Calls to action (CTAs) have become commonplace to the point that audiences are inundated with CTAs on nearly every website they visit, including Facebook and other social media networks. As with anything that becomes commonplace, it’s easy for people to skim right past typical CTAs and ignore them.
Tempting your site visitors to click on a CTA doesn’t have to be complicated, though. The clickthrough rate (CTR) for CTAs is 3.29 percent. Such a small percentage might seem minute, but that is higher than the CTR for even AdWords. Getting the CTA just right requires testing, determination and a creative outlook.
Here are eight unique CTA ideas that will make your audience want to click through, so you can turn them from browsers into solid leads.
1. Use First Person
The exact wording you use on your CTA matters. Simply using the first person may increase the click-through rate by 90 percent. This is a very simple tweak, too. For example, if your CTA reads “Get Your Free eBook,” simply change the wording to “Get My Free eBook.”
You might wonder how such a minor change has such a significant impact. Try changing one word at a time and do some split testing to see the difference it makes for your site. While it made a difference for the case study, every site is different — and every audience unique. It’s important to test theories and see what works best for your particular target market.
2. Offer Something Compelling
If you want to hook your readers, then you have to offer something compelling. Nearly every site out there has a free guide, report or eBook they wish to sell. That’s nice, and readers do appreciate the freebies — but the truth is, you need something unique if you want to stand out from your competitors. This can be anything from a free analysis to tools you offer that no one else has — or gives away for free.
Crazy Egg offers something unique to entice their target audience — a free heat map that shows where people are getting stuck on the website. Note that they use the first-person wording, as mentioned above. They also make a case for why you want a heat map — to make your site better instantly.
3. Add Contrast
The CTA is about so much more than just the text on the button. The button’s shape and colour add to the overall impact and whether site visitors decide to take action or not. A good CTA needs a clearly defined border that sets it off as a CTA. The site visitor then understands this text is different, and that they should take action.
However, the button’s colour also must contrast with the rest of the page, so it is easy to spot and draws the site visitor’s eye. If the background is dark, make the button light — and vice versa. Consider using a unique colour that complements the rest of the page but isn’t seen elsewhere.
4. Make the Result Clear
Don’t try to tempt readers by telling them to click for a surprise. Instead, be upfront about what clicking on the button gets them. While the offer should be compelling, the reader also needs to know what that offer is. If you want to tempt readers to click on your CTAs, offer a clear vision of the process and offer.
W.N. Shaw & Co. does a great job being clear about what the reader receives when clicking on the button. They don’t use hundreds of words to convey this, but they do use the right words. Their CTA simply reads “Receive a Product Proposal.”
Next to the CTA is a question for businesses looking for a custom molding agent solution. They explicitly state what type of proposal and product the user receives when completing this offer. This type of transparency saves everyone time.
5. Consider Placement
Where you place your CTA on the page makes a substantial difference in conversions, as well. In one study, researchers found that if an offer was above the fold, it received 17 percent fewer click-throughs. This points to the idea that readers like to know more about what the offer actually is before they choose to share their information and receive the offer.
6. Use Unique Language
How many sites have you visited this month that tell you to “sign up” or get “free” offers? Users see the same words over and over again with nearly every site they visit. These terms do work well, but what if you could say the same thing in a more interesting way? You’d have a much better chance of grabbing your site visitor’s attention.
Instead of saying “sign up,” try wording such as “join me,” “stay updated,” or “be amazing.” Make a slight change each time to the wording and conduct A/B testing to see which words work best with your specific audience. You might be surprised at what works and what doesn’t.
Notice how The Country Cook uses unique language that keeps in mind the casual, fun attitude of most of their readers. Their email subscription pop-up invites users to be the first to know when they post new recipes. Then, they simply ask for a name and email. For the CTA they use the word “Gimme!” This is unique and grabs the reader’s attention, compelling them to take action.
7. Show How What You Offer Is Unique
Why should the user take advantage of your offer over all the other offers out there? What makes yours special? While not part of the actual button, your CTA should start before the user ever reaches the button on your page. It should also include the reasons why the information or special item you offer is better than anyone else’s.
8. Jump on the Bandwagon
Bandwagon is an advertising technique that’s been around for decades. The idea is making the user see that others desire the product and getting them to “jump on the bandwagon” and take part. One way you can do this is by sharing the number of customers or subscribers you already have.
For example, you might use text such as “Join 15,000 Other Geniuses” to entice them to sign up. Studies haven’t really shown how effective this is, so you’ll need to test it with your audience and see what works best for your site.
Try New Things
The key to creating a unique CTA is to try new things until you find the right move for you. What works for one site may not work for yours. Your site is as unique as you are, and the people who visit your site are unique, as well. If you want to have more click-throughs on your CTAs, the only way to accomplish that is to study what works for others and try different techniques until you figure out what works best for you.
