Click here to download our free eBook!
Sorry, but the sentence above isn’t a real URL. You thought about clicking on it, right? Or maybe you did click on it before reading this paragraph to find out what is going on. Again, sorry.
But think about it for a second. That sentence peaked your interest and prompted you to action, and because of it, you’re paying more attention to this article. This newfound motivation originated from our use of a ‘Call-to-Action’.
A Call-to-Action, or simply CTA, is a phrase that prompts an immediate response, of the writer’s choosing, from the audience. In our case, we wanted you to click on that ‘link’ to download a free eBook just as soon as you read it.As easy as it might seem on the surface, constructing the right CTA for your business takes balance.
Try applying these tips into your CTA:
Strong Command Verbs
Keep it short, sweet, and to-the-point. Refrain from writing a paragraph as a Call-to-Action, as few viewers are interested in reading large chunks of text.
To work best, the CTA needs to be a phrase or short sentence. The goal is to inform your audience of exactly what you want them to do. Don’t add filler words or leave room for assumptions!
Use words like: buy, shop, order, download, subscribe, contact us, find out how.
For best results, add in a persuading phrase: you, guarantee, free, results, because, new.Feel free to mix and match. Make your phrase applicable to your business when you’re describing your offer.
In our example of “Click here to download our free eBook”, we used the command verb ‘download’ and the persuading phrase ‘free’. Not too bad, if we say so ourselves. It’s a good offer that’s applicable to our brand and business.
The phrase could have also worked with other combinations.
Examples include: “Subscribe for a free eBook” or “Contact us to find out how to receive your free eBook”. Different words motivate viewers to perform different actions, but you can still find the motivation and a prompt for action in each phrase.
Provoke Emotion
Think back, for a moment, to your high school English class. Do you remember your English teacher’s lessons on Ethos, Pathos, and Logos?
Well, today’s the day it becomes applicable! Pathos, an appeal to emotion, is a very powerful force in marketing. You want to elicit a strong emotional response from your audience… in this case, through words only. When prompting a viewer to perform an action, enthusiasm becomes your best friend.
Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful emotions in marketing because:
- Consumers respond more to positive emotions
- Enthusiasm is contagious.
Viewers who read “Buy now and receive 50% off!” will consider purchasing your product (even if they had no intention to beforehand) and probably share the deal with their friends and family. Create a hype around good deals and post them all over social media!Keep in mind that the most important way to insert enthusiasm is the exclamation point. It’s a small addition, but it helps tremendously in sparking enthusiasm about your offer. Spice it up!
Give a Reason
Before you publish, look at the CTA as a viewer. Ask yourself: “What’s in it for me?”In our example in the beginning, it was clear that viewers would receive a free eBook if they clicked on the ‘link’. There was no mystery in wondering what was in it for you, as a viewer.
It’s important that you leave no room for confusion. Any mixed messages will either prompt the wrong action or irritate the viewer.Motivate viewers to action with a strong commanding verb, capture attention with emotion, then provide a reason to further motivate viewers to carry out the action.
See how everything comes together to form the perfect CTA?
Add Creativity
If we haven’t stressed you enough by asking you to balance all these tips, here’s one more: add a touch of creativity. While the strong commanding verbs grab attention, make the CTA interesting to read!
While you may not want to add creativity to every CTA, it works well in certain situations. The kind of creativity you add depends on your audience. What they find interesting should be your inspiration.
For some businesses, risqué language works. If a brand is known as being rough or sassy, a CTA like “quit crappy coffee today and switch to our brand” works. It grabs attention and peaks interest, since not many businesses advertise in that manner.
But if this language doesn’t fit your brand’s style, there are other ways of being creative. Using words like “buy, shop, order, contact us” can become repetitive, so play with creativity here. Instead of ‘Contact Us’ use something along the lines of ‘Get My Free Proposal’.
More interesting, right? Not to mention, the second phrase is more compelling and specific.
The Call-to-Action is a small, but crucial element of marketing. Invest some time and effort into creating the perfect CTA for your business. Look at websites you admire and analyze how their CTA helps promote their brand. This should give your inspiration as you work at designing your own.
