Web copy basics: Please don’t forget a call-to-action
Don’t expect to get much action from site visitors if you aren’t including a clear call-to-action (CTA).
CTAs are the words that—you guessed it—encourage your website visitors to take an action, like buy a product, sign up for a free demo, or subscribe to an email list.
But don’t people who visit my website know I want them to take action?
The people who visit your website aren’t thinking about your business’ needs; they’re only thinking about their own, and they’re deciding if what you’re selling will really benefit them.
A call-to-action makes it much easier for them to take action and acts as a nice nudge in the right direction.
What does a good call-to-action look like?
Good CTAs are pretty straightforward and clear. They tell your audience the action they should take and what to expect. They’re a short phrase, never buried in the middle of paragraph. They also link directly to that action. For example, a button with a CTA that says “contact me” will bring someone directly to an email template.
CTAs act as an easy bridge your customer can take toward your goals.
Here are a few basic examples:
Visit the link in our bio to learn more
Shop now
Subscribe to our emails
View product features
Try for free
Sign up for weekly deals
Download your free guide
Good CTAs aren’t just about words, though. If it’s all about making it easy for your audience to take action, then it should be easy for your audience to see the CTA, too. This is why CTAs are usually put in clickable buttons, highlighted by a bold color, or both.
How many CTAs do I need?
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the number of CTAs you should have on each website page. It depends on who your audience is and the action(s) you want them to take.
That being said, I usually recommend having at least one CTA on every page, because every page of your website should play in role in encouraging your website visitor to take an action.
You also don’t want to overload each page with too many CTAs, because that can cause your audience to lose focus, ultimately hurting conversion rates.
So: at least one CTA per page, but not too many.
I get it—that’s not a very clear-cut answer. It’s sort of impossible to offer one because every business is unique and requires a customized strategy.
But for all of those websites out there missing a CTA on their landing page, adding one really good, clear CTA is a great place to start.
TL;DR
A call-to-action (CTA) is a phrase that encourages people to take action.
CTAs are clear and concise and make it super duper easy for your website visitor to take action.
A good rule of thumb is to have at least CTA on each website page, but don’t go overboard or your audience can lose focus.
If you want to chat CTAs and other copy strategies, reach out!
Hope this helped,
Megan
