In order for the user to take the appropriate action after entering the website, he should be encouraged to do so. For this purpose, a CTA button, i.e., a call to action, is created. This element requires attention to detail, otherwise it will not work. Creating a CTA on a website requires knowledge of the basics of UX and is often done as part of theSXOwebsite. What do you need to pay attention to when preparing a CTA? What results can it provide?

CTA-what is it and what is it for?

CTA stands for call to action, which in translation from English means a call to action. The purpose of this element is to trick users into a specific response.It can be, for example, signing up for a newsletter, creating an account, purchasing a product, filling out a form, or downloading a file. CTA appears, among others, on websites. Then it takes the form of a clearly visible button, header, infographic, or link. The call to action can also be used successfully in other places, such as:

• Internet advertising– not only graphic form works, but also video, text and even audio,
• meta description– in the short description of the website displayed in the search results, a CTA is usually used to encourage you to go to the site,
• mailing– a very popular practice, a call to action also has various forms, such as text, graphics, link or button.

Call to action is very important, although many people still do not use its full potential. Using it in a skillful way increases website traffic, and at the same time sales and profits of the company.

How to create a CTA?

In order for the CTA button to bring the expected results, it must first of all be noticeable, right after going to the website, opening the e-mail, etc. In addition, the call to action must be specific, precisely worded and direct. The key issue is to create a message that will persuade recipients to take a specific action. It is best to address users directly, i.e. formulate the call using the second person singular. However, sometimes it is better to return in the first person singular, such as “check” instead of “check”. It is equally important that everyone knows what awaits them after clicking the CTA.

Color contrast should be used to make sure your call to action is noticeable. Call to action should be different in terms of colors from other elements. At the same time, you have to make sure that the whole thing looks aesthetically. What about the size of the button? A simple rule of thumb is: the bigger the CTA, the better. However, do not forget to use your common sense and keep the proportions in relation to the rest of the site. The size of the call to action is important. Since it is clearly larger than the other elements of the page, the recipients can guess that the performance of a specific action is a very important goal.

Call to action should evoke emotions. To achieve this effect, you can use the so-called power words, which include, for example:

• free,
• exclusive,
• premiere,
• sale,
• sensational,
• new.

You should also make the recipient feel that such an opportunity will end soon and it will be difficult for him to find a similar, equally attractive one. This motivates not only to click the CTA, but also to perform a specific action. The call to action does not need to be placed in just one place. You can add them both at the beginning of the page and at the end as a reminder. It is important that these are not two different call to action, because then the recipients will not know what is expected of them. It is also important to add buttons to actions or products that match the message. Do not confuse users by promising that, for example, after clicking the CTA, they will download a free e-book immediately, but in fact they must first fill out a form to receive materials by e-mail later.

When to use a CTA?

A call to action should be used whenever there is a need to indicate to recipients what they should do. As already mentioned, a call to action can encourage you to buy specific products, sign up for a newsletter or download free materials. There are many possibilities. A CTA is a kind of signpost that helps in achieving a specific goal. The use of a call to action is cost-effective, but only if it is well prepared. It may be difficult for users to recognize the intentions and expectations of the people who own thesite. So they need clear directions and encouragement to take action. CTAs are most often found on websites and in the mail, but this solution also works well on social media. This is one of those elements that can significantly increase your conversion without too much effort.

Call to action is considered a mandatory part of every website, mailing advertisement or campaign. You should not give it up, even if you get the impression that the website is prepared perfectly and will not raise any doubts among the recipients. The lack of guidance often leaves users confused and leaves the site without taking any action. The CTA should be applied at every step of the path that customers take to convert.

CTA – good practices

An effective call to action is properly crafted in appearance and size. It also meets several other criteria, mainly regarding contrast, location, the number of buttons (it is not recommended to put several different call to action on one page) and adaptation to all devices, including mobile devices. However, it is unlikely that from the very beginning the CTA button will turn out to be perfectly optimized and deliver the expected results. It is a good practice to conduct tests and analyzes as they allow you to check which solution will be the best. By doing them on a regular basis, you can infer what is bringing the desired results and, if necessary, make changes to the color or the content of the call to action itself.

Keep in mind simplicity when creating your call to action. The least complicated ideas and solutions work best. It is necessary to use clear wording so that users have no doubts what they refer to. Admittedly, phrases like “moving on” seem interesting and a bit mysterious at first, but they are unlikely to increase the conversion rate. The audience, not knowing what awaits them, will not move on and leave the site. At the same time, the message cannot suggest that after clicking the CTA, more or less time-consuming work needs to be done. Everything should be simplified to the maximum and the benefits that users will get. This can be, for example, trying something for free or acquiring an innovative product. Since the text in call to action is usually only a few words, details that encourage you to click the button should be placed near the button. This saves you from having to search for relevant information elsewhere on the page, which could discourage you from taking an action. The CTA itself is supposed to cover only what is found after going to the link.

After preparing the button, you need to make sure that the link is correct. If users are redirected to the wrong address, the call to action will not be effective (especially if a non-existent subpage is attached to it). You should also pay attention to whether the CTA is in the right place. You must not allow a situation where customers have a problem deciding where to click. That is why it is so important to use call to action with only one precise message. If, for some reason, a page must contain several buttons, the most important one should be distinguished by both the size and the colors.

Summarizing the good practices when creating a call to action:

1. Use precise, clearly formulated messages.
2. Take care of the text. It should go directly to the recipient and persuade him to perform the action, so do not be afraid of the imperative or phrases to “you.”
3. Pay attention to the colors, contrast, and size of the CTA; it must stand out from the rest of the elements on the page.
4. Avoid ambiguities; do not mislead users.
5. Create simple messages without suggesting necessary work.
6. Analyze how effective CTA is,marketinggives you a lot of testing tools, such as Google Optimize.
7. Make changes, if necessary. They can concern both the text and the color or size of the button.

Advantages of call to action

A call to action brings several important benefits, and at a relatively low cost (although, of course, its preparation must be careful). First of all, the CTA works well as an advertisement. It does not cost too much, which is why it allows you to reduce the costs associated with the promotion of the company, especially on platforms such as Facebook Ads. Due to the purpose of call to action, i.e. encouraging to perform a specific action, you can count on a greater sales potential. These types of elements work very well in online stores, but it is really worth placing them on every page, regardless of the industry.

It is not without significance that the CTA has a positive effect onSEO. A higher click rate is associated with better visibility in organic search results. A call to action is considered a key element of valuable content. It complements it and gives audiences a signal as to what to do. Without an effective CTA, even a very carefully prepared website or campaign will probably not bring the expected results. Although its creation may turn out to be time-consuming, it is worth refining every detail. Engaged users mean an increase in sales of the offered products or services. The most important thing is to arouse the interest of recipients by properly formulating the message conveyed by the call to action. Examples of intriguing and catchy slogans are: “Create an account in 5 seconds”, “Sign up for a free trial”, “I want a 20% discount”. It should be remembered that the content should be adapted to the recipients.

CTA plays an important role in marketing and sales activities. It should be direct, noticeable, and precisely formulated, and at the same time coherent in terms of context with the content to which it is adjacent. You should think about the call to action when creating a website, as well as e-mails, blog entries, or advertisements. Its goals may be different, because they involve not only the purchase of a product but also, for example, downloading a specific file or simply filling out a contact form.