Most marketing professionals spend seconds creating different types of CTAs (calls to action).

You just need to write something short, snappy, and direct, right?

Well, it’s not so easy.

According to a VWO case study, Open Mile increased its lead generation rate by 232% by redesigning its CTA and surrounding visual elements.

Yep, even minor details could significantly impact the efficacy of a humble call to action.

So, what kind of CTAs would be most effective for your different marketing strategies?

And how can you use them to nurture leads and improve your conversion rates?

We’ve compiled a handy guide below to answer these questions (and more).

First Things First: What is a Call to Action (CTA)?

If you’re feeling a little confused about the meaning and purpose of a CTA, don’t fret; you’re certainly not alone.

Put simply, a call to action is a written command encouraging people to engage in a positive action (e.g., signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product). It’s a crucial component of your overall brand strategy.

CTAs can take several forms, including website buttons, text hyperlinks, or plain text.

They’re often short and snappy, encouraging people to “Buy now” or “Find out more,”  although they can be much longer. A CTA button typically looks like this:

CTAs also appear across various channels, including social media platforms, company web pages, paid ads, blog posts, and many more. In fact, each web page should have at least one CTA to guide users through your site.

Tailoring your CTAs to specific channels, target audiences, or purposes is the trick to driving the most engagement.

For example, asking potential customers to signup for a subscription service may require a little more persuasion than asking them to read an article. This is where a compelling CTA becomes crucial to your marketing strategy.

Why Are Calls to Action Important?

Before we explore the different types of CTAs, let’s discuss five key reasons CTAs are important for marketers and businesses.

1. CTAs Drive Action

CTAs help direct visitors exactly what to do next. Without them, people might visit your site, read your content, and then leave without taking any action. That’s a missed opportunity to generate potential leads.

For example, a “Buy Now” CTA button on your product pages can boost sales if you run an online store.  However, HubSpot found that personalized CTAs perform 202% better than basic ones.

Image via HubSpot

2. CTAs Improve User Experience

Good CTAs improve your website’s user experience. They show visitors where to click to get what they want, creating a user-led customer journey.

The different types of CTAs are fundamental on mobile devices, where screen space is limited. Think about how frustrated you feel when you can’t figure out how to signup for a service you want. Clear and visible CTAs can solve this problem.

3. CTAs Help You Measure Success

Different types of CTAs let you track and optimize your marketing strategy. You can see which buttons people click and which ones they ignore. For instance, if you’re running an email campaign, you can experiment with different text fonts or CTA button colors to test which appeals more to your target audience.

This information can help you improve your marketing efforts, measure your success and boost conversion rates.

Image via iStock

4. CTAs Create a Sense of Urgency (FOMO)

The right call to action can make people feel they need to act now. Using power words like “Limited Time Offer” or “Only 5 Seats Left” can push people to make a decision faster.

This is especially useful for time-sensitive promotions or ticket sales. If you’re running a sale, a CTA like “Shop Now—Sale Ends Tonight!” can boost your sales by triggering an air of urgency and exclusivity around that product.

5. CTAs Guide the Customer Journey

Different types of CTAs can help you lead customers through your sales funnel. You might use a “Learn More” CTA at the top of the funnel, a signup CTA like “Signup for a Free Trial” in the middle, and a “Buy Now” at the bottom.

This HelloBar signup CTA is a good visual explanation.

This step-by-step approach works well for complex products or services and helps in lead nurturing.

You May Also Like:

• Ways to Use Calls to Action (CTAs) in Your Marketing Strategy
• Different Kinds of CTAs and How to Use Them Effectively

9 Types of CTA (And How to Use Them)

Here are a few CTA ideas you may wish to use across your marketing campaigns:

1. Lead Generation CTA

Generating leads is important for building a loyal customer base and growing your business.

Fortunately, a well-crafted CTA helps incentivize users to provide their contact details with little fuss. These lead magnets are a crucial part of your lead nurturing process.