On a website, the ability to generate a high conversion rate depends on many factors. But one of the most important is undeniably the use of a call to action.

A true pillar of web marketing, a compelling call to action shines through its ability to maximize conversions and limit bounces – that is, visitors who backtrack or leave the site.

So, what is the secret to the irresistible CTA?

 

1. Use the right words

In the end, the biggest secret of a compelling call to action is to use the right words: those words that will make your visitors not be able to stop themselves from clicking.

Whether you’re using an image-based CTA or a button, you’ll need to write actionable text. Remember that you are creating this button for a particular audience at a specific point in their journey.

Don’t just write “Submit”. Many visitors avoid clicking if the verb is too generic. Instead, innovate and write a formula that will encourage people to click on your link.

Phrases such as “Get it here,” “Find out how,” “Sign up now,” or “Take your first steps for free” call for more action.

A test carried out by Michael Aagaard highlighted the importance of “you” in addressing visitors directly through the call to action.

After rewriting the text on the button, conversions increased by 10.94 per cent.

The previously non-conservative CTA (“Download”) is now enhanced by the addition of the following: “Get your free converter”.

The addition of “free” probably has something to do with it, but the personalization will make a sound option.

Another striking example: it is also efficient to employ the word “me” and thus put yourself in the user’s shoes.

By going from “Start your 30-day free trial” to “I’m starting my 30-day free trial”, this CTA has seen a dramatic increase in click-through rate: + 90%, just that!

There are different types of words to use on your CTAs, depending on the action you want to trigger after clicking the button.

Action verbs

In “call to action”, there is “action”: the use of an active verb is necessary to motivate readers to take action.

It should ideally be placed at the beginning of a sentence.

• Start (Ex: “Start your free trial”)
• Stop (Ex: Stop losing money”)
• Expand/enlarge (Ex: “Expand your mailing list”)
• Join (Ex: “Join the first community”)
• Learn (Ex: “Learn to reference your web pages”)
• Discover (Ex: “Discover our exclusive method”)

Negative words

A well-crafted call to action must be able to solve the problem your prospect might be experiencing.

Negative words are very appropriate to point the finger at concern and thus prime your CTA.

• Tired (Ex: “Tired of losing subscribers to your newsletter?”)
• In difficulty (Ex: “In financial difficulty?”)
• Worried (Ex: “Worried about the future of your business?”)
• Lost / confused (Ex: “Lost in the world of SEO?”)

Personal pronouns

We’ve already touched on the power of “you” and “me”, which unsurprisingly feature on this list.

• You / your (Ex: “Download your copy”)
• I / my (Ex: “I register”)

Words that add value to your CTAs

Your CTA needs to convince the user to take action.

It is essential to convince him of the value that this action will bring him.

• Want (Ex: “Do you want to boost your traffic?”)
• Need (Ex: “Need to redesign your website?)
• Free (Ex: “Download our free e-book”)
• Save / earn (Ex: “Save 50%”)
• [Number] (Ex: “Join the 125,000 subscribers of our newsletter”)
• Try (Ex: “Try our product for free”)

The words that justify your call to action

These terms can help you justify the validity of your CTA by giving the customer a compelling incentive to make them convert.

• Why (Ex: “Why not increase your traffic by 120%?”)
• Obtain (Ex: “Get a free sample”)
• Find (Ex: “Find your ideal SEO strategy”)

Words that evoke urgency

For once, we’ve already cultivated a sense of exclusivity and urgency for your CTAs.

Here are some words you can use to accomplish this purpose:

• Now (Ex: “Order now”)
• Today (Ex: “Book today”)
• Before (Ex: “Register before tomorrow”)
• End (Ex: “The sale will end in …”)

2. Position your CTA well

Certain areas of your page are more effective at eliciting action. Although it will depend on the structure and design of your website, some spaces work almost every time!

Discover performing locations, as well as tips for detecting your visitors’ preferences.

Above the fold

Users spend 57% of their visit time above the fold of your web page. This is because the folded area designates the information displayed directly on the visitor’s screen before scrolling through the content.

By placing a CTA there, you immediately draw the attention of Internet users to your offer. It is easy to locate and is not obscured by other calls to action. This button will help you convert visitors with high purchase intent.

For example, Deliveroo has placed its call-to-action at the very top of the page. As a result, it is easy to find for internet users who want to know if the service works in their city:

In the body of the page

CTAs placed in the body of the content can come in different forms:

• An anchor text
• A button
• A form
• A picture

Calls to action in the body of the page perform well because the reader has time to know the details of your offer. The more he learns about your services, the more it will encourage him to convert.

Less intrusive, in-text CTAs don’t distract visitors from your content. This is the recommended format if you want to provide information first before engaging the Internet user. Generally, this type of call-to-action is suitable for uploading content, purchasing training, or sharing on social networks.

If your content is long, put CTAs in different places in your articles to allow the prospect to convert as soon as they have enough information.

In the following example, the call to action is located in in the middle of the blog article:

This allows the reader to take advantage of the first tips and start their conversion phase. The CTA intervenes when there is a risk of dropping out of the article! The objective is to get him to take action while he is in the midst of a reflection phase.

Follow the natural progression of vision.

In Western culture, reading is done from top to bottom of the page and left to right. Why is this important? Because it also affects where you should place your CTAs.

Instead of fighting against natural visual progression, use it to your advantage! For example, inserting a CTA on the right side of the page gives your button a better chance of being clicked.

In this example, the button is placed to the right of the menu. Visible and inserted naturally in titles, it quickly attracts attention:

Avoid sidebars and footer

According to research conducted by Grow & Convert, sidebars and footer generate a low conversion rate.

The sidebar is an excellent place for constant elements on your website, like a blog subscription form or popular resources, but not for a call-to-action button.

At the footer level, the visitor must read or scroll to the bottom to see the CTA. It’s surrounded by several other navigation links and buttons, which compete for attention. Suffice to say that your call to action risks being drowned out.

If your goal is to improve your conversions, avoid these two areas.

3. Take care of the design

The design of your call-to-action is as essential as the contents (if it’s not even more), particularly in the case of an action button.

This is, for instance, is what Michael Aagaard highlighted in this article.

Simply by changing the look of the site’s “add to cart” button, he observed the conversion rate increase by 35.81 per cent.

 

4. Customize your CTAs

Thanks to the development of digital marketing, Internet users are now used to receiving personalized offers that correspond precisely to their needs: a little as if you were reading their minds.

They expect the same personalized experience with your call-to-action (CTA). Visitors want to feel like you are addressing them in particular and that you have captured their needs.

This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Hubspot, which showed that it is possible to increase the performance of your CTAs by 202% thanks to personalization.

Of course, each CTA will have to be carefully considered depending on the depth of the pages and the visitor’s identity. For example, an anonymous Internet user will have to be encouraged to register somewhere, to become a prospect. At the same time, a prospect will be encouraged to become a customer via more “commercial” call-to-actions.

List the call-to-actions you want to integrate, as well as the conditions for displaying them.

5. Create a sense of urgency

The power of exclusivity, rarity, and urgency are just a few of the marketing strategies that have been proven over many years, particularly for e-commerce.

But how do you apply them to your calls to action?

By using, for example, these ten particularly effective expressions to create a feeling of urgency:

• Only X days left
• Limited stock
• Coming soon
• Before stocks run out
• Today only
• Last chance
• Offer ends on 2023
• Hurry up
• At once
• Now

Various synonyms and variations can be considered; however, this list provides an excellent base of words that will get your potential customers to click your links and buttons without further delay.

 

6. Hide the CTA in a pop-up

Most visitors consume your free content and leave without taking action.

Whether you like them or hate them, pop-ups are still one of the most effective ways to grab the attention of potential customers. They force them to act, one way or another.

If you’ve done your homework on the page’s content, internet users should consider your offer. Which, in the long run, can boost your conversions.

ufound launches a pop-up, after a few seconds of browsing, to offer a free quote for its services. Impossible to miss the proposal and the form!

7. Link your CTAs to the appropriate pages

Now that you have created your different call-to-actions download them to your website’s conversion funnel. Do not forget to add a tracked link to it to know the performance of your buttons and to improve them.

To optimize the performance of your call-to-action, regularly use Google Analytics to track your visitors’ journey and their behaviour.

If necessary, you can then move the buttons to experiment with other colours and phrases to increase the conversion day by day.

 

8. Analyze the heatmap of your website

The most effective place to place your CTA is the location where users click. To find out, you need to make a “heat map” of your website.

You can record your visitors ‘ browsing sessions using a tool (check out our list of the best heatmap tools). The goal? See the places where Internet users click but also the buttons that do not meet with any success!

After analysis, you will know which section the majority of your visitors are engaging with. You can therefore reorganize your different CTAs to improve conversions.

 

Conclusion

When building your pages, place your call-to-action in effective areas such as the area above the fold, the right side of the screen or the middle of the text. You can then analyze the performing placements to improve your conversions!

Conversions stalled on your website? Then, ask for the help of a professional web designer from ufound. We will be able to advise you on the placement of your CTAs and create a striking and effective site design!