The concept of ‘call-to-action’ (CTA) is generally used to describe the presence of some sort of prompt (button or link) which is added inside specific sections of a website or eCommerce, in order to guide end-users through their consumer journey, by basically telling them what they could/should do next.
A call-to-action is thus a key element on a webpage, acting as a signpost that lets the user know what actions they can perform. There can be more than one CTA item on a page if there are multiple desired processes for the user to take: depending on the type of business and services offered by each marketer, call to actions phrases and buttons might for instance (1) lead to a landing page where users can fill out a form (hence becoming a lead); (2) be tied to a promotion, event or flash-sale; (3) direct traffic to more direct and impromptu types of CRM and customer engagement tools, such as an Instagram account.
Options are numerous, but within inbound marketing, a great example of how we would use call to action buttons at netamorphosis is to support the overall omnichannel strategy we have built. This means that our tie-ins are not just driving traffic towards internal sections of the website, but also establish connections with the other available touch-points such as call centers, social media, physical stores. And vice versa.
For instance, for our client Newport Academy, we have inserted a number of social media plug-ins inside a few sections of their website (such as the blog, or the press & accreditation page) in order to remind people navigating their website that they can see ‘more’ of Newport, not just by signing up to their emails, but also by following them on Facebook and Instagram. Conversely, their social media accounts also feature numerous CTAs—in the form of posts, link in bios, Instagram Stories, etc…These are being shared daily, and invite fans/followers to go to specific sections of newportacademy.com, to know and read more.
EXAMPLES OF CALL TO ACTION PHRASES
Website call to action examples normally include the following tag-lines:
- Read more articles
- Sign-up for our newsletter
- Share on social media
- Follow us on Facebook
- Get in touch with us
On an eCommerce site, CTAs are more commercially focused and direct:
- Add to cart
- Go to checkout
- Buy now
- Add to wish list
- Save to favorites
On social media, CTAs are generally longer, more specific and part of the caption, with the broader aim of leading users towards visiting the website. However, they can also invite them to perform some in-app actions such as commenting, scrolling, swiping, liking or shopping (both Instagram and Facebook offer ‘shoppable post’ options to marketers):
- Leave your comment below for a chance to win
- Click on the link in bio to know more
- Go to our Stories to check some behind the scenes content
- Tap on the image to buy
- Swipe left to check other available color options
How to Drive Conversions Through a Call-to-Action
Without a clear CTA, end-users may not know the next steps to take to purchase a product or to sign up for services such as a newsletter. This might lead to them bouncing out of the website (i.e. a missed conversion opportunity), as they likely would leave the site without completing their task. A thought-through call to action approach is therefore crucial in making it clear for consumers to know which actions they need to take next, making their journey down the sales funnel smoother and easier. Without a clear CTA, end-users may not know the next steps to take to purchase a product or to sign up for services such as a newsletter. This might lead to them bouncing out of the website (i.e. a missed conversion opportunity), as they likely would leave the site without completing their task. A thought-through call to action approach is therefore crucial in making it clear for consumers to know which actions they need to take next, making their journey down the sales funnel smoother and easier.
HOW TO CREATE A STRONG CALL-TO-ACTION
On the surface of things, CTAs are ultimately short text bites embedded within minimal visual elements, i.e. a button that says ‘BUY’. However, in our experience, a solid content creation-driven approach is crucial when crafting a good call-to-action, as that would ultimately mean blending design and text to optimize results.
The 3 things guiding our approach to CTAs at neta are:
- UX and Design: when building call to action buttons, it is important to pay attention to the user experience, as well as to the efficiency (and aesthetics) of the design and to that of the overall performance of a website or eCommerce. Our award-winning approach always takes into account ways to add relevancy, nuances and user expectations. For example, using button colors that contrast with the color of the page is a good strategy to get the user’s attention.
- Text: copy needs to be created with the idea of generating conversions, grabbing the attention while also ensuring that the hype matches the actual offering. Writing in an imperative mood gives a clear and direct command of what to do: a good call-to-action needs to be short (most website CTAs are no longer than 5 words!), direct and quick in stating what the benefit is for the user. Creating a sense of urgency or emphasizing an offer’s value proposition are also useful angles we would look at, especially when the CTA is aimed at capturing attention on temporarily available opportunities such as free shipping on an eCommerce. Sometimes, extra information and further details are also added below the actual call-to-action.
- Testing: after a CTA item has been created, comes testing, which with CTA buttons is absolutely crucial to assess a bug-free go-live, and make sure that placement, style, text, color and internal/external tie-ins work.
Overall, for a call-to-action to generate leads and ensure ROI, what we would normally do is, quite simply, ‘putting people first’, taking into account what the typical (or desired) user’s journey on a website might be. In fact, when a CTA doesn’t fulfill the needs of end-users at that specific point in their journey, it won’t resonate with them, and they will not be likely to move forward.Relevancy, as well as consistency in frequently deriving new insights to base our strategic direction work upon, are the key behind the outstanding rate of 165% CAGR within a 3-year period, which we have been able to achieve for all the companies we have been tasked with growing, since neta launched in 2011.