Everything on your site needs to be optimized to ensure your customers convert. Everything from the colors you choose to the keywords you use in your content to get found through search engines can all help to increase your sales.
Calls to action, or CTAs, guide potential customers through your sales funnel, making it clear which steps they need to take to move forward with your company and complete a conversion on your site.
Let’s take a look at some easy ways you can ensure your website’s calls to action get results and help to make your eCommerce business successful.
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Make sure you have different calls to action for different people
Different people who visit your site might be at different stages of their buying journey. This is why it can sometimes be beneficial to include a number of different CTAs on the same web page.
To identify which instructions you should provide, you can start by mapping out your buyer’s journey. Ask yourself these questions when creating CTAs for each page of your site:
- What action should customers take at each stage?
- Do you offer a free trial for new leads?
- Are you offering special pricing for new customers?
Let’s look at a site that does a great job of using multiple CTAs on their site to drive people through the buying process.
American International University, an online education provider, offers three distinct CTAs on their homepage to target potential students at different stages of their customer journeys. The three blue buttons along the bottom represent three different intentions: “Find A Program” targets students researching different options, “Apply” is for customers ready to fill out an application, and “Request Info” is for potential customers who are in between the previous two stages.
Notice how visitors can choose which CTA speaks to their current situation. You can use this strategy in your own web design to ensure your readers find the information they need by providing them with strong CTAs to guide them through the conversion process.
Ensure they’re bright and bold so they aren’t missed
The design of your CTAs is just as important as the wording, so pay special attention to the colors you use and how you position the CTAs on your page. You need to put some thought into making them stand out to help improve conversions for your website.
You can use bright colors for your buttons to help your CTAs stand out from the rest of your page to draw the eyes of your readers and encourage them to click. It’s also worth having one call to action above the fold, and then scattering more throughout your page so it’s easy for people to take the next step whenever they’re ready.
For inspiration, look at this example from the online accounting company FreshBooks. Their CTAs are easy to spot because the buttons stand out from the background and encourage their audience to take action by starting a free trial.
Notice how the simplicity of the page helps the calls to action stand out. Additionally, the instructions are placed above the fold so users don’t have to scroll to find out how to move forward. You can use the same strategy when you design your website by using CTA buttons that have a distinguishable color and stand out from the rest of your page.
Design your website so your CTAs are prominent and easy to click by adding some white space around them. The easier it is for your potential customers to find your calls to action, the easier it will be for them to convert into paying clients.
Inject some personality into your calls to action
If you want your prospective customers to really engage with your CTAs, injecting them with personality can really help to make your brand feel more personable. Having a solid brand voice will also allow your customers to understand your business and get to know what you’re about.
Here’s how to identify your brand voice:
- Gather content samples that uniquely represent your brand.
- Come up with a number of words that you would like your brand voice to embody.
- Communicate your brand voice to all team members once it’s been decided upon.
As you craft your CTAs, think about which words represent your brand’s voice and personality. For example, if you chose witty and relatable adjectives, you may want to use humor in your CTAs.
Take a look at this example from Squatty Potty, a famous bathroom accessories brand. They have a unique and humorous voice that is evident in all their marketing choices, including their website’s CTAs. Notice how the call to action button says “shop our stools,” which reflects their humor and product purpose.
Whether you choose a humorous, serious, or friendly tone, make sure your CTAs reflect your brand’s unique voice. This will not only help visitors take the next step with your company but start them on the path to developing a long-lasting brand relationship.
Make sure your calls to action communicate a sense of urgency
Creating a sense of urgency can make consumers feel like they’ll miss out if they don’t act now. This can lead to more people taking the action you’re looking for right away.
Create a sense of urgency by using timers to count down to discount expiration dates to help build anticipation with your audience that will encourage them to learn more or complete a conversion on your site. Or, you could use language that communicates that the offer will not last long, so users need to take action now if they don’t want to miss out.
Let’s look at a company that does a great job of injecting a sense of urgency into their CTAs to encourage their audience to take action on their site.
Smith.ai, a customer service facilitator that offers 24/7 answering services, creates a sense of urgency by asking their visitors if they are missing calls. You can also see in their CTA that they have a deadline that customers need to sign up by to receive the 20% off discount, and this is a great way to drive interested prospects to take action right away.You can use the same tactic on your website by choosing language that is direct and implies that a particular offer or item will not last for long and may never be available again. Use your CTAs to create a sense of urgency to convince users to take your desired action right now to drive more conversions!
Make it very obvious if you’re offering something for free
Everyone loves a freebie. So, if you’re creating a CTA to promote something that won’t require the reader to spend any money, make that very clear.
This can work for the likes of free templates, a free trial, or a free consultation. Offering something for free is also a great marketing tactic in general, as it shows people what you can do without a financial commitment. This is likely to lead to them spending money with you and becoming loyal to your business.
At Loganix, an online marketing agency, we offer free SEO templates that simplify basic tasks for our target audience. Notice how the CTA button says “Download Your Free SEO Templates”, advertising what users will gain by clicking.
You can use our strategy by offering free resources to your target audience and making it abundantly clear what value these items have. Design your CTAs with text that shows that you offer free resources for your audience if they enter their email address and whether or not it will place them on an email list for your company.
Summary
You have to get your calls to action just right to make a sale. Your website visitors need to know exactly what you are offering and why they need to act now to get on board with your brand. If your CTAs aren’t clear, visitors will leave your site and search for one that makes it easier to convert.
Design your calls to action to stand out and catch the eye of your visitors. Target various customers and place them above the fold to ensure no one can miss them.
Looking for more ways to enhance your eCommerce business? Check out the Techia.net business blog for more great articles and valuable information on how to take your company to the next level.
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Author bio & headshot:
Adam Steele is COO and co-founder of Loganix, which is an SEO fulfillment partner for digital marketing agencies and professionals. The company provides the SEO services that businesses need to grow and achieve their goals. If you enjoyed this article, you can find more SEO guides and templates on the Loganix blog.
