How to Optimize a Call to Action (CTA) Button

What is a call to action button?

Phrases designed to steer the behavior of internet users toward a specific goal (a sale, a signup, and so on) are called "calls to action."

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Each of these is an example of a call to action, and the clickable versions are call to action buttons. Because we are exposed to so many stimuli, the call to action buttons (CTA from here on) that now appear everywhere often fall short of moving us to act. With the right CTA button optimization, however, that problem can be solved.

CTA stands for Call to Action. A CTA button is used to encourage users to take action, guiding your target audience toward the page you want them to reach. If you ask what a good call to action should look like, the short answer is that the button must be clear and simple. It also needs to be eye-catching and directive, because its entire job is to prompt the user to act.

How do you make CTA buttons more effective?

Before getting into the details, there is one point every digital marketing and conversion optimization specialist should keep in mind.

The easiest button to click on any website is the BACK button. Whatever you call them, visitors or customers, moving them along the path to your goal depends on using CTAs exactly right.

What matters in a CTA button?

• The font of the text
• The color of the text
• The weight of the text
• The spacing between letters and words
• The color of the button
• The size of the button
• The contrast between the button and the text color

What should a CTA button avoid?

• Buttons that are inconsistent with each other across the site
• A patterned or animated button background
• Text and button colors in tones too close to each other
• Too many elements crowded around the button without enough whitespace

*Remind visitors why they are on the page

Only rarely do visitors have time to read every word on a page or fully absorb the story you are trying to tell. Do not be afraid to repeat your core message throughout the page, especially the buttons carrying your CTA.

This also works as a reminder of why they came to the page in the first place. They stay on task and act in the direction you want, provided your buttons do their job.

*Use no more words than you need

When writing a CTA button, stick to prompts of one or two words. Keep it plain. Unnecessary detail is confusing and pulls visitors away from their goal.

*Buttons without a verb create confusion

Say you have a button that shows only a price. That can raise all kinds of questions in a visitor's mind:

• Will this button let me make a purchase?
• If I click it, will I see other pricing options?
• Is this only showing the price, and if so, where is the "Buy" button?

Good luck untangling that.

How do you write persuasive CTA copy?

*Write short, concise copy

Remember, though, that concise and short are not the same thing. Concise copy means a high ratio of ideas to words. Express your ideas in the minimum number of words.

Long CTA copy gets read less, and copy that gets read less gets clicked less.

*Write CTA copy that offers an incentive

Tell visitors they will gain something by clicking. Do not hold back: spell out the benefit with words like "free" or "discounted."

*Be clear and unambiguous.

People should understand exactly what happens when they click. Write with a clarity anyone can follow. "Sign up" means the same thing to everyone, while "Join us" can feel vague to some.

*Emphasize urgency

Use time-focused CTA words like "now" and "today" to prompt visitors to act immediately.

*Use the first person

While it does not suit every brand voice, CTA buttons written in the first person have been shown to earn higher click-through rates than second-person versions. In other words, "view my dashboard" tends to work better than "view the dashboard."

First-person copy is also more personal and makes visitors feel the message is meant for them. Keep it in mind.

How do you optimize CTA color and design?

*Choose bold colors

Yes, your CTA button designs should use colors that fit your brand identity. Even so, there are a few things worth considering to make them more effective.

Some colors carry positive or negative signals for a call to action. Red, for instance, suggests stopping or caution. Choosing vivid tones of blue and green for CTA buttons will typically raise the likelihood of a click.

But never skip testing your colors to see whether they actually work.

Pay attention to the contrast between the button background and the text color.

*Pick a legible font

*Choose a solid, appealing button shape

How do you design CTA buttons for mobile and desktop?

Make sure you know how your CTA buttons look to visitors on different devices.

Treat your mobile app or mobile site as a separate website and use CTA buttons designed specifically for those contexts.

The placement and size of buttons on mobile will differ from desktop.

*Position the CTA button high on the page so it is visible on the first screen

*Eliminate competing options

When should the same CTA button repeat on a page?

There is no definitive answer to how often a CTA button should appear on a page. Use it too often and it can put visitors off; use it too rarely and you may lose them.

Like most things related to your brand, this is a variable, but page length gives you a reasonable basis for deciding how frequently to repeat the CTA.

Of course, if you see the same CTA more than once on screen while scrolling, you have probably overdone it.

Always test

Continuously run A/B tests on your CTA buttons, the most critical element on the page, to see whether they are working. You will find that even small changes can produce a major improvement in conversion rate.

The most common CTA button examples

Some of the examples you see most often across the web are:

• Sign up,
• Share,
• Like,
• Add to cart,
• Buy now,
• Download a free demo, and so on.

These calls to action are short and unmistakable, and they are written in the imperative so users know exactly what to do next.