A call-to-action is the copy or graphic used to entice and persuade a website visitor to take a certain action. Well-designed calls to action can dramatically increase conversion rates.
This post examines a few best practices for creating a call-to-action that is sure to get noticed and earn clicks from your visitors.
6 CTA button best practices
- Create Urgency - Use concrete measurements of time in your call to action. Phrases like "try our software today" give the user an understanding of how easy and immediate the action will be.
- Use Action Oriented Verbs - Your call-to-action should either explain what to do and/or what will happen upon clicking. "Click here to get started" clearly explains what the visitor should do next while "Get a free demo" implies that if the visitor clicks, they can expect to receive a free demo.
- Make Your CTA Clickable - Make sure your CTA (call to action) uses the accepted web conventions of clickability. There's nothing more frustrating than seeing what looks like a button that doesn't do anything.
- Use Contrasting Colors - Contrasting colors draw the user's eye to the action you want them to take. Text links should be a different color than the rest of your text and buttons should also stand out.
- Pay Attention to Position - Put your call-to-action where it fits best within the context of your page. While we often think that placing CTAs above the fold is a top priority, if a visitor hasn't learned enough about who you are or what you do you're likely to get fewer clicks than if you place the CTA in a natural position, giving the visitor a chance to understand what they're looking at.
- Deliver What's Been Promised - Make sure your CTAs actually deliver visitors what's been promised. Creating extra steps or sending them somewhere that doesn't correspond with what they clicked on will create a sense of mistrust and cause them to become frustrated, or worst case, leave your site never to return.
Want to learn more about applying CTAs to your website? Let's have a conversation.
Topics: Website Optimization