6 Tips for Creating Compelling Website CTA's
Your website's CTAs are a big deal. After landing on your site, your call-to-action buttons tell visitors what action you want them to take next – whether to Sign Up, Call Now, or do something completely different. Without a clear CTA, visitors to your site won't know what to do next, and they're as good as lost.
There are good CTAs and bad ones, so we've put together some tips to make yours more clickable.
1. Make them buttons.
CTA buttons should look like buttons. Not hyperlinks, not floating text. Now's not the time to reinvent the wheel. Now's the time to show people what they're familiar with. And that's a rectangular-shaped button in an eye-catching color with text. A gradient, a rounded edge… those details are flexible. Just make sure your button's a button.
2. Use the right words.
The first rule of CTA writing is to make sure your button is something people feel comfy clicking. The action should be explicit, but avoid anything that signals too much commitment. For example, "Get Started" might be easier than "Sign Up." Here are some other action words to consider:
- Start
- Join
- Learn
- Discover
- Create
- Explore
- Try
Some other reminders: Keep it short – no more than five words tops is best. And when possible, write in the first person (like "my" and "me") versus the second person (like "you" and "yours"). It creates a more personal connection between your visitor and whatever you're offering.
3. Pick the right colors.
The color you choose for your CTA will depend on your site's design, but colors that contrast with your background work best. For example, no one's drawn to a blue button on a blue background. You may have heard orange and green buttons get the best results, but keep looking if that's not a fit for your page.
Complementary colors typically look the brightest next to each other.
4. Remember button font and size matter.
Big and easy to read. Those are the rules when it comes to styling your button's text. Readability is critical, so now's not the time for a fancy font or text you need to squint to see. A simple serif or sans serif font will do the trick. Remember that text in all capital letters typically stands out more too.
5. Make sure your primary CTA is above the fold (and below).
Your most important CTA should be visible above the fold of your website (the part of your page that's visible without any scrolling). It's important because there's no guarantee every visitor to your site will scroll to the bottom of your page. But, on the other hand, you'll want to include another CTA further down so that people who want to read more about you can take action when they're ready.
Another note on placement: Make sure there is plenty of negative space (think breathing room) around your button. This helps it to stand out on your page rather than getting lost in a bunch of clutter.
6. When in doubt, test it out.
Is your CTA not getting you the results you want? It might be time for some adjustment, and companies serious about conversions are constantly testing their buttons. Start with trying new button text – maybe you can add a sense of urgency to your button (words like "today," "now," or "limited time") or switch up the color—no such thing as too much testing.
Are you a current Canyon Crest Creative client? We'd love to make some adjustments to your CTA buttons to ensure you're getting the desired results. Call us at 20-8749-9364 or submit a request via social@canyoncrestcreative.com.
Not a Canyon Crest Creative client but interested in getting a custom-built website? Email social@canyoncrestcreative.com to start with a free preview.
