FIRST THINGS FIRST
When developing a landing page or an ad for a product, many advertisers focus too much on the what and the why of their product (what the product is, and why it’s the best product for you), but they forget to tell their visitor how, or “This is how you should respond to this information.” It may seem like this information is implied, but having a call-to-action – essentially telling your visitor how they can take action – is an effective way to improve conversions and ROI for your product or service. It has been proven that you can increase your sales by 80% by adding a call-to-action, even if that action is as simple as “buy now”.
A call-to-action can be more than “buy now”
Because you only have a few seconds to do this, you need a strong call-to-action to keep their interest in your product and push them into going through with the sale. It will also prevent them from “shopping around” at another site or drifting off. In other words, the first part of marketing is intended to prove why they should buy your product or service, and the call-to-action is there to actually get them to do it. Have a strong and well thought-out call-to-action is imperative towards driving sales. These key points will help you improve sales without spending more money.
In this post you will learn:
- Knowing what a call-to-action is
- Why it matters to have one
- How to create a good one
A call-to-action is a prime example of how having good writers on the job will affect your overall results. While images and graphics are an important component of many ads and landing pages, visitors are looking to learn about the product and therefore are looking for text the majority of the time. Having excellent writing skills are needed to develop and effective and creative call-to-action.
WHAT IS A CALL-TO-ACTION?
The textbook answer for an internet marketing call-to-action is simply a button, banner, graphic or website text that directs the end user to make a particular choice. A call-to-action promotes movement down the sales funnel of marketing, creating the opportunity for more to fully complete the sale. Without a call-to-action in place, the visitor may not have a clear idea of what next steps should be.
Any place where the visitor needs to do something should have a call-to-action, especially at the ad
WHY DOES HAVING A CALL-TO-ACTION MATTER?
When you work with a particular product, service or industry for so long, it can be easy to forget that many of your visitors may not expert in your particular field. Sometimes, the assumption is made that visitors know how to follow through with a sale by themselves.
A call-to-action can guide your visitors through the final stages of your desired solution for them.
If they aren’t familiar with the steps to purchase your product or service, a weak or no call-to-action may hinder your overall results. Having a good call-to-action will help your overall conversion rate and a strong or excellent CTA will do this and improve your visitor’s overall impression of your product or service.
WHAT MAKES A PARTICULAR CALL-TO-ACTION A GOOD ONE?
At first glance, a call-to-action is nothing more than a variation on “buy now”, but there are several steps you can take not only to create a well-written call-to-action, but one that is well-positioned and aesthetically pleasing. 5 STEPS TO CREATING A POWERFUL CALL-TO-ACTION
-
- Deliver Value – Give your visitor a reason to take that next step. A good call-to-action continues the idea that your product or service is worthwhile. For example, your banner or button could say “Get Started Today, It’s Free!” or “Sign Up and Continue Your Journey Towards Health.”
- Create a Sense of Urgency – Show your user that they need to act fast, or give them a time frame, like “Call today”. You could even provide visual representation, like a clock or a countdown of time left to purchase or take advantage of your offer.
“Invest Now” and on the page twice, no less
-
- Make it Easily Found – It’s important to place your call-to-action in a prominent or natural location. You want the overall look and design to flow with the rest of your page but not blend in so much that it’s easily missed by the visitor.Add a pop of contrasting color, drop shadow or other design feature to make it stand out. Additionally, place the call to action so the visitors’ eyes land on it immediately after you pitch them. Don’t place it so high on the page that it’s missed in favor of the other content.
- Don’t Go Overboard – Keep your call-to-action simple, clear and concise. Call-to-actions that are overdone often get missed because the visitor is distracted by the bells and whistles. The message may get swallowed if the graphic is too busy or the text is too long.
Simple, to the point, with a pop of color
- Use Valuable and Actionable Add Copy – The ultimate purpose of a CTA is to get your user to take that next step and convert, so never forget to tell them with an actionable word – something that they can “do” and not just “is”. An example would be “Download Whitepaper Now” or “Register and Win”.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The crucial part of any sale is the stage between interest and completion, and a call-to-action is a key component of that stage. A strong call-to-action will get visitors to follow through with a sale without being too forceful. It’s amazing to see how many sales consultants skip this step in favor of wording that is edgy, but not direct. When you create your next call-to-action, follow these steps to help improve your webpage’s conversions and overall ROI.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
