Ideal CTAs
What if we told you that by reading this article and sharing it with three of your friends, you could win a free trip to the Bahamas? Would you do it? You’d be silly not to! Unfortunately, we’re not giving away free trips today, but we are giving away free advice on how to motivate someone, in particular, your target customer. Your call to actions are an important part of your advertising strategy that may not be getting the attention it deserves. By crafting a clear, engaging CTA, you can have a positive impact on your conversion rates.
Call to actions are tricky. It’s hard to think of clever CTAs, which is why so many marketing materials simply use generic terms like “click here,” “buy now” or “subscribe today.” If you’re bored with these CTAs, imagine how your audience feels. They see these call to actions on just about everything they read, so they’re conditioned to seeing them and probably skip right over them. Luckily, you can amp up your CTAs with a few simple tips. Let’s take a look.
Start with a Command Verb
Start your CTA with a strong command verb that tells your audience exactly what you want them to do. Some examples of words to use include:
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Buy
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Shop
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Order
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Download
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Subscribe
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Fill out a form
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Find out how
You don’t have a lot of character space to tell your audience what to do, which is why a command verb is important. Just by glancing at the CTA, your audience will know what to do to get the information they need whether it’s downloading an ebook or filling out a form for a free consultation.
Use Words to Evoke Emotion
Following your command verb should be a few words that ignite excitement or enthusiasm. If your readers see that you are excited, they will be too. Adding an exclamation point at the end of the CTA is an easy way to generate some more excitement, but also be mindful of the words you use. For instance, if you want to nudge customers to place an order, something like, “Buy now and save 25% off your purchase!” is a motivating CTA.
Give a Compelling Reason
When you write your CTA, ask yourself if your customers will have a reason to complete the desired action. Does your call to action offer valuable information such as ways to save money or tips to do a job better? Or maybe your audience will receive a free trial or consultation by filling out a form or calling your phone number. Whatever the reward is, make sure it’s loud and clear. A CTA that goes something like this: “Fill out this form to start your free trial” tells visitors what’s in it for them by submitting their information to you.
Create a Sense of Urgency
An easy way to get people motivated is by creating a sense of urgency. When you tell people that they only have a limited time to buy something or that your stock is limited, they feel more compelled to act at that time rather than waiting things out. Take advantage of holiday weekends and other events that allow you to craft messages like this one: “Shop now to save 50%! Sale ends Monday!” If the customer wants to get this deal, they better shop before then!
Use Numbers
People like it when they see numbers. It tells them what they can expect and if the offer is worth it for them. Some marketers take the vague route and instead encourage visitors to visit their website for pricing information. While this may drive more clicks initially, not being upfront about your prices can scare people off. When possible, include pricing, discounts, promotions and incentives directly in your call to action. This way, if it’s worth it for the customer, they’ll take the next steps and have the potential to be a more valuable lead.
Customize Based on Device
We strongly encourage you to create different CTAs for your different audiences based on the device they are using. No, this isn’t to drive you nuts and make you work harder. It’s because mobile devices tend to have different user behavior than desktops and tablets. Research shows that users on their desktops and tablets are typically still exploring the products they want and aren’t ready to buy. But for those shopping on their mobile devices, they are often ready to commit or want instant gratification. As you write your CTAs, think about the different devices that shoppers may be using and where they may be in the buying funnel.
Split Test CTAs
It’s always a good idea to split test your call to actions to determine which ones bring you more clicks. There are many tried-and-true CTAs that work well, but don’t forget to add your own spin on them. A little creativity goes a long way in drawing attention to your CTA and getting people to act on it. For instance, with the New Year coming up, you may want to boost gym memberships by offering a discounted price. Rather than saying, “Sign up now for 10% off!” You could say something like, “Start a healthier life in 2016!”
Examples of Strong Call to Actions
Now that we’ve given you some helpful tips for writing CTAs, let’s take a look at a few examples to warm up your brain. Hopefully you’ll find a few of these inspiring for your own products or services. Don’t forget to split test your CTAs to see which are best for your audience!
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Try it FREE for (limited time)!
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Sign up for a FREE (membership, trial, etc.).
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Order your product today!
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Lock in your order today!
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Get your (product) while supplies last!
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Start your free trial today.
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See how it works.
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Get started now.
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Learn more.
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Talk to us.
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Experience the benefit of (product, service, etc.).
Call to actions don’t have to be difficult to write, but they do deserve some more attention than just the basic “click here” or “subscribe now” that you’re probably using on a lot of your materials. Sometimes the basic, simple commands work, but others times, it doesn’t hurt to shake things up.
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