Creating Effective Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Types of CTAs
There are three main types of CTAs, each with a specific purpose:
- Primary CTAs: These are the main calls-to-action that drive visitors to take a specific action related to the app or website’s core purpose. For example, on a SaaS marketing website, the primary CTA would encourage visitors to subscribe to the product.
- Secondary CTAs: These are alternative calls-to-action for visitors who are unsure about committing to the primary action. For instance, instead of subscribing to the SaaS product, they might prefer to start a free trial.
- Fallback CTAs: These are for visitors who aren’t interested in what’s being offered or aren’t interested at the moment. For example, they might prefer to follow on social media for now.
Designing CTAs
When designing CTAs, consider the following factors:
- Affordance: Make sure it’s clear what the CTA is and what it does. Use elements like links, buttons, and underlines to help users understand what’s clickable.
- Accessibility: Ensure CTAs are accessible to everyone. Follow guidelines like WCAG, which specify minimum sizes and contrast levels for interactive elements.
- Aesthetics: Make CTAs visually appealing. Use colors, typography, and spacing effectively to draw attention.
- Visual hierarchy: Establish a clear visual hierarchy, with primary CTAs standing out more than secondary or fallback CTAs.
- Interactivity: Design hover states for CTAs to make them more satisfying to interact with. Increase brightness slightly (e.g., by 10%) for a consistent visual effect.
<button class="cta">Subscribe Now</button>
/* CSS */
.cta {
background-color: #4CAF50;
color: #fff;
padding: 1em 2em;
border: none;
border-radius: 5px;
cursor: pointer;
}
.cta:hover {
background-color: #3e8e41;
}
Improving CTA Click-Through Rates
To improve your CTA’s click-through rate, consider the following strategies:
- Build up to the CTA with a value proposition. Provide visitors with enough information to feel comfortable taking the leap and clicking on it.
- Place CTAs at timely opportunities, including above the fold after summarizing key points.
- Use A/B testing tools like VWO to test modified versions against existing ones.
- Analyze exit intent surveys to identify why visitors didn’t click on a CTA and address those concerns.
By combining effective design principles with strategic placement and testing, you can create incredible CTAs that boost click-through rates and contribute to overall conversion rate optimization success.