How to Create an Effective Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) is a portion of an advertisement that aims to further engage your target audience. It tells the reader what to do to follow up on the ad, such as downloading, registering, or calling a phone number. Every ad should include a call to action, telling the reader to act now.

1. Placement – Placing CTAs near the reader’s focus point draws their attention towards them. Putting a CTA to the right of the content is often very effective, as it is seen by the natural eye movement of the reader.
2. Simplicity – Keeping the instructions simple ensures more people will complete the actions they are asked to do. A call to action that is complicated to complete will not get as much attention as one that can be done quickly or easily. Verbs such as call, download, register, etc. clearly tell the customer what they need to do.
3. Urgency – Calls to action that mention a limited time offer persuade the reader to act immediately in order to not miss out. The fear of missing out on a deal is an extremely effective motivator, since the readers think they might miss out on an opportunity that will only come around once.
4. Emotion – CTAs are more effective when they contain words that create a strong sense of enthusiasm in the readers. Messages such as, “Buy today, and receive 50% off!” show the customer what a significant benefit they are receiving. Adding an exclamation point for extra emphasis can add to the excitement.
5. Test – It’s important for a company to test out their CTAs and offers. Trying different designs, wording, and offers can give completely different results, so it is important to make sure the most effective combination is being used.