Top 5 Ways to Get More From Your Calls-to-Action

Calls-to-action (CTAs) are a key element of any piece of content marketing, but they don’t always get the attention they deserve. These simple but powerful phrases motivate readers to take the next step, whether it’s downloading a free eBook, subscribing to a newsletter, liking a Facebook page or actually making a purchase.

If you’re not seeing the results you want from your current marketing strategy, your CTAs may need some optimizing. To keep your content converting, I’ve put together a few tips to maximize the effectiveness of your CTAs.

1. Get to the Point

There’s no need to beat around the bush. The strongest calls-to-action are often simple and they tend, to begin with a verb. Tell readers exactly what to do or what clicking a button will do, leaving no room for confusion.

And keep in mind, every word counts. One case study showed that changing just one action verb of a CTA, from “order information” to “get information,” resulted in a 36% jump in conversions. Your choice will depend on your business and the action you want users to take. If you have an eCommerce business, you’ll likely want to lead with verbs like “Shop” or “Buy,” while a CTA that promotes a white paper should start with “Subscribe” or “Download.”

2. Keep It Brief

When it comes to CTAs, shorter is usually better. You only have a moment or two to catch a user’s attention and compel them to act, so don’t bog them down with wordy calls-to-action that introduce more possibilities for them to lose interest. One study showed that the most effective CTAs measured between 90 and 150 characters. So, if your call-to-action is longer than a typical tweet, trim it down.

3. Make It Easy

Complicated calls-to-action are likely to fall flat. Your visitors most likely aren’t ready to commit to a time-consuming unknown. Take as much guesswork out of your CTA as possible. For example, if a download is free, be sure to mention this in the text of your CTA. It’s also a good idea to highlight how quick a subscription process is – “Sign up in 60 seconds or less!” Letting people know how easy it is can make or break their decision to click.

4. Convey Urgency

Taking advantage of people’s FOMO is a powerful tactic you can incorporate into your CTA. Make sure your visitors know that they’ll be missing out on a terrific opportunity if they don’t act right now. One common technique is to communicate that the offer is only in effect for a short time. Adding the word “today” to your CTA is a good start, but “immediately” and “now” can ramp up the urgency factor even more.

5. Use Numbers

Did you ever notice how “listicles” with numbers in the headline tend to get more clicks overall? That’s because numbers help readers organize information. They eliminate guesswork and let readers know what to expect in the article, include what their time commitment is. Numbers have a similar effect in calls-to-action. A number eliminates ambiguity and tells users exactly what they’re getting with your offer: how much of a discount, how long and so forth. A CTA that says: “Buy now and get 20% off” tells visitors exactly how much they’ll save, and it plays up the urgency angle at the same time.

Keep Testing

Creating killer call-to-actions is no easy feat. It will take some trial and error and a good dose A/B testing to hit upon a winning formula. However, it will be worth it as a strong call-to-action turns more website visitors into leads and, ultimately, customers