A strong call to action can be the difference between someone browsing your website and taking the next step.
Whether you want a website visitor to make an enquiry, download a brochure, book a consultation or complete a purchase, your call to action needs to make that next step clear, relevant and easy to understand. However, effective CTAs are about more than adding a brightly coloured button that says “Click Here”. The wording, placement, design and surrounding content can all influence whether someone chooses to act.
In this guide, we look at what makes an effective call to action, share examples used across different types of websites, and explain how businesses can improve their CTAs to generate more meaningful conversions.
What are Call-to-Actions?
Call-to-actions (CTAs) are a core element of any successful digital marketing or lead generation campaign. They prompt users to take the next step toward becoming a customer. When implemented effectively, CTAs can deliver exceptional conversion rates, lower cost per acquisition figures and a more intuitive customer journey for your audience.
On a website, a CTA might appear as a button or link, such as ‘Get a Quote’, ‘Book a Demo’, ‘Download the Brochure’, or ‘Speak to an Expert’. However, it can also be part of a headline, banner, form, email, or supporting copy.
The purpose of a call to action is simple: to turn interest into action. The right action will depend on where the user is in their journey. For example, a website visitor landing on a product page may be ready to purchase a specific product, while a visitor researching a complex service may be more comfortable with a free consultation or a downloadable resource that provides more information.
What Makes an Effective Call to Action?
An effective call to action should reflect both the business’s goal and the visitor’s intent, reduce uncertainty, and give them a compelling reason to take the next step. Asking a prospective customer to make too large a commitment too early can create unnecessary friction, while a CTA that is too vague may fail to give motivated visitors a clear next step.
There’s no universal formula that will guarantee results for every business, but strong CTAs tend to share several characteristics:
- Clear actions: Visitors should immediately understand what will happen when they click. Action-led wording such as ‘Book’ or ‘Download’ is better than ‘Click Here’ or ‘Submit’.
- Transparent outcomes: The strongest CTAs often communicate not only the outcome, but also what the visitor will receive in return. ‘Get My Free Quote’ answers the question “what happens when I click this?”, while ‘Submit’ simply means a form will be submitted.
- Matched intent: CTAs should cater to different levels of intent, helping you capture potential customers without forcing every visitor towards the same conversion.
- Reduced unnecessary friction: The wording you use can make an action feel easier or more demanding. For example, ‘Check Your Eligibility’ feels like a smaller commitment than ‘Start Your Claim’.
- Being specific: Generic CTAs, like ‘Download Now’, are easy to ignore. Making the wording relevant to the exact offer or page, such as ‘Download the Manchester Investment Guide’, can make the next step feel more relevant and useful.
- Visual prominence: Strong copy may still underperform if users cannot find it. Primary calls to action should stand out and be positioned where users are likely to need them. On mobile devices, buttons should be easy to see and tap.
- Supporting content: Visitors are more likely to take action when the surrounding content answers their questions, explains the benefits, and reduces their concerns.
- Based on tests: Don’t just assume what will work. Small changes can sometimes make a notable difference to conversion performance, and what works for one website might not work for another. Test different combinations and refine your calls to action based on actual results.
Which Call-To-Actions Can I Choose From?
There is a dazzling array of different CTAs to choose from, each with its own pros and cons. In this section, we’ll guide you through some of the most effective CTAs and when to use them.
1) Call Me Now
What is it?
“Call me now” is growing in popularity and lets users request either an instant callback or a callback at a set day and time. The user enters their contact number and clicks “Call me now” to receive a callback within seconds. The immediacy of instant callbacks makes this a very effective option for converting users with buying intent to customers.
When should you use it?
When your company has the ability to deal with inbound customer enquiries in real-time as they are received – ideally, a dedicated sales team (or rep) would be on hand to accept the calls.
When shouldn’t you use it?
If you can’t answer calls immediately, this functionality may cause more frustration for potential customers than positive engagement. Also, if your business can sell to customers or sign them up online, it is far more time-efficient to guide users through an online buying journey than to take the buying experience offline.
Tip:
Make sure you set your office/staff hours correctly so prospects can make a sales enquiry immediately.
Example:
2) Download a Brochure/Report
What is it?
This type of CTA has several different applications, allowing users to download a brochure, a report, a digital resource, a product information sheet or any other type of downloadable file. The user enters their contact details, clicks “Download now”, and is then given access to the resource. This type of CTA is especially common for high-value products and services and is frequently used in the automotive, property, and professional services sectors.
When should you use it?
If you have compelling marketing assets or a useful resource for your audience.
When shouldn’t you use it?
There are widespread examples of this CTA being applied when either no or low-value resources are on offer. This can push the prospect out of the buying journey.
Tip:
Based on our trials with this type of CTA, we have found that “Download a Brochure” yields a better conversion rate than “Request a Brochure” and other similar variants.
Example:
3) Get Started
What is it?
This CTA is most commonly used to prompt users to start an online registration or sales process and is particularly effective for online products and services.
When should you use it?
If your business offers a digital service, such as a software-as-a-service product, or allows consumers to access, check or purchase something online.
When shouldn’t you use it?
If your sales cycle is long and you can’t give the prospect what they’re looking for immediately.
Tip:
We have found that tailoring this CTA to the specific journey in question yields the most effective results, such as “Start My Application”, “Start Check” and “Start My Course”, etc.
Example:
4) Book a Viewing
What is it?
This CTA is used for most consumer-facing property and venue hire marketing campaigns where the sales cycle starts with the prospect booking either a real-world or virtual viewing of the accommodation/space on offer.
When should you use it?
If your business can accommodate and respond to viewing requests.
When shouldn’t you use it?
If your team can’t accommodate a wide range of days or times, or you don’t specifically request a time slot for the booking from the prospect.
Tip:
Integrating a dynamic booking system which offers day and time selection with this CTA can be extremely effective and can lead to far higher conversion rates.
Example:
5) Request a Quote
What is it?
This CTA typically requires the prospect to enter key price-determining information in order to receive a tailored quote for a specific product or service. Collecting this data at the CTA stage can dramatically shorten the sales cycle and allow sales teams and account managers to close new business quickly.
When should you use it?
If you offer a product/service which is tailored to each individual customer.
When shouldn’t you use it?
If you are able to use a price algorithm or an off-the-shelf system to produce a quote instantly for your customer online.
Tip:
Once the request has been submitted, it’s a good idea to let the customer know how long they will have to wait before receiving the quote.
Example:
6) Register for Updates
What is it?
This CTA attracts new prospects to join mailing lists for product, service, or company updates. This can appeal to prospects at the very beginning of their buying journey, when they may not be in a position to purchase immediately but may want to in the future. Typically, this CTA is used alongside a primary sales-driven CTA.
When should you use it?
If you actively send marketing campaigns to your leads and customers.
When shouldn’t you use it?
If you do not intend to communicate with prospects who register using this CTA.
Tip:
Providing a specific reason for registering for updates such as “to receive exclusive discounts” or “to be alerted to product developments” can improve the conversion rate of this CTA.
Example:
Convert Visitors into Customers with Activate
The best call to action isn’t just about choosing the button with the cleverest wording; it’s about convincing the right visitor to take the next step at the right moment. Businesses should consider the entire journey: what brought someone to the page, what information they need, what might prevent them from converting, and which action makes the most sense next.
At Activate Digital, we combine web design, UX, SEO, paid media and conversion rate optimisation to create digital experiences built around measurable business results. Instead of treating calls to action, landing pages, and forms as isolated elements, we examine how they work together to move users from their first visit through to an enquiry, booking, or sale.
Whether you want to improve an existing website, generate more leads from your current traffic, or launch a new conversion-focused campaign, we can help you identify where opportunities are being lost and how to turn more visitors into customers.
Want to get more from your website traffic? Speak to us today to learn how we can improve online conversions for your business.