Write a call to action that converts

Why is a call to action so important?

A call to action (or CTA, for short) usually comes in the shape of a button. It convinces website visitors to do something. Could be a purchase, a newsletter subscription, a brochure request, etc. A CTA, therefore, directly impacts your conversion rates.

But to convince visitors, a CTA should not just tell people what they have to do. It also has to motivate them to do that specific thing. And the latter is often overlooked. Telling someone what to do is easy, but motivating them is something else entirely.

Motivate visitors through empathy

If you want to motivate a user, you need to know who you’re writing for first. Think about what your target audience wants. What could make them click on your CTA? Write your message in a way that speaks to your visitors. And remember, keep it human. Talk to your visitors and give them the feeling that a person is on the other end of your website, app or ad. Read more about the benefits of a human approach in my blog post about conversational writing.

Psychology can also help you, by the way. You could approach someone negatively or positively, for example. An imaginary advert for camomile tea could be:

Negatively: Tired of chasing Zs? Try our camomile tea!
Positively: Get the best sleep of your life with our camomile tea!

Chances are that the negative version will be most effective here. Not getting enough sleep is more powerful than getting a good night’s sleep, so people will respond to that option more quickly.

It’s complicated? I hope not

As is the case for most pieces of microcopy, the text on a button must be clear. Users want to find what they are looking for quickly – they don’t want to do too much thinking. What happens when I click on a button that reads, “Click here”? Would I be making a purchase straight away? Would I go to a different page? Would I be registered for something I wasn’t so sure about?

Keep your text to the point and clear. Are you setting up an advertisement for a good cause? Don’t use the call to action “help us”. Choose a more specific message, such as “Become a volunteer” or “Donate”. Are there strings attached to your campaign? Go ahead and add those, too. I’d rather sign up for a free trial of 30 days than an undetermined trial period.

Be direct, but not too direct. “Order” sounds very definite as a call to action with a product, especially because there are usually other steps to take before you order – such as visiting a landing page with product information or filling in a form. “Order” could scare the user away and keep them from clicking. A CTA such as “Read more” could be more effective in that case.

Clear writing also implies that you shouldn’t add conflicting or dubious messages on a single button, such as “Info and order”. Focus on one goal or make two buttons.

Guidelines to write a good CTA

We now know that an effective call to action must be clear and that it must motivate people to take action. But how do you do that? Unfortunately, there is no formula for the perfect call to action. But there are a couple of guidelines that can help:

Use an active voice. What can you expect after clicking?
Example: read more, discover the offer
Create urgency. Use powerful words to excite the reader.
Example: View now, Sign up immediately, Get 25% off now!
Make it personal by adding a pronoun.
Example: Download your copy here, Find your match now
Be direct. Use the first-person singular.
Example: Increase my knowledge, I want that tv

Don’t make your copy too long. Do you need more room? Use the space around your call to action. Think of using arrows and other visual elements to draw the user’s attention to the CTA.

An image could also add value to your call to action. Without reading the text, the image often shows you what the desired action is. Less thinking and quicker results, a win-win situation.

Test, test and test

As I said, there is no perfect formula that works in every situation. What works for one target audience may have the opposite effect on another. Testing remains the key.

A/B testing is a technique we apply often at iO. For example, we compared how two CTAs performed on Brussels Airport’s web page detailing the eating establishments at the airport. The A group was told to “View opening hours”, whereas the B group was told to “View details”. That test showed that “View opening hours” received the greatest number of clicks.

The reason is probably that the expression “opening hours” is more tangible than “details”. It's possible that people thought that they already knew the details because those were listed above the CTA. “View opening hours”, on the other hand, offers added value on top of the information that was mentioned above the CTA.

A symphony of copy, design and placement

A call to action is the perfect way to transform visitors into leads or customers. All the more reason to think thoroughly about your CTA. That doesn’t just apply to the copy but also to the design and placement of your CTA. Although a call to action may seem a small element, it’s something you should give a fair amount of thought.