A call-to-action element on a website or any other web marketing medium is one that entices a reader or viewer to take note or make a decision based upon it. A website call to action could be something like “Add to Shopping Cart”, “Buy Now” or “Subscribe to Newsletter”.
The main goal of a call to action is to persuade the visitor to click on something or interact further with your website, hopefully resulting in the visitor buying a product or service or another conversion goal. In short, a good call to action should communicate your product’s value proposition to an extent.
Every business website must have at least one call to action on every single page within their website. When a visitor progresses through your website, you should be able to follow the path your website visitors have made along the path of exploration towards your conversion goal. This would give you a clear idea on which calls to action are working and which ones are not. A good website is designed in such a way that when a visitor makes a slight detour to find out more information, strategically placed and worded call to action signs are there to get them back to the original conversion path.
Typical call to action signs include text, buttons or banners. The various visual formats that a call to action can be presented as : a button which stands out, a text link, a page header or a banner. the nature of the call to action message can vary from a gentle prod to an urgent reminder and both have their uses depending on where they’re placed.
Here are ten of the best and the worst call to action phrases that are typically used either in an email, of a website or a PPC ad or an ad banner.
The 10 Best Call to action phrases:
1. Get a free trial: This is the HOT button. If you’re selling business software or any other utility that has a 14 or a 30 day trial period, let visitors to your website know about this. You’ll increase your funnel of prospects and have a better chance of converting them into full-time customers.
2.Talk to an Expert: Web chats are great interactive tools that influence a buyer’s decision to buy or not. Use it to the fullest extent, if you have the capability. ensure that you capture the prospect information for follow-up at a later time.
3. Free Consultation: Another great call to action phrase. Anderson Windows does it. Sears does it for the various systems they offer. If your product is a big-ticket product that involves benefit and lifestyle selling (e.g. central cooling systems for a home), make sure that your call to action sign asks the prospect to contact you for an assessment. This adds to your database of leads as well as provides you with an opportunity to convert the free consultation into an actual sale.
4. Free shipping: This is the perfect call to action for e-Commerce web sites especially during the holiday season.And if you want to bump your sales up a bit, run it during the other holidays too like Black Friday or Labor Day weekend.
5. Contact us: This is one of the simplest and most effectives call to action phrases that fills up your leads bucket. Make sure that your ‘Contact us” form is simple and can be filled out in a few seconds. Too many fields will scare the prospect away.
6. Free Download: This is a perfect call to action phrase for websites selling software. Use this also to promote your product in the form of white papers or treatises on the benefits of your product.
7. Request for Free Quote: The phrase itself is ridiculous – I mean who pays for a quote for work to be done for them? But, this is standard phrasing for most things sold in the US so prospects expect this language. Use it well especially, if you’re offering some sort of customized services installation or providing insurance or home improvement.
8. Money Back: This always works. Billy Mays used it all the time. And so do auto and TV salesmen. Naturally, you will want to make sure that the terms and conditions for the money back guarantee are explained in fine print at the bottom of the web page or advertising medium where you’re using this call to action phrase.
9. Offer expires: I’m not a big fan of this bit this does build some urgency in the decision making process of a prospect. Also, if you’re using this make sure that you add a expiration date to the offer.
10. Limited Availability/Limited Time Only: Similar to #9.
The 10 Worst Call to action phrases:
1. Click Here: If you’re thinking of using this phrase, then you might as well think of saying ‘ Don’t click here.’ This is because this phrase is so commonly used that people now shirk away from clicking something like this. Like the Who said : We wont get fooled again.”
Note however, this is is still a very potent phrase. Use it only if you’re built up a strong argument on why someone should ‘click here’.
2. Call Now: Another commonly used phrase. This urgent call is not as effective as it once was when the ‘Now’ phrases were in vogue. Today, the customer knows that the web offers a plethora of choice and by Jove, he’s going to avail of them. If you have to use this, then make sure that you have a 1-800 number that features prominently on the website next to this phrase.
3. Buy today: Yeah, most visitors are so stupid that they’ll see the sense in your argument and plonk down cash for your product. I don’t think so.
4. Register now: Not a favorite of mine but does get some leads from time to time. Use this if you have a newsletter or a community that you’d like visitors to join.
5. Order now: Same comments as #3.
6.Sign-up now: See comments on #4.
7. Satisfaction guaranteed: This is basically an empty promise. How can you know what a consumer of your product is going to feel once they use it. In any case, some folks still use this in their banner ads as a small add-on. Unless you have a thorough understanding of your consumer demographics, I wouldn’t advise it .
8. Best value: See comments for #7.
9. Reserve Now: This is typically used in travel websites. But, with the excessive amounts of choice available on the web, it’s not as effective as it once was. Instead, ask them to call for a free quote or to chat with someone online (if you have the chat feature).
10. Certified Expert: This is like #7. I see no value in this at all unless the certified expert is dispensing free advice.
Excellent points on call to action. What would be a good call to action to use to get people to signup for a newsletter?
Josh, You’ll need to modify some elements of your website to ensure that people pay attention to your email signup appeal. Have a 200 X 200 box present at the right hand side of your website above the top fold. Within that, have your email capture field (obviously!) but the trick is to entice signup with the right copy. Offers could be stated as follows: Keep informed about latest events at ChurchMember or Sign up for the latest news and get a chance to win a free ChurchMember Pro edition every month. Sign up for our newsletter and get a chance to win free support for two weeks on church member.
As you can see, there are different ways to entice folks. Let me know how you progress with this – I’ll be glad to guide you through.
Best,
Lowell