What is a Call to Action Button? Tips and Examples
“50% Discount”
“Buy 1 get 1 free”
Such words attract right? You are surfing through a clothing site and there is a button which says “Buy 1 Get 1 Free”, hard to resist eh..!! This is what a call to action does. It urges you to click. In the marketing world, CTA plays a very pivotal role.
It helps to:
- Destroy decision fatigue and confusion of customer
- Direct your visitor’s actions based on your needs
- Grow your audience and increase sales
- To convert visitors into buyers.
In this article, we are going to discuss what CTA is and also, there are tips and examples that will help you design better CTA for your websites and apps.
Let’s start now…!!
What is a call to action button?
A call to action (also known as a CTA) is a specific instruction that encourages a particular action. It’s a command to do something specific; CTAs indicate people exactly what to do and when to do it. Generally, they appear in the form of two or three-word phrases such as “Get It Now,” “Begin here,” or even “Learn More Here.” Each one indicates people to respond directly to a brand in the form of a call, click, chat, subscription, reply, or purchase.
They work. Really, really well. In fact, these simple statements hold some surprisingly strong action power. As per a study, including a single call to action in emails, increased sales by 1,617%. In another, personalizing website CTAs generated an additional 202% increase in clicks and conversions.
So, it is a good idea to use a call to action in your marketing. Besides, digital marketers want their customers to take a certain, measurable action. For example, you might tell people to sign up for your email newsletter, download an ebook, or make a purchase. In each of these instances, a clear call to action should make customers click.
Where Should You Use a Call to Action?
Whenever you want your customers to take a certain action, you should include a CTA. You can make a colorful, clickable button or in an attention-grabbing headline, the goal is the same. Besides, it is best to make them understand what you want them to do next by telling them what exactly are the steps to follow, rather than just providing information and hoping your visitors will get it.
Keeping this in mind, most companies can find opportunities to assimilate CTAs across the entire marketing mix. If you’re not sure where to begin, you can put a call to action to your:
- Website
- Online forms
- Landing pages
- Blog posts
- Marketing automation campaigns
- Social media ads
- Paid search ads
- Email newsletters
Many beginners make a mistake by saving all of their CTAs for online forms and clickable buttons. These placements are highly important, although, you should also include calls to action in other content as well. Studies show that CTAs can also be effective:
- Within subheads &headlines
- In website sidebars and popups
- Links within your copy
- In bold or italics at the end of a blog post
- Within marketing videos
- In the meta description and title tags that appear in Google
And this is all just for beginners. Once you get used to using CTAs, you’ll see opportunities for them everywhere. Even adding just simple social media sharing buttons to blog posts and emails can have an impressive impact on results.
Elements that matters the most in a call to action
Effective CTAs boil down to good design and strong copy. So, you’ll have to choose the elements carefully and test them to see what’s working. Also, make sure, your website design should be easy to understand at a glance.
You can try updating your call to action one element at a time, in case your page isn’t getting the conversions you want. For design, you could try:
- Make your button bigger
- Change the button color
- Place the CTA on a different part of the page or form
- Create a bigger contrast between text and button colors
- Use different font styles or sizes
- Use bolding or italics
As you can see how various buttons are placed overall on the pages. Proper use of whitespace here is something you should consider for your website as well. Each CTA here is well placed making it easier to go through. Social
For the copy, You can also experiment with:
- Your headline
- The subhead
- A bulleted list of benefits
- Supporting text or specific instructions
- The submit button text
Provoke emotion/enthusiasm
Provoking to take action always helps to convert visitors into customers. It is your first impression of how you use CTA that leads visitors to click on it. If you study various sites you may find some of them hard to resist. It attracts the visitors right where they are needed.
If you want to evoke an emotional response in your users, opt for a longer CTA. You’ll need to include more modifiers in this case to get the desired effect.
Here are some examples:
- Use numbers: “Buy now and get 50% off!”
- Efficient adjectives: “Find your dream home with us!”
- Promise that attracts: “Lose weight in just 6 weeks!”
- Influence their FOMO: “Limited time offer. Get your free T-shirt!”
- Play up your USP: “Order a hand-made soap now!”
CTA Form Design
All the web forms include a call-to-action (CTA) of some kind. There are more chances of clicking on your CTA button when there are clear directions like “Learn More”, “Get More Conversions Now”, or “Download Now”. That’s why the design of your CTA is critical, otherwise, why would someone want to “learn more” or “download” your product, let alone even notice a CTA on your page?
CTA Design Factors to Consider
Now, let’s review different aspects of CTA design: size, action button, font, special effects, placement, colors, and shape.
CTA size
Size does matter here..!! Too small or too large both will impact negatively. If it is too small, there is a risk of having someone miss it completely. If it is too large, it may look spammy, unprofessional, and pushy.
When choosing the size of your CTA, make sure it is according to the entire web page. You must make sure that it does not feel messed up, and it must ensure that your visitors organically notice the CTA while going through the page or form.
The average CTA button is 47.9 pixels tall. However, the two largest clusters are 47 pixels and 50 pixels tall. The smallest CTA button was 20 pixels tall
Action button
Every CTA has an action button (thus the name call-to-action). That action button is the thing that indicates your visitors to take certain actions such as “Download Now” or “Check Live Demo” so, the way it looks and what it says is quite important.
Your action button should stand out. Visitors should not wonder if they’re clicking the correct button or not. You should also use short, action-oriented, and impactful language so your visitors know without question what they are getting out of your CTA.
Font
Whether it’s typography, size, or color, your font plays a vital role in a visitor’s experience. And with something as important as a CTA, which impacts your conversions and sales directly, you must not ignore this one.
It is important to choose a proper font. Fonts must not be too small or difficult to read. Execute an easy-to-read font that works with the color, style, and size of your CTA.
Check Best Typography Resources And Tools. This collection will help you choose a proper fonts.
Special effects
“Special Effects”, here means creating a more eye-catching design. For example, drop shadows, beveled edges, arrows, rounded corners, and gradients are some of the simple ways to create a CTA that visitors will click.
Do experiments with your CTA button designs. It will give you ideas and will help you choose the suitable one for your purpose. Remember, it is not about just design, you’ll have to choose according to your motive. Sometimes designs can be overwhelming. For example too shiny, glossy buttons are often considered spam buttons. So, choose the design wisely.
Placement
Placement of your CTA is vital because you want visitors to see it organically while going through your form. The main reason for including a CTA on your web page or form is to get your visitors to naturally catch it while they’re on your site or completing your form fields. It would be irritating and time-consuming if visitors have to search around for a CTA. Due to inappropriate placements, other visual aspects such as color and size might not work efficiently.
According to various studies, before reading a web page people scan it to get an idea of whether they are interested. Keeping this fact in mind, designers must study the most prominent scannable areas and place call-to-actions within the user’s path.
For example, you can check the Vuexy Admin Template Landing page:
As you can see how various buttons are placed overall on the pages. Proper use of whitespace here is something you should consider for your website as well. Each CTA here is well placed and making it easier to go through.
Colors and shape
Visually appealing size is one of the important aspects of a powerful CTA. It is crucial to make the buttons even more noticeable. In order to do so, you’ll have to choose the right color and shape. The thing is that human mood and behavior highly relate to visual surroundings. Our mind reacts to colors and shapes while we usually do not notice them.
Color meanings:
- Red. Confidence, youth, and power.
- Orange. Friendly, warm, and energetic.
- Yellow. Happiness, optimism, and warmth.
- Green. Peace, growth, and health.
- Blue. Trust, security, and stability.
- Purple. Luxurious, creative, and wise.
- Black. Reliable, sophisticated, and experienced.
- White. Simple, calm, and clean
There is one condition that is crucial to keep in mind while choosing colors for CTA: buttons and background colors should be contrasting enough so that CTAs would stand out from the other UI components.
You can check some Free Color Palette Generators to create or choose the appropriate color for your project.
Shape meanings:
- Squares and rectangles: discipline, strength, courage, security, reliability.
- Triangles: excitement, risk, danger, balance, stability.
- Circles, ovals, and ellipses: eternity, female, universe, magic, mystery.
- Abstract shapes: the duality of meaning, uniqueness, elaborate.
Tips to consider while designing CTA
Fewer Words, More Imperative
CTA microcopy as the name suggests uses fewer but impactful words that attract users and make them click. It is actually a call that tells users what action they will take if they click the button. The powerful CTA microcopy has to attract users’ attention quickly and lead them right to the action.
To make an effectual call-to-action, keep the number of words at a minimum. A few properly chosen words work much faster than a long descriptive phrase. In addition, applying imperative cases in CTA microcopy will give strong and direct instructions of what users can do next.
Keep User Flow in Mind
User flow is a path that users follow in a digital product to complete a certain task, for example, an online purchase. It helps to create UX in a way so that people can go step-by-step to their goal of receiving the data gradually.
Keeping user flow in mind, you can choose efficient placement for CTA buttons. For example, while creating a landing page design you will have to make sure users find the “Sign up” CTA button after they read the information about the offer or services. This will make it easy for users to understand what they are signing up for and if they need it or not.
Use White Space as a Tool
White space, known as negative space as well, is the area between elements in design composition. People aren’t usually aware of the important role of the space, but designers, need to pay a lot of attention to it.
It is not just a background of a visual composition. It is often used as a powerful tool that assists to emphasize UI elements. If a UI includes many visual components, a CTA button can get lost on a page or screen. Here, the appropriate amount of white space around a button will draw attention as it becomes more noticeable.
Add Some Extra Information
As we discussed above, it’s necessary to keep the CTA message short so that it can quickly catch the visitor’s attention. Specific extra information can be useful to provide some additional data too.
It can be a bit of information explaining something about the next stages. For example, check the image above. They have clarified that you can use Spotify for free. Such small remarks can increase the users’ interest and encourage them to take action.
Online forms
Every type of online form will require a call to action. Instead of using a standard “submit” button, look for ways to replace that default text with more certain phrases. It can be:
- Get in touch
- Contact us
- Buy now
- Download now
- Claim your gift
- Give feedback
- Enter to win
- Give away
- Support a great cause
- Register now
- Save your spot
- Get your ticket
On your website
Whether you want your visitors to fill out a form, subscribe to an email list, or continue clicking through your site, it pays to tell people exactly what they should do next. Examples of effectual website calls to action include:
- Request a demo
- Start your free trial
- See plans and pricing
- Explore our resources
- Get your complimentary copy
- Talk to an expert
- Get on the wishlist
- Subscribe to the newsletter
- Watch the video
- Shop best sellers
- Shop new arrivals
- Read the success story
- See it in action
- Chat with us
The words you are going to choose will depend on your industry, your target market, and the goals you’re trying to achieve.
Call to Action Examples
Now, what a compelling call to action looks like? Well, the answer differs based on a number of factors like where it appears, how far along a prospect or customer is in their journey with your company, and what the specific action involves.
When crafting a call to action, think like a customer. What would you want to know? What would urge you to click a link or button? Make your CTA as clear and concise as possible. Here are some of the good ideas you can check:
Netflix
“Get Access” is a CTA that implies a bit of oneness. This CTA, combined with the rest of the copy on the page, lets users know that Netflix is offering them access to popular shows and movies that they aren’t going to be able to get anywhere else. Apart from this, the use of “cancel anytime” implies flexibility. It makes it even easier for users to say yes. It
Netflix also has other CTAs that they show often. Like “Join the Fun,” “Start Here,” and others.
Apple TV
AppleTV+ has a simple yet triggering CTA that’s supported by the drama of the website itself. The bright white CTA button encourages users to “Preview Now” pops from the page as snippets of movies play in the background. It’s a great arrangement that reaches visitors where they are and encourages them to take that next step to sign up for the service.
Cloud spot: Get Your App
This CTA example is from one of their lead campaigns that’s no longer live, but you can still learn from it and let it inspire you. With this campaign, CloudSpot aimed not only to grow its email list but also to get more users on its app. They use the CTA “Get Your App” instead of “Get Our App” which is a great way to draw users into the offer and is better at getting users to feel that the app is for them.
Canva: Design anything
One of the best CTA examples. Canva’s webpage is filled with the visually attractive stimulus that urges you to design anything, whether you really need to or not.
With the CTA “Design anything,” Canva makes visitors feel they really can design anything with Canva. In addition, you can enter what you want to design and be taken directly to the Canva editor where they guide you through how to create your design. You can easily design and download before you’re presented with a sign-up form.
Themeselection: Subscribe now
Here CTA is “Subscribe Now”. As you can see in the image above, there is a highlighted word “Freebies”. This is a good example of a combined CTA. Here the aim is to increase subscribers as well it indicates to visitors that this is the place where they will get freebies as well.
They have also clarified that by subscribing to the newsletter, subscribers will get all the updates regarding the products. So, users here will be clear whether or not they want to proceed ahead.
You can also check Vuetify Admin Templates for instance as they have a landing page with cool CTA buttons. You can have an idea of how and where CTA should be placed.
Spotify: Go Premium
When you open Spotify’s homepage, it’s pretty clear that its main purpose is to attract customers who are willing to pay for a premium account, while the CTA for users to sign up for free is very much secondary.
It’s not just the headline; it’s also the coloring of their CTA buttons. The “Go Premium” CTA has lime green, making it pop off the page, while the “Play Free” CTA is plain white that blends in with the rest of the copy on the page. This contrast ensures that visitors are attracted to the premium CTA.
Conclusion:
Strategic calls-to-action (CTAs) can help you guide your visitors through the specific action journey and directly impact your conversion rates. A really effective CTA will do wonders at drawing visitors’ attention, piquing their interest, and eloquently guiding them through the signup process.
Providing a strong call to action makes an otherwise uncertain process easy on your customers. It helps them know exactly what you want them to do click, buy, sign up, and so on and reduces friction by providing clear, simple directives.
We hope you find this article helpful. Do tell us what more points can be added here to the list in the comment section.
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