Is a Call to Action (aka CTA) really necessary? Yes, they are and they aren’t just a gimmick. Instead it’s a necessary component of all websites. Here are the reasons why you should have a Call to Action (CTA) on your website and how you should use them.
Reasons to Use
1. Guides Readers Along the Buyer’s Journey
Everyone goes through a process when they’re looking to purchase a product or service. First, they have a need. Then, they go and research solutions. Finally, they pick a product or solution that meets that need.
Visitors to your website will be in one of these stages of the buying process. So, you want to guide them along. You’re either going to introduce them, entice them, or commit them to your product of service.
A CTA guides your visitors along this process. For example, if your visitor is just starting down the journey, you can offer free download, like an ebook to further educate them about your product or service.
2. A Call to Action Leads to More Conversions
This isn’t just hype. It’s actually proven to be true. It tells your visitors what you want them to do next. Think about it. A visitor has read your marketing copy. Now what?
That’s exactly what is going through your visitor’s mind after visiting your websites. What is the next step? Without making it clear, your visitor will be left guessing. And, that makes a visitor uncomfortable. Unfortunately, that leads the visitor to abandon your website. Instead of missing out on potential sales, use a CTA to turn that visitor into a conversion.
Giving them an action is crucial. Tell them what you want them to do next. Surprisingly, you’ll find that most often they’ll do it. It’s the fear of missing out kicking in.
3. Visitors Expect Them
CTAs aren’t new. They’ve been an effective part of an ad campaign for a long time. So, visitors expect them. Since having one is expected, using one will add predictability to your website. In turn, predictability builds trust. Finally, trust leads to sales. You want to turn your visitors into buyers. And, you do that with effective Call to Action .
Types of CTAs
CTAs come in all sorts of types:
- Buy Buttons
- Information Gathering Form
- Signup for email/newsletter
- Hello Bar
- Pop up (site wide or page specific)
- Exit Intent Alert
And, usually the type matches it’s purpose, which are just as varied as the type:
- Email signup
- Read more articles
- Get free Lead Magnet
- Buy product or service
- Contact sales agent
Remember, how they are used is based on what you want your visitor to do. Basically, you can get creative with them, as long as you use them.
Implementing a Call to Action
While it’s important to have a Call to Action, it’s also important that you use it correctly. And, that requires that you pay attention to placement, design, and copy.
As for placement, place one on every page. In fact, place more than one. Depending on the CTA and type of website you have, sometimes having more than one on a page can increase your conversion.
Along with placement, you need to design them so that your visitor recognizes it as a CTA. Moreover, set them apart. Doing so grabs the readers eye.
Finally, you need the right copy. Copy is the message your conveying. It needs to match what you want your visitor to do. More than that, it needs to be convincing. So, go for a strong action verb.
It’s Worth The Time It Takes To Create It
So, a CTA is not only necessary, it’s effective. If implemented it correctly, you will see conversions. They don’t take long to create, but they get the job done. In short, right here would be a great place to insert a Call to Action.