CTA: How to create inspiring Call-to-Actions

In the current marketing universe, getting customers to take action is more important than ever to drive conversions and grow your business. One of the most effective ways to encourage customers to take action is through a well-crafted call-to-action (CTA).

In this article, we will define what a CTA is and provide tips on how to create effective, inspiring call-to-actions that will increase conversions.

Defining a CTA and its purpose

A call-to-action is a critical component of any marketing campaign. It's a phrase or sentence that encourages a user to take a specific action, such as clicking a button, filling out a form, or making a purchase - Basically performing a conversion that is relevant to your business. As such, the purpose of a CTA is to drive conversions and guide customers through the sales funnel. CTAs are often placed at the end of content pieces, such as blog posts, landing pages, or emails.

But why are CTAs important? A good CTA can really affect users’ buying behavior. It should use words that make people feel something and make them want to do something right away. This can lead the direction for people to do what you want them to, like making a purchase or perform another type of conversion. By giving clear instructions and encouragement, a great CTA can increase sales and change how someone shops on your website.

Understanding the customer journey when creating a CTA

When creating a CTA, it's important to understand where your customer is in the buying process. Are they just discovering your brand, considering a purchase, or ready to buy? Tailoring your CTA to the customer's stage in the buying process can help increase conversions. For example, if a customer is still in the discovery phase, a CTA that offers a free download or educational content might be more effective than one that asks for a purchase. As such, the customer journey can be broken down into three main stages

1. Awareness stage: In this phase, Businesses create brand awareness and interest through targeted ads and social media campaigns in this phase. Alternatively, try to get other people to talk about your business and share their experiences. This can help create trust with potential customers and make them more likely to buy.
2. Consideration stage: Businesses should think about how they can give useful information about what they offer, incl. specific features, costs and what other people think of it. One strategy can be to give out deals like discounts or free samples to get people trying relevant products.
3. Decision/performance stage: This phase is critical as customers start making purchases and evaluate the product or service based on experience. Businesses must keep promises, offer excellent service, and resolve issues promptly for customer satisfaction.

Different types of CTAs and when to use them

There are many different types of CTAs, and choosing the right one depends on the action you want the user to take. Some common types of CTAs include:

• Click-through CTA: These CTAs are designed to take the user to a new page or piece of content, such as a blog post or product page. Marketers often use click-through CTAs in email marketing or landing pages.
• Lead generation CTA: Businesses use these CTAs to collect user information, such as email addresses or phone numbers. They often use lead generation CTAs as a way to exchange gated content or to sign up for a newsletter.
• Purchase CTA: These CTAs are used to encourage a user to make a purchase. Product pages or sale-promotion emails commonly have purchase CTAs.

Best practices for crafting an effective CTA

Crafting an effective CTA requires careful attention to detail. Here are some best practices for creating an effective CTA:

• Keep it short and simple: A CTA should be easy to read and understand at a glance.
• Use action-oriented language: Use verbs and action-oriented language to encourage the user to take action.
• Create a sense of urgency: Adding urgency to a CTA can encourage users to take action. Use words like "now" or "limited time offer."
• Make it stand out: A CTA should be visually distinct from the rest of the content on the page. Use contrasting colors or design elements to make it stand out.
• Test and optimize: Testing different CTAs can help you determine which ones are most effective. Make small changes and test the results to see which version drives the most conversions.

CTAs in practice: Examples of well-crafted CTAs

Coming from theory to practice. Here are three best-in-class examples of how companies from different industries crafted CTA messages to drive conversions:

E-commerce: Amazon

• CTA: "Buy Now with 1-Click"
• Key: Amazon makes it easy for customers by giving them the option of buying with just one click - no need to worry about any obstacles that might stop them from making a purchase. Plus, it creates a feeling of urgency, so you don't want to miss out!

Fitness: Peloton

• CTA: "Join Now and Get a Free Trial"
• Key: This CTA is awesome because it gives you the chance to try out Peloton's fitness classes with no risk and a lot of reward. By saying "free" and showing how valuable the trial is, Peloton gets rid of any money or time worries and encourages you to get started. Testing and optimizing your CTAs

Travel: Airbnb

• CTA: "Book Now and Explore the World"
• Key: This CTA is great because it speaks to the adventurous and curious side in us all. Airbnb's words "book now" and "explore the world" get us pumped up and ready to go on our next adventure! It's a call-to-action that encourages us to take action and book our trips.

Testing and optimizing your CTAs is critical to improving conversions. Here are some tips for testing and optimizing your CTAs:

• A/B test different versions of your CTAs to see which one performs best.
• Test different designs, language types, and placement to find the most effective combination.
• Analyze your results and make changes based on what you learn.

Measurement and reporting of CTAs and Key KPIs

To effectively measure and report on CTAs and Key KPIs, it's crucial to identify your primary CTA and KPIs and track them using relevant metrics. Provide clear reports to update stakeholders, track progress towards objectives, and identify challenges and opportunities. Key metrics to monitor are inter alia the below KPIs:

1. Click-through rate (CTR): Measures the percentage of website visitors who click on a specific CTA. A high CTR indicates that the CTA is compelling and resonates with the audience.
2. Conversion rate: The percentage of website visitors who complete a relevant action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, is measured from a CTA. A high conversion rate indicates that the CTA is effective.
3. Bounce rate: This metric measures how many people visit a website and then leave without looking at any other pages. If the percentage is high, it could mean that either CTA isn't convincing enough or that the website need improvement.
4. Time spent on page: This metric tells us how long people stay on a page after they click on a CTA. If they spend a lot of time, it means that the CTA and the content on the page is interesting and helpful.
5. Revenue per click (RPC): This metric describes how much revenue is being generated each time a user clicks on a CTA. A high RPC means that the CTA is doing its job and contributes to reaching business goals.

Connectivity of the CTA and website

The CTA and website content are closely connected and should be aligned to encourage visitors to take action. As such, landing page content must guide visitors towards CTA with relevant information to aid their decision-making. For instance, if a website is selling a product, the content should highlight the product's features and benefits, leading visitors to the CTA to make a purchase. If a website is offering a service, the content should emphasize the service's value proposition and encourage visitors to sign up through the CTA. The CTA and website content must work together to create a seamless user experience that facilitates conversions.

In the context of Search Engine Advertising (SEA), CTAs play a crucial role in driving traffic to a website. When running SEA, the goal is to create ads that appear in search engine results pages (SERPs) when users search for specific keywords related to a product or service. Ads usually include a CTA that encourages users to click on the ad and visit the website. Once a user clicks on an ad, the landing page should align with the ad and contain a clear and prominent CTA when a user clicks.

That’s it! We hope this article helped you learn more about what CTAs are, how to create them, and the most important characteristics for designing the optimal call-to-action. If you wanna explore more helpful articles, read our stories or listen in to some interviews, feel free to check-out our content hub or stay in touch with us directly! :)