When designing a website, proper calls-to-action (CTA) may be the most critical aspect. They can take form in multiple designs: anchor-text links, images or buttons. In any case, they are what motivate and direct your visitors to take a desired action. This could mean anything from registering for an event, downloading content and converting into leads, or encouraging prospects to move further down your marketing funnel toward sales-readiness.
However, not all CTAs are the same. Some work and some don’t. Some are affective in converting visitors, some are not. We are here to guide you how to create the former not the latter. To help you get a handle on some of the most critical CTA practices, we give you the top 20 do’s and don’ts.
1. Don’t use “Submit” on your form buttons.
Instead, use valuable and actionable copy, such as “Download Now,” Get Your Free Trial,” “Speak to an Expert,” or “Buy Now.”
Reason being, no one likes to “submit” to anything. State the value of your offer to the visitors and you will reduce tension and anxiety and increase your conversion ratio.
2. Don’t hide you CTAs where no one can see them.
Place you CTAs above and below the fold and within your visitor’s line of vision.
If no can see them, no one will click them. That simple
3. Don’t use the same or similar colors in your CTAs as the page’s background.
Use bold, contrasting color.
You want your CTAs to stand out and pop out at your visitors. If they’re camouflaged into your site, people may miss them all together.
4. Don’t use small CTAs that no one will notice.
They should be big and bold.
Following the same logic as the other two pointers, you want your visitor’s eyes to be drawn toward your CTAs
5. Don’t make the design of your CTAs look flat.
Make them look “clickable” by adding bevels, shadows, and hover effects.
People should automatically be able to recognize where they can click and be taken to a different page. If not done properly, your visitors may skim over your CTAs. Don’t use CTAs in the wrong place at the wring time.
6. Don’t use CTAs in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Use CTAs that relates to the content your visitors are reading or align with the buyer’s interests and needs.
Pushing your CTA to soon or to the wrong audience will cause your visitors to feel pressured and anxious. You want your potential customers to feel welcomed and appreciated.
7. Don’t be too wordy.
Make your CTAs clear, simple and uncluttered.
Use the KISS method (Keep it Simple Stupid). Keep in mind, people’s attention spans are getting shorter.
8.Don’t use vague, cliche or passive language.
Use compelling and action-worthy copy that conveys value.
Effective CTA involves telling visitors what to do. Use words that express action so there is not question about it.
9. Don’t oversell or under-deliver.
Set the right expectations about your offer.
No one likes being duped, lied-to or tricked. Bottom line, don’t make promises on your site that you knowingly cannot deliver. Visitors have high expectations that your CTA will deliver what is promised.
10. Don’ link your CTAs to your homepage.
Instead, direct them to a dedicated landing page that restates the offer.
CTAs give you the opportunity to increase conversions by driving traffic to a specific landing page that is closely tied to your message. As a result, you reduce friction because they know they landed in the right place. By bringing your visitors back to the homepage you will make them feel lost.
11. Don’t use too many CTAs on one page.
Use only one primary and one secondary CTA only.
Calls-to-action are meant to stand out. By over saturating your page with CTAs your message loses value. Suddenly, nothing stands out and your conversion ratio plummets.
12. Don’t forget to build trust through design and copy.
Use data or testimonials to validate your propositions.
Visitors have little trust in everything the internet tells them. Use professional design, social proof, case studies and testimonials to build trust.
13. Don’t miss opportunities to promote your CTAs.
Place a CTA in everything you do.
When marketing, you always want to have your potential customers know what they need to do next. Whether it be in email, blog post, social media and of course your website.
14. Don’t use the same CTAs for too long.
Experiment with A/B tests on your CTAs to know what design, copy and placement works best.
We live in a fast paced world where people lose interest for something quick. You can’t guarantee the same CTA will work forever. Always test your CTAs.
15. Don’t forget to do SEO for your CTAs.
Add keyword rich ALT tags so your CTA adds search value to the page.
A CTA, when used as an image, is a great opportunity to add more relevant keywords to your site so your website will be found in search engines.
16. Don’t use Flash or complicated animations.
Use CTAs that are mobile-optimized.
Mobile devices are consistently gaining ground on internet usage. You have to make sure that anyone, on any device, can view your page and more importantly can view your CTAs.
17. Don’t use branding as the only objective of your CTA.
Use CTAs to offer something of value.
Branding in CTAs is a wast of time and money. Instead of advertising yourself, give them something they – not you – want.
18. Don’t use the same CTA for everyone.
Use personalization and dynamic content.
No one is cut from the same cloth. Make sure to use different CTAs for different personas and audiences. By making them personal, you will improve your conversion ratio.
19. Don’t cram your CTAs into little spaces.
Utilize white spaces to make them stand out.
Don’t let your CTAs get lost in the clutter. If I haven’t made this clear yet, rule numero uno is making CTAs clearly visible.
20. Don’t obsess over a pixel-perfect design.
Instead, master the copy of the CTAs because that’s what really gets visitors to take action.
Don’t get me wrong, it is important to have a professional design but even the best looking designs can fail. To prevent any disappointment, use effective content. Compelling content creates trust, urgency and value.
Contact us, and let’s begin a journey of strategic growth and operational excellence.