Are you suffering from low conversion rate syndrome? That usually happens when you have a poor call to action (CTA for short) at the end of your content pieces. Or even worse, having no CTA at all.
A call to action is like the icing on the cake. Nobody thinks too much of it, but everyone notices when there is none. Not writing a CTA is like having no icing on your content cake!
Doing something as simple as adding an effective call to action can transform your no-good content into non-stop conversion machines.
Simply put, a better CTA equals more sales. And it's something you need to learn about if you're trying to be successful in the web design market.
Find out more down below!
What is a Call to Action?
A call to action is a word, sentence, or phrase that persuades someone into taking an action you want him to do. Or, better said, it's something that turns a visitor into a customer.
They're not hard to identify. A CTA is usually at the bottom of a webpage, prompting the visitor to either enter their e-mail, buy a product, or hire a company.
For example, "Sign up today and get a 50% discount" is a call to action. Whoever wrote that line wants the visitor to sign up - and he's telling the visitor to do so in a persuasive way.
How does a Call to Action work?
Basic CTAs are pretty self-explanatory. They are a suggestion (although they sound like an order sometimes) for the visitor or customer.
"Call us now" or "Buy our product" are basics call-to-actions everyone knows about. And they exist for a reason: they help the customer take a certain action (hence the name call to action).
Why are they necessary? Because they make your customer's life easier.
Nine times out of ten, if someone has to look for the purchase button, they'll simply drop the purchase altogether. On the other hand, if you point them in the right direction, they'll be more willing to buy something.
When should I use a Call to Action?
Whether you should add a call to action or not depends on a case-by-case basis.
For example, if you're selling products, adding a CTA to your About Us page isn't the best strategy there is. You're supposed to have it on your landing page (you explain every benefit the product has, and then try to sell it).
On the other hand, if you're offering a service (for example, what a legal firm does), you should have a CTA at the bottom of your About Us page. In this scenario, the customer isn't buying something, he's hiring people (that they just got to know after reading the About Us page, so it's the perfect time to pitch the sale).
Don't go trigger happy with your CTAs - but make sure they are always at the right place.
How can I make my own Call to Action?
You don't have to think too much to write a call to action. Think about what you want your customer or client to do. Then, write it down.
For example, let's say you're selling a book about something. The basic CTA for that scenario would be "Buy my book". That's it!
Of course, there's more to it than that. A basic CTA won't help you with your conversion rate. You need to improve it.
Is there any way I can improve my Call to Action?
There are a couple of elements you need to use to improve your call to action:
- Sense of urgency: Add a little time restraint and you'll push your customer into purchasing without thinking about it.
- Risk reduction: If you take all the risk, you entice your visitors to turn into customers because, well, there's no risk for them!
- Benefit highlight: Let your soon-to-be customer know what they'll gain from your product. Don't list features, explain the benefits.
- Strong words: Never use bland words for a CTA. Go the extra mile and be creative.
Let's go back to the book example. You first started with "Buy my book", which is pretty bland for a CTA.
Let's add a little sense of urgency
"Buy my book - it's at half price for the next 15 minutes"
It's better, but it can be improved. Let's shift risk our way so the customer feels safer
"Buy my book - it's at half price for the next 15 minutes. Money-back guarantee"
Half price AND a money-back guarantee? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Then again, we have no idea what are we buying.
Add benefits into the mix
"Buy my book to learn everything there's to know about the stock market " - it's at half price for the next 15 minutes. Money-back guarantee
For the final touch, replace the bland words and add a little format
"Get the book filled with hidden Wall Street knowledge every stock market guru is talking about.
For the next 15 minutes, there's a 50% price slash - and if you're not blown away by it, we have a 30-day money-back policy.
>> Click here to Purchase NOW << "
Wait, are CTAs supposed to be that long?
That's the beauty of the call to action. You can make it long, short, or something in-between. As long as you're making sales and driving up your conversion rate, it doesn't matter.
We could've written down "Buy my book" and called it a day. But don't you think there's a difference between "buy my book" and "Get the book filled with hidden Wall Street knowledge..." One sounds so much better than the other!
There's only one rule for CTA (and content marketing in general): don't lie. You're supposed to trust and be proud of what you're selling. Lying about it is a low blow. And, more likely than not, illegal.
The secret behind the perfect Call to Action
Before we finish this CTA crash course, there's a little secret about this you need to know. You can create the perfect call to action using one method alone.
That method is trial and error. You need to create three, four, or five CTAs and test them out in the field. Whichever works best is the one you keep. That's the secret behind the perfect call to action.
Having a hard time creating content? We are the one-stop-shop for web design in Ireland. Contact us now and get killer content that converts.
(See what I did there? That was a cool CTA. Test your new CTA abilities and try to improve it!)
Image 1: © Visual Generation - stock.adobe.com, Image 2: © luckybusiness - stock.adobe.com, Image 3: Carl Barcelo, Image 4: Fizkes - stock.adobe.com