CRO glossary: call-to-action

A call to action (CTA) is a prompt on a website that asks users to perform a specific action like signing up for a newsletter, downloading a demo, or buying a product.

A CTA can appear as a clickable button or as hyperlinked text and is often seen directly on the page, in pop-up form, or in a digital marketing ad. When potential customers click on it, they’re one step closer to converting.

Common call-to-action examples

You’ve probably seen and clicked on CTA buttons like the following:

• Sign up today

• Get your free ebook

• Try a 14-day free trial!

• Download template now

• Get 20% off your first order

• Shop now

• Learn more

• Schedule a free consultation

• Register for the free webinar

• Add to cart

• Add to wishlist

• Buy now

• Checkout

• Follow us on Instagram

• Share on Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook

CTAs can also appear as hyperlinked text in action phrases, such as:

• Want to know more? Read our post on XYZ!

• Have you ever done XYZ? Tell us about it in the comments.

• Love our business? Share us on Facebook!

Besides being directly featured on the same site where conversions happen, CTAs can also be found elsewhere—in a Facebook ad, or in the body of an email campaign.

CTAs are often paired with another piece of content, like an image or additional descriptive text, to further persuade visitors that following the CTA will benefit them.

Why are CTAs important?

An effective call to action is a key ingredient in the overall success of your webpage and, in turn, your sales funnel. Here’s why:

• People are more likely to do something when you prompt them to do it. By making the step easy and obvious, you increase the odds that they’ll continue through your sales funnel and eventually convert.

• A CTA can encourage users to interact more with your website. For example, a CTA at the end of a content marketing blog post can provide links for people to read more about the subject, or it can ask them to share their own thoughts in the comments section. By encouraging users to stay on your website, you invite them to become more familiar with your brand—which builds trust and opens the door for future conversions.

• CTAs can also be used to collect contact information from visitors who aren’t ready to engage with your site now, but may want to in the future. Ask them to leave their email address or phone number so you can follow up with them later.

What a successful CTA looks like

If you research how to create a good call to action, you’ll find some strong opinions about which colors, fonts, or button shapes work best to convert, but those discussions often miss the larger point.

Of course, you want to choose a color that stands out so people are more likely to see it but don’t waste too much time obsessing over it. The mark of a successful CTA is not whether it's green or orange, but whether it helps users achieve their goals.

What drives users to your website?

Every time someone visits your website, they’re looking to accomplish something or solve a problem—these are the drivers that brought them to your website, and if you can offer them a solution, you’re more likely to earn their conversion. The most compelling calls to action clearly address these drivers.

If you’re trying to get email newsletter signups, for example, explain the value your newsletter provides. What will visitors gain by giving you their email address, and how can it improve their lives?

Or if you want to increase conversion or click-through rates for your ecommerce site, you could use your unique selling proposition (USP) to build up to your call to action: what makes your business stand out from the competition? Why should prospective customers choose your company?

An example CTA with a USP lead-in from the Contentsquare Voice of Customer guide

Rather than endlessly tweaking the size, shape, position, or button color, use action words to make your case in simple, straightforward language. If you do it right, the CTA button will become irresistible no matter what color it is.

💡Pro tip: when appropriate, nothing stops you from having multiple CTAs on the same page for users who need more information to make up their minds—just make sure your main CTA stands out through color and shape. Here’s an example:

Make primary CTAs stand out from secondary CTAs with shape or color

See how the Contentsquare home page includes two CTAs? We give users:

• The opportunity to ‘Start for free’

• The option to ‘Book a demo’

The first CTA stands out the most visually and invites people who are ready to convert to dive right in. Anyone who’s hesitant can book a demo before committing to anything.