What is the secret sauce of the best calls to action? They are flavoured with a writer’s unique creativity, but the basic recipe ingredients are still the same for all. And they’re so simple, you’ll want to implement them immediately.
Why does your website need calls to action?
There are a lot of factors that contribute to irresistible calls to action (CTA). Still, content is the decisive player when it comes to prompting a user to click on your CTA button.
In digital marketing, the call to action is a simple instruction you give to users to prompt an immediate response. They usually include short phrases, imperative and action verbs.
In other words, your CTA convinces users to try out your offers: “Click here”, “Download now”, “Send me the giveaway” – they are all part of the recipe of the best calls to action.
From a business perspective, they are effective conversion tools. Simply put, a compelling CTA should increase your conversion rate. But again, there are multiple factors that contribute to a conversion – a CTA, while important, is just part of your strategy.
Creating effective calls to action requires a lot of research and a long trial-and-error process. It’s important to find the formula that works best for your business or brand, so give this process some time.
So, let’s take a look at the best five tips to make your calls to action irresistible and increase your business’ conversion rate.
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1. Include the word “FREE”
It’s true, we like free stuff. People are more compelled to click on a button if it promises to offer something for free.
Think about what services your business can offer for free. Whether it’s a free consultation, trial period or an actual product, you can consider creating a CTA to prompt users to try it out.
- Try it free for (time).
This is one of the most powerful calls to action that can literally double or triple your conversion rate.
It suggests a minimal risk for the subscriber and it could work great for downloadable products or apps.
For example, Freshbooks uses this CTA:
- Sign up for a free (trial, membership). Here’s how Insightly uses this CTA on their website:
Other offers you could create around the promise of something free include:
- Start your free trial now. A formula that captivates with instant gratification: “now”.
- Get your free (assessment, ebook, webinar etc). It’s short and effective.
2. Prompt an immediate response with words like “today”/”now”
You can make your calls to action more compelling by including words that suggest immediate action, like: today, now, right now, today only.
They promise instant gratification, which is exactly what users are looking for. Your CTA should focus on making an impact now.
If you were to click on one of the calls to action below, which one would it be?
- Get your guide here.
- Instantly download your free guide now.
Here are some great examples of how this type of call to action can be used in practice:
- Get started now. It’s a simple, short and impactful phrase. Works great if you have to work with limited space.
- Order your (product) today. “Today” is the word that will produce the action.
- Send me the (product/service) right now. First person calls to action include words like “me”, “my”, “I”. They produce an instant connection with the user. Powerful CTA!
3. Encourage users to “experience”, “discover” and “try out” benefits
Create a call to action that encourages exploration and discovery. It is a great strategy to appeal to your users’ curiosity.
Tip: Choosing a discovery-oriented approach for your call to action buttons will seem less salesy.
Here are a few examples you can try:
- See how it works. Encourages the user to experiment and try out your offer without the pressure of committing.
- Experience the (benefit, product, service). This is a powerful call to action, as it combines a sensory word with a benefit, service or emotion. Irresistible!
4. Go for simple action formulas
Simplicity stands out in digital marketing. Most often than not, a simple call to action will produce results better than a complicated one.
Social media is already full of colours and noise. Make your buttons stand out by choosing simple action formulas.
Here are a few calls to action you can try:
- Get started. Simple, gets the message across. Credit Karma uses this CTA:
- Learn more. Classic and short. Here’s how SmartThings uses this call to action on their website:
- Subscribe now. Also a classic. This is how you know it works.
- Talk to us. A great alternative for the overused “contact us”. Invites users to a conversation, which is why it’s so effective. It creates an immediate connection with the user.
5. Increase urgency for immediate reactions
Use words like “only”, “now” to put pressure on your user to act, but without you being aggressive.
Here are a few good examples:
- Get (benefit and service) today only. Adding “today only” to your phrase makes it stronger. It also gives users the impression your services or products are selling fast.
- Get (product or service) today, and get (added benefit or service). We’ve already mentioned how we all like receiving free stuff. Offer something free along with a paid offer. You might notice some changes in your conversion rate.
- Get (discount) while supplies last! Limited supply increases curiosity and desire, therefore increases the chances of the user to click the CTA button.
- Only (number of available products or spots) available. Lock in your order now! Another powerful CTA.
As a business owner, your main website goal should be to convert more. Our digital marketing specialists can offer a few useful tools to help you achieve that goal. Calls to action can be great for you to connect with your users and increase your conversion rate.
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