Have you ever thought about how much money you could be losing in your Digital Marketing strategies by not taking advantage of the benefits of using CTAs on your website? Know that potential customers are escaping you because of this!
The use of calls to action is an important practice, for example, in all stages of Inbound Marketing: it helps to attract more visitors, in addition to directly contributing to increasing the conversion rate, sales and customer retention.
Want to know more? Then stay with me and I’ll explain some basic principles and practical examples to help you get good results with your CTAs!
What are CTAs?
“Calls to action” are strategic Digital Marketing elements, inserted in different online channels (such as websites, emails and advertisements) with the aim of guiding users to carry out specific actions.
These actions can vary: from downloading an informative material to making a purchase — it depends on where you want to direct your potential customer!
Generally, the CTA is at the end of blog articles, for example, and can also be found as a recommendation for additional material throughout the content, preceding a banner, and so on.
But one thing is certain: calls to action must be present on your website, online store, emails, ads and even in the meta descriptions of your articles, in order to appear in Google search results. This way, you can use the resources you have to guide your target audience through the sales funnel!
Key Elements of Effective CTAs
Based on the concept, some elements make CTAs more applicable and, of course, efficient.
Let’s understand three fundamental aspects together: attractive design, persuasive copywriting and the influence of colors and contrasts.
Attractive design: the role of visuals in CTAs
Visual elements, such as well-designed buttons and icons, provide a better aesthetic and direct the user’s gaze to where you want it to go.
Here are some suggestions to make them visually appealing:
- Maintain a color palette consistent with the brand’s visual identity to create cohesion;
- Use appropriate contrasts to make the CTA stand out from the rest of the page or content;
- Make sure they are the right size and strategically positioned for easy identification.
Persuasive Copywriting: Making Your CTAs Irresistible
In addition to the design, the text used determines the level of interest your reader will have in clicking on the link.
Here’s how to create persuasive copywriting:
- Be clear and concise when communicating the value of the action, avoiding overly technical language;
- Use phrases that create a sense of urgency or scarcity to encourage immediate action;
- Highlight the benefits the user will get by following the CTA.
Additionally, using mental triggers can be your ally. Consider using phrases like “Take advantage now!”, “Exclusive offer for you!” or “Get yours”. This way, you can significantly increase click-through rates (CTR).
Colors and contrasts: the impact on the visibility of CTAs
In addition to the aesthetic factor, choosing the right colors will directly influence how the user will receive the call.
To help you select colors, I brought these tips:
- Understand how different colors trigger emotions and actions. For example, red can convey urgency, while green is associated with positive actions;
- Make sure your CTAs contrast appropriately with the background of your page or email to ensure good visibility.
By following these elements, your call to action will stand out visually and will also motivate the user to take action to take advantage of all the benefits your company has to offer.
Why invest in CTA as a conversion strategy
Investing in CTAs goes beyond simply adding attractive buttons to your website. It’s a strategy to boost conversion and direct users to take specific, relevant actions.
When a reader only reads a text and then leaves the page, he is performing an action, but it is definitely bad for any website whose goal is to generate conversion.
However, this problem can be reduced by using CTAs — when invited to access another article that complements what has already been read, for example, the reader will see a benefit in clicking.
And the website benefits from both engagement and circulation within the content and blog, and advancement in the customer journey !
There are also other benefits, such as an increase in email marketing registrations, responses to polls and votes, obtaining user feedback, among others.
One of the great secrets of calls to action that perform well is to answer the questions: what do I have a CTA for? To take to a form? To take to a checkout, to a shopping cart?
It is necessary to align consumer expectations with the direction that the CTA promotes . To understand if this happens with the calls on your website, you need to work with analysis tools.
Some alternatives are heatmaps for websites and Google Analytics itself!
Adapting CTAs to the customer journey
Imagine a user who accesses an article about financial education. What kind of material is he interested in? An introductory guide on how to invest in the stock market, perhaps?
Understanding the needs, doubts and desires of your target audience is what will allow you to target them better.
If the material is for educational or informative purposes, for example, invite them to download an e-book, follow a webinar or access an infographic. The options vary depending on the audience profile and the characteristics of each content !
The fact is that the customer journey is a complex path that involves distinct stages, such as awareness, consideration, and decision. Tailor your CTAs to each of the stages, as well as think about each of them strategically, in order to guide potential customers through the funnel.
Let’s now see how CTAs integrate into each phase of the purchasing journey:
- Awareness: Here, users are learning and discovering more about, for example, a need. Calls should be informative and engaging, encouraging further exploration, such as “Learn more” or “Discover now”;
- Consideration: As users evaluate solution options for their need, CTAs should direct them to more detailed information. “Discover this success story,” “View our features,” or “Compare now” are examples for this stage;
- Decision: In the final stage, users are ready to take action towards purchasing. CTAs like “Buy Now” or “Start Your Journey” are great ways to convert leads into customers!
How to insert calls to action
CTAs can be placed either in the text on the page itself, or in images or pop-up windows .
Especially when inserted throughout the text, make sure they are objective enough so that the audience knows where they are being directed .
In other words, the hyperlink must be visible and understandable to the reader, so that they understand that by clicking there, they will have more information on a certain subject or find solutions to their needs.
When mapping a page, we see a composition of various texts, images, colors, buttons, ads… Therefore, it is important that the CTA stands out correctly among all these other elements!
Make sure to position it so that it is always visible — use colors that are appropriate to the brand’s design and, if you think it is necessary, you can configure pop-ups to appear at the end of the reading or when the user indicates that they are leaving the page.
But I must emphasize: pop-ups are a controversial topic in Marketing! It is not difficult to find research and texts indicating that they can improve the user experience if they are well done, but present SEO risks if they deliver a bad experience.
A great call to action will give potential customers an invitation to take action that will benefit them in an irresistible way. Conversions will come naturally, depending on the CTA and the relevance of what is being offered!
But I also understand that creating CTAs can be a challenge. To help you out, I’ve listed some common mistakes to avoid:
- Generic CTAs: avoid vague calls to action, such as a mere “Click here,” because they don’t specifically communicate the value of the action;
- Lack of urgency: CTAs without a sense of urgency can result in procrastination. Include terms like “Take advantage now!” to create a sense of scarcity;
- Poor positioning: when taken out of context, they can be ignored. Position them strategically, considering the flow of the content and the relevance of the call to action at the time;
- Too many CTAs: Having too many calls to action on a page can confuse visitors. Focus on the most relevant actions and direct them in a targeted manner.
Additionally, testing is key to understanding what works best for your audience. Some things to consider include:
- Try different texts and evaluate which one generates the most clicks;
- Test different colors, sizes, and visual styles to make sure they stand out;
- Change the position of your CTAs and see how it affects your conversion rate.
Click and learn more about Digital Marketing!
By understanding the meaning of calls to action, we realize that they are the essence of directing the user to specific actions . From the choice of words to the strategic positioning, CTAs determine many aspects of the user experience, directly influencing the conversion rate!
Therefore, investing in CTAs goes beyond having attractive buttons. It is a strategy that drives conversion and guides users along the sales funnel.
Through a smart approach, they can turn readers into active customers!
And to end on a high note, I present to you an unmissable CTA! To access advanced information on conversion optimization, explore more content about Digital Marketing on the Enjoy Minder blog!
