How To Make Your Call-To-Action More Engaging

Calls-to-actions are the most crucial parts of a marketing campaign. More than 90% of people who read your headline are likely to read your call-to-action copy, but are they compelled enough to click it? 

When a call-to-action is well written, more people will click on it. The conversion rate follows.

Your CTA should get people to take action by telling them what to do next in a clear, direct, and helpful way. If you don't get people's attention with your CTA message, most of the time the rest of your content won't matter (or at least become diluted).

So, here are 12 useful tips to improve your call-to-action click-through rate (CTR) performance!

Keep it short and simple (KISS)

The best CTAs are short and straight to the point. So, if you pay attention to your short button copy, your CTA click-through rate will go up. There won't be much room for text on your CTA button anyway, so you have to make every word count. 

Here are some good examples of short CTA button copies to get you started with:

• Get started
• Subscribe
• Free to try
• Join us
• Join the group
• Let's get to work
• Now is the time
• Start your journey

Make your CTA buttons look clickable

This may seem like a no-brainer since the whole point is to make your CTA buttons clickable, but it's imperative.

Here are some basics you should think about to make sure that your call-to-action (CTA) message stands out on the page and looks clickable to your audience:

• Make sure your CTA button doesn't look bad next to other things on the page.
• Choose a button that is round or square.
• Make sure the colors of the text and buttons stand out from each other. If your prospects can't read your text, they aren't likely to act on it.

Put your call-to-action buttons in the right spots

Putting CTA buttons in the right place is important if you want to get more people to click on them.

An eye-tracking study found that most people look at web pages in an F-shaped pattern. Still, there are places on a webpage where your call-to-action button will work better.

Most of the time, putting your CTA button above the fold will work, but it's not required. If you put your CTA button in a place that makes sense in that "F" shape, you will get more people to click through.

Look at your page like a customer would. If you look at how people are reading your content, it should be easy to figure out where to put your CTA button.

Get people excited or evoke a sense of urgency

When it comes to your CTA click-through rate,  urgency yield better engagement or results. If your CTA makes people feel like they need to act quickly or it gets them excited, they will be more likely to click.

Example:

• Order yours right now before it's too late
• Limited time offer
• Don't sleep on this
• X days to go before this offer ends

This level of urgency will make people more likely to click on the link.

Utilize FOMO

FOMO also known as the Fear Of Missing Out. It is a method that arouses your customer's anxiety by making them think that they are getting left behind. In turn, they are more likely to click on your CTA. The FOMO trick is a great way to get people to sign up for a promotion or buy a new product.

By making a CTA that makes your audience feel like they'll miss out on something good (or be the only one left out), you can get them to click through and possibly convert.

FOMO marketing works well when you use phrases like "don't miss out" or tell people how many people have bought your product or signed up for your service. And since 69 percent of millennials have severe FOMO, playing the "fear of missing out" card is worth a shot.

Optimize CTA for each device

The idea is simple: if you want a good click-through rate on your CTA, you need to make sure it works well on all devices.

Whether it's a CTA button or a strong text-based sign-off, you should always test your call to action on every device (desktop, mobile, tablet, etc.) to make sure it works, can be read, and has the most impact possible.

If you don't, the number of people who click on your CTA will likely drop quickly.

Use numbers instead of words

There is a science about numbers and how the brain works. At first glance, humans can understand numbers faster than words. This will likely increase the number of people who click on your links.

Example:

Dont’ say: Two days left before promotion ends.

What to say: “2 days left before promotion ends.”

Think outside the box

This phrase is used so often that it has turned into a cliche. But thinking implies you to be more be more creative with your CTA - it can go a long way in making your headlines catchy, conversational, and engaging. 

For starters, you can try these tricks:

• Give your reader a hint of a message they won't expect. The "Be Awesome" CTA from PointBlank SEO is a great example.
• Try using conversational language or phrases from your area (tailored to your target audience).
• Add your brand name to your call-to-action copy. "Send a GiftRocket" was a good call to action for the greeting card company GiftRocket.

Add pictures where it makes sense

Using a strong or interesting image with your CTA will help to get people to click through.

But if you want your image to help rather than hurt the success of your CTA, you should do these things:

• Choose a picture that fits with the goal of your call to action.
• Avoid pictures that are too bright or busy, as they will take attention away from your call-to-action message.
• Choose pictures that are likely to make people feel the way you want them to. For example, if you offer wellness services and want to make people feel better, an animated picture of smiling faces might work well.

Try out different colors

When it comes to CTA buttons or text, trying out different colors will help you get more people to click.

Studies show that bold, bright colors work well for CTAs, so try out a variety of colors and see what works best for your blog post, landing page, or product page.

Let things flow naturally

As we've already said, telling stories is good for the human brain. To get people to click on your CTA, the page elements should flow in a way that makes sense.

When you're making the content for your page, think about the F-shaped scanning pattern. Use this to tell a story that leads to your CTA.

But no matter what you do, make sure this natural flow doesn't shock the reader and make them jump off the page. For instance, you wouldn't put a "register now" CTA button above the information about your event or webinar.

Follow a natural path that focuses on telling a good story, and the rest will fall into place.

You could never go wrong with a/b testing

A/B testing is essential if you want to improve the performance of your CTA and keep your click-through rates high.

You can learn a lot about how they perform by testing two versions of a web page or landing page. This will help you make the best decisions you can about the design, copy, and placement of your call to action (CTA).

If you know what your audience responds to best, you will be able to make CTAs that get more people to click on them over and over again.

No matter what your niche or industry is, you need a strong call to action to keep your business going. If you use these tips and test your choices, you will soon be able to get more people to click on your ads. You can do it!

Speaking of a/b testing, you can use Conversion Rate Optimization Tools such as Howuku to conduct one on your site. Not only can this tool help you understand your website audience better, but it can also let give you a closer look at what makes them tick!

Try this tool and find different opportunities to make boost your CTA's Click-Through-Rate!