How to Write an Effective Call to Action

Do you want to motivate your audience into clicking your links and filling out forms? Make it happen by learning how to write an effective Call to Action.

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Businesses can employ various marketing and SEO tactics to entice users to visit their websites. However, even if you get users to come to your website – your work is far from over. Once they arrive at your site, you need to use clever design and lavish writing skills to inspire them to action. Most marketing experts recommend using a Call to Action to really hammer that point home. Unfortunately, using the wrong language can frame your Call to Action as too forceful and drive users away. Today, we will teach you how to write an effective Call to Action which will help you convert more users into valuable leads.
What is a Call to Action, and how to make it effective?

A Call to Action (CTA) is an important part of web design that can be used to get users to perform an immediate action. This can include anything from making a purchase to signing up for your newsletter. The CTA is usually nested on a button that takes users to a form that they can fill out. An effective Call to Action delivers a sense of urgency and gets your users to act.

Not every interaction with your users needs to end up with a sale. However, all of your marketing needs to work towards the same goal: to get users interested in what you have to say. Even your content creation can be used for inbound marketing to tie your audience to your company. You can put your best content in a newsletter that requires a subscription. It’s essential to have your CTA present for all of those user interactions as a way of providing something more to your users. Inspire your users to subscribe, download your app, fill out a form or complete a purchase.

A white envelope suggesting that users should subscribe.

Here’s how to write an effective Call to Action:

1. Have the action come across as immediate

Offer your website visitors a chance to do something – now. Use language that suggests taking action. Try to add urgency by using authoritative language and verbs that indicate immediacy. Words like shop, buy, register, and subscribe are commonly used to get the point across. You should also make it clear to the user what they will gain if they respond to your CTA. Shop and buy imply purchasing your items. On the other hand, if you want them to subscribe to your newsletter, you need to offer informative articles they can explore before committing.

2. Frame your offer as scarce or exclusive

Another way to give a sense of urgency to your Call to Action is to make a limited-time offer. The fear of missing out can be a powerful motivator. However, if you decide to go down this route, you should enforce the scarcity of your offer. You can write something along the lines of “while supplies last,” but it might be even more efficient if you directly state how many articles you have remaining. Smart web design can connect your site to your store and bring up product data. If users see a decreasing counter every time they visit your site, they will realize that there is demand for your products. The same philosophy applies to countdown timers. A clock ticking down next to your CTA makes for very powerful motivation. You could also give your users specialized offers if they click on your CTA. Have them sign up for personalized discounts and make their shopping experience unique.

Entrance sign telling people where to go.

3. Make it clear which action you want users to perform

Having a Call to Action on your website is all about motivating users to perform the action you want. In that case, you need to make it crystal clear to the user what it is that you want them to do. Having a button that simply says “Click Me” might come across as spam or confuse the user. Be honest and genuine; think about what you are offering and what you want them to do. If you offer a newsletter with valuable tips and information the users will find interesting, ask your visitors to “subscribe to learn more.” A great way to build trust is by being transparent about your intentions and offers.

4. Present the action in a positive light

If you want to write an effective Call to Action, you need to use language that frames your proposition in a positive light. Returning to our newsletter example, you could say, “yes, I want to learn more” or “help me get informed.” Both of those phrases put a positive spin on your CTA and imply a value proposition. Users will feel good after performing your desired action if they perceive it as valuable.

5. Use engaging contact forms

Once the user clicks on your Call to Action, you need to greet them with engaging and simple contact forms. Your contact forms need to make visitors interested in going through with their action, not drive them away. To get the best results, you should make sure the layout is user-friendly and accessible.

People noticing the writing on the ground.

6. Make your Call to Action visually stand out

Avoid burying your CTA with too many features and elements on your pages. A busy web design will feel crowded, and it will be easy for users to miss the important features. Instead, you should use clever logo design to naturally guide users to the parts of the page you want them to notice. Use plenty of empty space around your CTA to make sure it stands out.

7. Don’t make your Call to Action sound speculative or risky

Asking for too much from your website visitors can be intimidating to some people. Don’t pressure your users, and just let them click around without committing. Try to evaluate how much information you are asking from your users and what you are offering them in return. Let them fill out a form without paying for anything, and only ask for the basic information you need.

The bottom line

Now that you have learned how to write an effective Call to Action, you can use those skills in most of your marketing campaigns. Almost every form of advertising uses a CTA, and it’s important to incentivize your audience into action properly.