5 Tips for a Good Call to Action

Eric Brantner

SEO Writer

Want to turn your readers from passive scanners to loyal, active customers? The best way to get the action you desire is to include a strong call to action in your content. The people are already on your website, and they want to know what to do next.

Use a strong call to action to guide your readers into the next logical step. Whether that is taking them straight to checkout or baiting them with a free offer, it’s up to you. The key is that you take them out of passivity and into action.

Here are 5 tips for creating a great call to action.

1. Identify the Action- The first step to creating a good call to action is to know what you want your readers to do. That means identifying whether you want them to fill out a contact form, click on a link, or call you. Know the action you want, and spell it out clearly in your content.

2. Keep it Simple- The call to action portion of your content should be as simple as possible. Don’t waste time talking in circles to your readers. Tell them in plain terms what you want them to do and what they’ll get if they do it. The simpler your call to action, the likelier your readers will take it.

3. Bring Attention to the Call to Action- In a recent post, I talked about the importance of properly formatting your content. Don’t have your call to action hidden away in some corner of your page. Draw attention to it with bold headings, images, or unique text formatting. However you want to do it isn’t as important as just ensuring your readers clearly see the call to action.

4. Give them a Reason to Act- While you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your customers to give a little of themselves, you have to give them a reason to do so. Common reasons included in strong calls to action include limited time discounts, free information, or bonus products. If you give your customer an incentive for taking action, they’ll be likelier to become active.

5. Avoid Gimmicks- The purpose of a call to action is to sell something. You need to use strong copywriting tactics to get your readers to take action, but you also want to avoid gimmicky language. If you’re too pushy with your copy, readers will turn away. If you’re too passive, they won’t take action either. Your best bet is to be somewhere in the middle- confident and assertive, but not in their face.