Calls to action (CTAs) are important because they attract attention and tell users what to do next. If your higher institution wants prospective students to download an ebook or attend a webinar, you must guide them toward this action. Otherwise, they won’t know what to do.
Not all CTAs are created equal, though. The most compelling ones require a balance of art and science. Here are some tips to follow when crafting CTAs for your higher institution.
Write Meaningful Copy
Calls to action use short copy, but don’t underestimate its value. Adding “Submit” to a big, red button may seem fine, but putting more care into your copy can increase the number of clicks. For example, a red button with “Get your free guide” tells prospects more about what they are clicking on.
If your CTA still looks bland, consider adding elements that are unique to your school, such as its logo, colors, mascot, or motto. These details can be used subtly to enhance the user experience and entice users to click.
Add Aesthetics
Prospective students are more likely to click on a CTA that has personality and flair. Some of the best ways to bring your CTA to life include attractive shapes and vibrant colors. Just be sure that your CTA fits within the overall design of your page. Using slightly different colors is fine because you want the button to stand out, but don’t stray too far from the original design.
Select the Right Location
Location plays a big role in how successful your CTA button is. For example, placing a CTA at the bottom of the page requires the user to scroll up and down. If a prospect isn’t planning on sticking around and reading the content, they won’t know that the CTA is at the bottom. Some of the best locations include headers and footers.
CTAs should also be placed strategically in the content. On emails, it’s usually enough to place the CTA at the end of the message. Emails tend to be short and have a single goal. Blog content is longer and may benefit from having a CTA in the middle and the end. This makes it more likely that prospects will click through the content.
Apply A/B Testing
Everything we’ve discussed so far are guidelines. To know what works for your audience, it’s important to split test your CTAs. Only test one element at a time so you know what is leading to higher click through rates. Is it the color? The placement? The copy? By finding what drives prospects to click, you can continue making small improvements that lead to huge success.
Conclusions
Calls to action are usually more powerful than we realize. By following the tips above, you can create more compelling CTAs that increase inquiries and engagement. If you find that your CTAs are getting stale, use A/B testing to better understand what your audience prefers.
