Generating conversions is key to staying in business. But when existing or potential customers aren’t biting, it’s time to reevaluate your calls to action.
If you want better results for your online efforts, here are 5 optimization tips to help you get your call to action to convert.
[ctt title=”Here are 5 optimization tips to help you get your call to action to convert. ” tweet=”Here are 5 optimization tips to help you get your call to action to convert via @fingerprint http://ctt.ec/3JePd+ ” coverup=”3JePd”]Write in the First Person
Many calls to action use boring copy, like “Download your guide,” “Book a consultation” or event “Click here.”
CTAs like these don’t inspire much action because they focus on what you want visitors to do next, rather than what visitors want to do next. By simply swapping out “your” to “my” or “me,” you can quickly increase conversions by speaking to what it is they want to do.
Inspire Action with Verbs
Ready to get your calls to action to convert? Don’t start them with adjectives. Instead, use action verbs that tells readers exactly what will happen when they click.
Not all verbs are created equal. When it comes to copywriting, words like “buy” and “get” convert better than their equivalents, “purchase” and “download.”
Here are some first person examples of calls to action that start with action verbs:
- Start my free trial
- Create my account
- Book my consultation
- Get my free sample
- Find my gym
- Send me the guide
- Show me how
- Tell me more
Create a (Subtle) Sense of Urgency
Is your offer available for a limited time? Are there a limited number of products available?
Qualifying your offer will motivate visitors to take action – now. An easy way to do this is by using words that subtly encourage clicks in your call to action copy, such as “hurry,” “now” and “today.” You can also specify the number of slots available for a particular service or the number of products left to buy before they’re sold out.
Make It Clickable
Is that a button? Or is it part of the surrounding text? If visitors don’t know to click on something, they won’t. This means you need to make it eye-catching (but not so overdone that the 90s come a-calling).
Try these tips for creating a more engaging call to action:
- Opt for a color that pops and is easy to see
- Use plenty of whitespace around the button
- Choose a size that stands out but isn’t overpowering
- Keep the copy short and snappy
Make your call to action pop.
Test It Out
What works for one audience may be a turnoff for another. So never assume what your visitors will prefer. As they say, always be testing. And the best way to know your call to action is effective is to run an A/B test.
Optimizing your calls to action requires little effort. Online platforms like Optimizely and Unbounce can help you get it done quickly. And by making just a few simple tweaks, you can be well on your way to saying “show me the money.”
Here are a few ideas for testing your calls to action:
- Change just one word in the copy
- Play with different button colors, shapes and sizes
- Vary the button location on the landing page
- Find out if text links or buttons work better
Put your call to action in different areas of your site and test which one converts the most. In this example, FreshBooks was able to put 3 calls to action above the fold.
Over to You
Do you have a high-converting call to action? We want to see it! Share your winning CTA in the comments below.