Call-to-action, or CTA, is a common buzzword in the online business world, but if you’re new around here, you may be lost as to what it means and how you should implement it on your website.

But don’t fret, buttercup.

I’m giving you all the info you need to create compelling call-to-action graphics that your site visitors can’t help but click on.

What is a CTA?

What exactly is a call-to-action (or CTA)?

The Idiot’s Guide to… would explain that a call-to-action is something that is begging for someone to do.

The do could be purchasing a product, joining your newsletter, or anything that you’d like a site visitor to take action on.

At the core, this idea is relatively simple, but you’d be surprised how many website owners royally screw this up – or worse – don’t implement it at all.

The Essential Elements of a CTA

There’s a handful of elements that your CTA should always include:

• Tell the visitor what to do. This is the biggest one. We are usually so excited to promote our freebie or product that we forget to make it obvious to the visitor what we’re trying to get them to do. Do you want them to subscribe to your list? Purchase your product? Book a service? Whatever it is, make sure it’s clearly stated – never assume the visitor knows what to do next. It’s your job as the website owner to guide them through the process flawlessly.
• Make it visible. There are too many websites with their CTA’s tucked away where most visitors don’t notice them. If your CTA is in your footer, no one is going to take action because they don’t see it! Make that bad boy visible. Throw it up front and center and make it grab their attention, so they’ll take action.
• Make it cohesive. Your call-to-action should align with your branding and message, so it looks like it belongs on your site. Let your visitors know it’s the logical next step and they won’t think twice about it.
• State the offer. Don’t get so carried away that it gets confusing – if it isn’t clear what your offer is, visitors won’t be signing up. Tell them in as few words as possible exactly what they are going to get if they click that button.

Click Worthy Examples

 

Arts & Budgets

Reasons it is click worthy:

• The background color is different than the remainder of the page.
• It gives visual aid using mockups.
• It clearly states what you’ll be receiving.
• The button pops on the page, so you know exactly where to click.
• It’s the first thing on the homepage, so it immediately draws your attention.

Uncork Your Dork

Reasons it is click worthy:

• It is the first thing on the homepage.
• The full-screen width photo! Seriously – high quality photos grab attention.
• It asks a question you already know the answer to.
• The white button stands out and tells you to CLICK NOW!

Zoe Linda

Reasons it is click worthy:

• You only have two choices – sign up or move on.
• It withholds the rest of the website’s content. Power of the welcome mat.
• The beautiful photo taking up half the screen draws attention.
• What you’ll be getting is clearly stated.

Design Must Haves

So, wondering which design elements you’ll need for your call-to-action?

That’s really going to depend on what type of action you’ll want your visitors to take.

If you’re giving away a freebie – show them what it looks like, describe how it will benefit them, and then lead their hand to the button.

I’ve seen too many website owners think it’s best to still have the cliche, “Get some really cool stuff by signing up for our newsletter.”

Newsletter. I hate that word. It’s overplayed and reeks of 90s pyramid email schemes. But I digress.

Basically – show them precisely what they’re getting and create a mockup if possible.

Design Tools of the Trade

I bet by now you’re thinking you need some sweet ass design skills to make a compelling CTA, and you’re shaking in your booties because you aren’t a designer.

I get it – I wasn’t always a designer and my stuff was terrible. Then a few things went down. Awesome tools came along and I decided to pony up and invest in myself by learning design.

I went from pushing pills as a pharmacy tech to designing amazing things (if I do say so myself) with only my computer.

If you’re a design newb, check out Canva.

It’s fairly simple to use and has some templates that take the guesswork out of designing, so you can ease into learning the basics without getting overwhelmed.…

But if you’re already pretty good with the tech stuff and have a natural eye for design – invest in Photoshop and begin mastering it.

You can grab Photoshop for around $10/mo and an awesome course that covers all the basics in the Graphic Design Bootcamp over on Udemy. This course will give you hands-on training with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Another tool that will make your call-to-action even better is a quality email service provider.

We’ve tested quite a few for The Creative Boss and ConvertKit is our favorite, but if you’re starting out on a non-existent budget then MailerLite will give you everything you need to set up a list, create a sequence, and so on.

……An important, yet overlooked aspect of a powerful CTA is a mockup.

The digital age demands instant gratification, so you use a little “show and tell” to capture attention and email addresses.

For high-quality mockups, Creative Market is an excellent source. Take your time and find the perfect way to showcase your freebie, so that it accurately represents your brand.

However, your CTA may end up looking like it belongs on another site if you don’t have a brand style guide put together. It’s imperative that your CTA follow this guide to fit seamlessly into your site.

And if you don’t have a brand style guide, we’ve got ya covered on that too.

Putting it all Together

Your digital arsenal is now in place to start creating your badass call-to-action.

It helps get ideas if you browse through sites you love and make notes on what grabbed your attention.

You’ll likely see the same things on different websites. These will be the things you’ll want to incorporate in your CTA. It may be anything from button placement to a single word that popped up repeatedly – but there’s a reason you notice the same elements on all the sites you love – they work!

Use them for inspiration to craft your own unique CTA.

And create an alternate by tweaking it because every smart online business owner knows the power of split testing – and with the Divi theme, it’s ridiculously easy.…

Where to Place a CTA Graphic

Okay, you’ve done the hard work of creating your CTA – now where should you place it on your site?

This part is easy, but it can also be tricky. The easy part is that you’re going to want it in a few different places; the tricky part is determining where your users will be most likely to click on it.

Luckily, there’s the power of heat mapping. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention it.

That’s right – there’s another free tool from the folks at Sumo to keep track of all the traffic and clicks on your pages. It logs in how far they’re scrolling and where exactly they’re clicking.

So, if your average viewer doesn’t scroll very far, and your CTA is farther down on your page, it’s time to redesign and place it closer to the top.

If everyone’s clicking the one at the top of the page, you’re doing something right.

…In the vast land of websites, there isn’t one definitive answer, so you’re stuck with the “test, tweak, repeat” method to achieve success.