5 Call to Action Example That Actually Work

What is a call to action?

A call-to-action, or CTA, is part of an advertisement, webpage, or content that encourages your audience to take action or do something. In most cases, they are written with action verbs because they command action in the form of a link or button. They are widely used in emails where the user will be taken to another page to complete the action.

Why are CTAs important?

Think about this. Without a CTA, would your user know what comes next? How will they be able to get the download you have for them or watch the video? That gives them an opportunity to leave your site or social media page without acting, which diminishes engagement. If you’re trying to put them into a buyer’s journey funnel, they won’t be able to move through it without one.

There are many businesses that have multiple CTAs on their site, giving users options. It’s common to have a CTA for business directing the user to sign up for an email newsletter or read more blogs, etc. This keeps them interacting with your site and business beyond the initial interaction.

It’s common to see a content marketing CTA that directs users to support the sponsor, share on social media, sign-up for the newsletter, or read more.

Companies specializing in B2B may use free trial, sign up, let’s get started, or contact sales to identify what to expect. E-commerce sites may work a little differently, but the result is the same. Their actions usually involve buy now, checkout now, add to cart, or add to wishlist so they can continue moving through the journey.

Call-to-actions all serve specific purposes and different languages that connect with their audience. Call-to-actions should be simple but effective to add balance and symmetry.

5 Call to Action examples

These are great call-to-action examples that get results. They are used in different ways to attract and engage the audience.

Contently – Talk to Us

The team at Contently effectively uses their CTA to fortify the great content they put out. Instead of being direct and seeming a little stark, they took the power of their brand voice to create a friendly, approachable CTA in language that advises the user that they want to build a relationship with them. This also gives the user an idea of what they can expect from Contently.

Square – Get started free, contact sales, play video

Square is a well-known payment solution for businesses and solopreneurs. They have three CTAs in the same hero square that support their strong headline, Power Your Business with Square. The subhead has a quick explanation of what Square does, but the power comes from letting the user know they can get started for free or contact sales if they have additional questions. A smart move was the final CTA, which was preceded by See how a business owner uses Square.

Netflix – Join free for a month

With Netflix losing a lot of subscribers because of their price hikes, they are offering the option to see if they like the service. Their headline is "See what’s next." But the subhead is what hits home – watch anywhere. Cancel anytime. The CTA follows in a red box with Join free for a month. Their primary and secondary CTAs match the red in Netflix’s logo. This gives customers an option to try the service while removing the risk.

Essence – Read more

Essence magazine is very popular and is supported by its fans and other activities they have, like the annual Essence Festival. While they have hard copy subscriptions, they play heavily on the digital crowd with a huge hero image of the digital cover and the actual person next to it. The headline, “Our new digital cover is out now!” followed by a large white CTA that says read more is the perfect segway into getting readers to click the button.

Point Blank SEO – Be Awesome

This CTA is for users to sign up for their newsletter. It’s really boring saying sign up, so they found another way to get interaction and get their audience engaged. Who wouldn’t want to be awesome? Then, they have another CTA regarding the blog with Yes, take me there. It works well because it’s fun. It’s also creating urgency and the use of an arrow to create a visually stimulating directive.

How to write a CTA

There are a few ways to write compelling CTAs. You can use a content optimizer to help you figure out how you want to attract and engage your audience to move forward, or you can use additional strategies. When writing, you should have a traditional and digital marketing mindset. Consider your target audience every step of the way, addressing their wants, needs, and pain points. Here are a few to consider:

Visibility

You want your CTA to be very noticeable once they land on the page. The font should command attention and make the user want to read it.

No-obligation or risk

The best CTAs make it clear that there’s no obligation to do anything and there’s no risk involved if they do. Users are drawn to CTAs where they don’t have anything to lose, so why not? This has been a tried-and-true marketing tactic that helps in avoiding hesitation on the part of the user. When they know they can get an immediate result to determine if they want to keep the service or subscription, they usually move forward.

Design

Your CTA should grab attention. Using a bright color for the button that has a nice contrast with the hero image or page is effective in getting eyes on your message. It’s also a good idea to consider the types of devices where these CTAs will be seen. Consider customizing the CTA based on certain devices because the user behavior of people on mobile is usually different than the intent of people on a desktop. You can set a mobile preference for your CTA and use a call extension if you’re using ads.

Benefit

There should be a clear benefit to someone clicking on your CTA and completing the action. People want to know what’s in it for them once they move forward. This means your users should know without a doubt why they should take action. The copy makes all the difference in the world. The most effective CTAs are very straightforward. Highlighting the immediate benefits gives you an advantage because users like immediate gratification.

Text

The text should have action verbs to move the user forward. Start with command verbs that directly correlate with what you want. E-commerce sites should have something to do with buying. Newsletters or ebooks should have CTAs to move deeper into the customer experience. Information gathering CTAs should direct them on how they can connect with your team. Giving them a clear directive like buy now, discover more, or other verbs that compel them to do something works well. Use secondary CTAs to reinforce the high value of the first one but give them extra options so they won’t just leave the site if they only have one choice. The secondary CTA should highlight how they can stay engaged with your company.

Sense of urgency

Distractions are very common for online users. The CTA should create a sense of urgency where they want to click and move on. Giving a limited-time offer as a CTA can propel the user to take action now rather than later. Use words that are going to provoke a feeling or some type of reaction. Getting users excited about planning a vacation on your CTA can get them to click. Take advantage of FOMO. If you have any sales or promotions coming up, this is the time to put those CTAs to work.

Establish credibility

You want your CTA to connect with the people that know and understand what you do, and the people that are new to what you do. Give enough information so the user will feel comfortable feeling that you know what you are talking about and are trustworthy enough to want to learn more.

Be creative

You want your CTAs to be fresh and relevant. Don’t be afraid to step outside the box and generate excitement with your audience. Would you rather click on, fill out this form or start your healthy journey now? It’s all in the copy you’re using that can make a dramatic difference.

Use numbers when you can

People like seeing prices. You should use pricing when you can. Although it may be in your copy, using a CTA that says, get $300 off now! will get the clicks you want.

Once you create your call-to-action, use A/B testing to see how they perform. Each audience that interacts with your call-to-action will respond differently. It’s up to you to figure out which ones work best. You may find that your CTA is in the wrong place and will perform more effectively somewhere else on the site. Scroll maps, heatmaps, and recordings can give you some indication on what works best and connect with your audience.

There are also a few things to avoid:

• Don’t use the word “send” or “submit”. It’s generic and boring.
• Stay away from one-word CTAs. They are very impersonal and seem forceful.
• Use “learn more” or “get started” sparingly. They work, but you can do a little more to inspire your audience. They may also be unclear if you don’t have the right supporting copy. Instead of saying get started, use language that spells out what that first step is, like scheduling a free consultation.
• Don’t guilt trip. You don’t want to use the “no thanks, I don’t want to save” button. It puts people in a position where they may feel as if you’re trying to guilt them into taking the offer. You want people who really want your offerings to convert.
• Hard to find CTA. You want your CTAs to be above the fold which is the top part of the page. This way, they won’t be missed. Your user shouldn’t have to scroll down to get to it.

Add a call to action to your email campaigns

Now you know why CTAs are so important to a website and increasing your conversions. All email campaigns should have one or more CTAs. These can be done by using images, links, text, buttons, videos, and more. Being creative in how you deliver your CTA helps increase engagement and makes users want to keep the connection going. Use these 10 examples and tips on how to write effective CTAs to help you create compelling call-to-actions that get results. While it may take time to get the right CTAs in front of your audience, you have the tools and suggestions to point you in the right direction.

Every touchpoint your audience has with your brand should have some sort of CTA that invites them to find out more about your brand, engaging them in multiple ways.