Clicks are currency when it comes to digital marketing.
Any business with a digital presence is looking for smart ways to increase clicks through to their most valuable products, services and content. Yet earning a click isn’t all that easy. It takes a magic mixture of being in the right place, at the right time and saying the right thing.
This is even more true in recent times when the internet has become a jungle of clickbait and crappy content - making it all the more difficult for your high-quality content to be noticed through all the noise.
So, how do you stand out?
Honestly, it’s simple. You need a strong Call To Action (CTA).
In this article, we explore how to create a powerful CTA.
Increasing Click Rates: The Basics
Ok, a few basics to get started.
Your CTA HAS to be prominent, it shouldn’t be hidden at the bottom of the page and no scrolling should be necessary to find it. It should also be obvious, in fact in most cases, it should be the most obvious thing on your website.
However, it should also fit within your brand.
For example, if you own a business selling bespoke perfumes to affluent women, a massive red flashing button with arrows pointing to it isn’t going to work. Similarly, if you sell discount widgets in the tool trade and you have a loud brand, your CTA button needs to stand out from the noise.
So, no right answers here, it’s all about getting the right fit with your brand, but you should consider:
Size
Colour
Font size
Location on website
Where the button takes you
So onto some more advanced tips…
Fact: People Are Lazy
‘Sign Up’, ‘Submit’, ‘Contact Us’...
…yawn.
Basic CTA’s just aren't going to drive the results you want to see. Especially when you are asking for something and not offering any value in return.
What do you notice about the three phrases above? They are all asking the customer to do something. This is problematic because…
…people are lazy and need to be motivated to take action.
A better approach is to tell your customer what they get by clicking:
‘Get Your Free eBook’ or ‘Get Your Discount Now’.
Of course, this approach doesn't always work - especially when the value you are offering makes your CTA too wordy. In these cases, creating some urgency around your CTA will help drive better click-through rates.
For example:
‘ Ready to learn?’, ‘Let’s do this’ or ‘Start your journey’
Check out this example by Airbnb...
Get Personal
We’ve decided that your CTA button should get your website visitor’s minds racing with possibilities. Almost to a point where they are shaking with excitement when they click…but let's consider some phycology here.
Our examples above can seem a little demanding. This can cause issues, as people typically don’t like being told what to do. If you think you are being too pushy, try rephrasing your CTA so it sounds like the reader is telling themselves to take the action:
‘Get my free ebook’…’Get me my discount’
Changing ‘your’ to ‘my’ makes it a lot more difficult to read the statement as a command or in a negative way.
People Are Still Lazy….
So, you’ve created the perfect CTA button. Your copy is on point and the design is clear, yet still fitting with your brand.
Let’s pretend your CTA is asking people to sign up for your mailing list…
You go live. Result! You’re getting clicks.
Now all they need to do is type in their title, first name, second name, job title, company, industry, email address, office phone number, mobile number, office address, what they are interested in talking to you about, their managers name, their favourite colour, whether you are a vegan and what they are doing on the weekend…
…once they have done that, they are all signed up.
I hope you already get my point here.
Make it easy to fill out any information you need from them.
Let me repeat the important bit…
MAKE. IT. EASY.
Really think about what information you need in order to take the next step. Also, consider what they will be willing to share. For example, if I am not that turned on by your product, I am unlikely to want to share my card details for a ‘free’ trial - so, don’t ask for them unless you REALLY need them.
Think Outside The Box
Ok, so let’s get creative.
It’s time to really think about what your customer wants. In reality, your customers aren’t visiting your site to ‘buy’ your product, they aren’t there to ‘sign-up’ for your mailing list and they aren’t even there to ‘grab a free trial’.
No…they actually want to ‘sook awesome’, ‘solve THAT problem’ or ‘fast track their career’.
As long as your CTA is backed by the facts and relevant information in the copy, why not have your CTA button as the ultimate result of them doing business for you?
Better CTAs: Summary
It is clear that taking time to improve your CTA can drastically improve its performance. In many cases, your CTA is what makes the difference between making a sale and not, so trying different methods and assessing their performance can be well worth your while.
Use the tips we have highlighted in this guide to help you create more powerful CTAs on your website.