CTA’s That Work

CTA or a call to action is the end goal all marketers aim to achieve. The best lead magnets, great landing page, outstanding videos, and content are valuable and important but don’t matter unless the consumer is led to make a purchase.

That’s where a solid base for CTA is essential, and every touchpoint on the brand’s sites should have it. Here are the basics and some examples of success.

CTAs are not intended to be passive. Strong command verbs need to be employed to get the consumer to act right away. For e-commerce sites, words like “buy,” “order,” or “shop” couldn’t be more direct. And informing them what they can expect when they follow through and click on a button is essential. To visitors seeking help, words like “discover how to…” or “complete this form for…” work well.

Similarly, words that elicit enthusiasm or emotion are also powerful. A CTA proclaiming, “For you today only, get 50% off!” will command lots of excitement and responses. Consider these examples/

For emails, simply inserting a “go here to” (put in the action being called for, like getting a free copy of a brochure, how-to booklet, or sample) makes it simple and easy. Even stronger is a CTA saying, “I want your” (insert the free offer product). Either will produce quick responses.

On landing pages, simplicity and ease work well here, too. Inserting an “Add (brand) to my cart now” is a popular converting landing page and makes it convenient for customers. “Get instant access now” does the same for consumers seeking information.

It’s a little more limiting, but inserting something like “Get x % off today” in a Facebook ad will spur attention and speed up purchasing decisions. Doing so creates a sense of immediacy. If t’s a service being marketed, a goal-oriented CTA can generate interest.

Popular on Instagram is a simple “Swipe up” CTA. It can be used to guide consumers to product pages or even opt-in. Using text over an image sends an easy, quick message. Here are even more tips.

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, has been a motivating factor ever since we were kids. It still works with consumers. Here’s where a CTA mentioning a sale or special promotion can spark attention and action.

Better yet, if extended to loyal customers before being announced publicly, it will further cement their loyalty and promote a quick response, especially if something like “while supplies last” is added. Just be sure that this special audience is aware that they’re receiving the offer in advance of everyone else.

Some consumers get buyer’s remorse after hitting the “buy” button and completing their purchase. Give them another reason to rationalize and justify. When possible, supply them with an additional reason why they should respond to your recommended action. What other benefits might they see? If the brand has a USP (unique selling point), now’s the time to remind buyers of it.

Brands need to know their customers and customize CTAs to their devices. Search intent and consumer behavior vary by device, and tailoring is important for success.

Here are a couple more helpful tips. Mobile preferences for the brand’s ads can be set on Google so that only certain ones can be seen. One option is displaying the brand’s phone number alongside the ad. Another useful Google function takes buttons like “call now” and will place the call when clicked on.