Welcome to week two of our Website Best Practices series! Last week we discussed messaging and why simple and clear is so important. A large part of messaging is a call to action, which we will be discussing as this week’s best practice.
What Is a Call to Action?
Thankfully, a Call to Action (CTA) is relatively self-explanatory! It is basically the encouragement to take action / the next step in the process. It allows site visitors to easily understand what they should do after they have decided that your messaging helps solve their problem. What is important to note is that not all CTAs are created equal.
Weak CTA
How can a CTA be described as “weak?” A good example is something too broad such as:
- “Read More”
- “Learn More”
- “See More”
These types of calls are weak because they don’t give the user what they want. If you’re ready to purchase, you don’t want to read more, you want to buy. Not making that next step easy to find can leave visitors frustrated and bouncing off your page.
Strong CTA
An example of a strong call to action gives very specific instructions or actions for the visitor to choose from. They can include the following:
- “Buy Now”
- “Join Here”
- “Schedule a Meeting”
- “Call Today”
All of these calls to action are clear, easy to understand, and specific. There’s no debate about what you’re going to get when you click. No hunting for what you’re really looking for. It’s simply right in front of you.
Placement Is Important
Having a great call to action is important, but if visitors can’t find it, then it’s useless. A good rule of thumb is to always have a CTA in the top right of the screen, close to the exit button. Our brains are trained to look there, and having a strong call to action in that area is key. In addition, there should be multiple places throughout your site that include strong CTAs. As the reader scrolls your home page, more and more information about your company is laid out. After each of those bursts of information, there should be a CTA asking them to take the next step.
Great Example
Our client, The Capables, is a great example of good calls to action. Their messaging is clear in their header, and visitors know immediately where to go to purchase the book. The strong CTAs are “above the fold,” meaning they are in the first section of the site, or the area that would load first on your screen.
How Do Your Site’s CTAs Stack Up?
No matter what kind of shape your site is in, we’re here to help. If you have specific questions or are curious about which of Hammersmith Support’s services can benefit your website, schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation and let’s talk through your thoughts.