that show compelling statistics in Calls to Action phrases.
A lot of people respond to facts better than a well-crafted sales copy.
Also, using numbers that indicate that a good number of people have downloaded, registered, or purchased a product or service shows a sense of urgency.
It gives the audience a sense of belonging.
So, when someone comes across your CTAs, the statistics would make him want to be part of the toll.
Nobody likes being left out.
So, spicing up your CTAs with numbers does a great job at landing more conversions.
#8. Create location-specific CTAs
Your site has different locations or sections, and your visitors respond to the content, including the graphics, they find on each section differently.
A Call to Action graphic on your homepage should not look exactly like the one on your site’s sidebar.
Location-based versions of your CTA don’t only apply to your sites, but also to your emails.
While rectangular Call to Action graphics are a thing for blog sites, emails preferably work best with circles and squares.
Design your CTAs to best suit the locations of your email posts or blog posts.
This is because the design that works at the footer of a newsletter might not work at the footer of your site.
#9. Use of reverse psychology
Most Calls to Action words offer the audience two options, to click the CTA or walk away.
Beyond these two options, you can employ the use of reverse psychology and leave the audience with no choice an to tune
Reverse psychology marketing is telling your customers not to do something when you mean otherwise.
The approach is otherwise known as reactance.
By telling your customers “DON’T BUY THIS JACKET” when you actually want them to buy the jacket, the kind of resistance they feel is reactance.
Because the audience is now left with one choice which is “BUY THIS JACKET, he feels dared and wouldn’t want you to win by not buying.
Then he has no choice but to buy the jacket.
Using this trick in your Calls to Action words can make the customers suddenly opt in.
Reverse psychology can make lead to make a decision in your favour.
Another example of this CTA optimization strategy is what Neil Patel uses on his site.
That particular CTA “Do you want more traffic?” offers the audience two options to either say:
“Yes I want more traffic” or
“No, I have enough traffic”.
The truth is that no digital marketer would ever turn down the opportunity to increase their web traffic.
So, instead of rejecting whatever Neil Patel has for you to increase your traffic, you would rather opt in if you were the audience.
#10. Test-run your calls to action
It is futile to create a CTA that leads to a broken page.
When you’re done creating a call to action button or link, click through it and ensure the page it leads you to isn’t broken.
#11. Test and refine your CTAs
It is somewhat impossible to create a perfect CTA off the bat.
The process of creating the perfect Calls to Action is one that needs a lot of scrutiny.
You should continuously test and improve your CTAs in order for you to learn more about your most effective approach to your target audience.
In digital marketing, A/B testing is the strategy used for testing a Call to Action.
In A/B testing, you’ll split your audience in half and show them the two variants of your CTA.
Hence, you can wind up with the CTA that best wins.
It would not be necessary to change multiple elements in your CTA all at once.
Instead, it would be better to compare the effects of the color, size, and placement of your CTA based on its performance.
#12. Use first and second-person pronouns in your CTAs
Studies show that ad copy with the first and second-person narratives bring 90% more clicks.
So when you’re creating a Call to Action on your website, try to use CTA words that speak for the audience.
The idea is to make someone reading the content feel more personally connected to your brand.
You can use the personal pronoun “I”, “you” and “we” to call the attention of visitors to your ad or the email copy and get more clicks.
Call to Action examples
If you’re looking for an interesting Call to Action to use on your site, the following contains a short and precise call-to-action examples you can replicate.
1. AdEspresso
CTA: Start Your Free Trial Now
When you visit AdEspresso and see the phrase “Start Your Free Trial Now”, it becomes very easy for you to know what will happen if you click any of the CTA buttons.
The two buttons share the same green color, which is an indication that they both serve the same purpose.
Whether you click the primary or secondary CTA button, you will end up landing on a registration page for joining the program.
This CTA design is clear and fascinating enough to make anyone that visits Adespresso’s website become a lead.
2. CoSchedule
CTA: Try For Free Now
One good thing I like about this Call to Action by CoSchedule is how it summarizes what the website is all about.
If you need a platform to organize your marketing activities, the CTA is catchy enough to give CoSchedule a trial. At a glance, you’ll find out that you’re in the right palace.
Both the primary and secondary CTA buttons have almost the same phrases. Although the color is the same.
The design of the CTAs and other virtual items on the web page is so connecting that you don’t need to have a second thought before clicking the button.
That makes this one of the best call to action examples to replicate on your site.
Conclusion on Call to Action Examples
Writing the perfect CTAs on your site is one of the most effective inbound marketing strategies that trend.
With the Call to Action examples and optimization tips discussed in this guide, you should be able to create the perfect CTA to increase your leads and customer conversions dramatically.
Meanwhile, over-optimizing your CTAs can render your effort useless. So remember not to be clumsy.
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