THE Worst Color for your CTA
I've split tested well-over 100 million visits over the past 3 years.
That kind of experience makes me a big red target for a truckload of split testing questions. One question that always comes up with new clients is:
"What color should our CTA button be to maximize conversions?"
The answer is so simple – you'll kick yourself.
Now, a CTA button color isn't something you should waste time with split testing. If you have a test running for this, go and stop it now, and move up another more effective split test instead.
Without going off-the-rails, a study of color theory will teach you this one fundamental fact about color:
Color is relative.
One color, placed next to another color, can seem brighter, dimmer, or saturated differently - all depending on what colors are within the same viewpoint.
Now, your CTA is your goal. Right?
It's where you want users to hit, hover, click, tap. You don't want to hide it. You want it to stick out like a sore thumb.
Let's take a look at some pages that are doing it well:
Purple.com decided on a funky seafoam green.
The folks at Turbotax seem to think a bright orange is the best bet.
Developers at Priceline run with a green CTA.
Sheesh....no wonder CTA button color is a highly debated topic.
The answer is: it depends.
Here's why: The very best color for your CTA button will always be the exact opposite color of the main color used on your page.
Of the 3 examples above, I think Purple does the best job here. They have just one other color used in their branding (purple) then BANG - there's this seafoam button that jumps out. That thing is commanding attention – and that's where most of their traffic clicks.
If your main brand color is a seafoam green, a CTA button in that color will be the absolute worst choice. It'll blend in and get lost in the shuffle.
You just need the thing to stand out.
A lot.
I feel a bit obligated to add a few more tips relating to CTA's overall. Here are some additional goodies for you:
- Keep a ton of open space around your CTA button - this will draw attention to it.
- Avoid using a bunch of other colors on your page. If you use too many alternate colors, you'll lose the "punch effect" of the CTA button color and your users will get lost.
- For CTA's where the user is making a big decision (buy now - for example) test adding some secure icons and/or seals under the button. You might be surprised how well this works.
Most businesses are losing customers and leaving money on the table because their website hasn't been strategically set up to convert visitors into paying customers.
If you didn't even know what a CTA was before reading this, we need to talk. Schedule a free consultation today: https://shanegramling.com/