7 Techniques for an Effective ‘Call to Action’

Simply stated, a call to action is a way of convincing a consumer to do something. You want them to “click here,” “buy now,” or “register,” for example. These call to actions are the perfect way to convert browsers into buyers for your business. Recognize the Need Identify a problem. Present your audience with a product that solves that problem. As a business, you want to communicate the benefits for the reader of responding to the call of action. Sweeten the Deal Offer incentives. Giving your audience something of value is the best way to get them to respond to your call of action. You want to speak to the reader’s sense of motivation; encourage him or her to respond to your call of action because of what they could get in return. This could be a free gift or a special discount. Whatever makes them click! Focus Limit the number of choices. The call to action should not give the reader too much to look at. Don’t overwhelm them with buttons and unnecessary information. When designing a call to action, you should think about what makes you click an ad or respond to a call of action and spiral off of those ideas. Clear Encourage taking action. The deal should trigger an emotional reaction. You want the consumer to say, “I must have that.” The call to action should tell someone how to make a purchase; click here. However, the offer should create a sense of urgency. You want the reader to know that they only have a limited time to respond Design Placement. White Space. Color. Usually call to actions are somewhere in a center column. The design should use the space around it. The more space that is around your call to action, the more attention it will get drawn to it. Clutter your content and the call to action will get lost on the page. Effective color is also a great way to draw attention to elements on your page Every Page Multiples. A call to action of some form should be on every page of your site, not just limited to one. These call to actions can be different, however, you want them all to work towards your ultimate goal, to click for that particular reason. Custom Tailor to Your Audience Customize. Not every reader is alike; your call to action should not be either. Think about the audience you are trying to reach and work from that. An effective call to action is vital of a successful site. The beauty of the call to action is that you can use them anywhere. Promote your business; sell a product or service. Just remember that a call to action needs to be clear and focused on the need your company wants from the reader. You want the consumer to easily be able to see the sweet deal you are giving them. Make sure there is a well-designed call to action on every page that is personalized to the reader. Follow these steps, and you’re set!