After a clever subject line hooks you, what nudges you to make that all-important click?
What’s the real secret that drives you to act?
If your emails are already getting noticed, congratulations—you’re halfway there.
Now it’s time to lead your subscribers to take action. To do that, you must be crystal clear about what you want them to do.
That’s where a stellar call to action (CTA) comes in—a must-have in the content and digital marketing playbook.
Oops, I clicked it again
In previous posts, we’ve explained how segmentation leads to more relevant messages. How upping your email cadence increases engagement. We’ve also shared a quick four-point audit that helps you build your email list faster.
Now you want to make sure they click your offer. Your CTA is the invitation for prospects and customers to take some desired action, or make the next logical step to engage further with your brand.
According to Demand Metric, a well-written CTA can increase conversion rates 14-28%.
In consumer marketing, common CTAs take a varied approach depending on where they’re placed, like:
> On a website: “Start your free 7-day trial”
> In a blog post: “Join our community”
> At the end of a video: “Hit those Like and Subscribe buttons!”
> In a sales email: “Beat the backorder, buy today”
However, the sales cycle is often longer for financial services and B2B communications, so your CTA should reflect the prospect’s point in your sales funnel. You don’t necessarily have to rush to make a sale. It’s more about guiding them to the next stage of discovering what you have to offer.
7 simple rules
Ensuring your CTA is as compelling as possible means following these rules:
1. Always include a CTA: Don’t send an email, post a blog, add a web page, or create a video without including some kind of call to action at the end. According to research, emails with a single CTA can increase clicks by as much as 371% and sales by as much as 1,617%. No kidding!
2. Use only one CTA per message: HubSpot advises using multiple CTAs for different audiences and goals on your website. For email and social, however, multiple CTAs are confusing and will dilute response. Err on the side of caution until you can split-test multiple links with your audience.
3. Keep it short: Three to five words that directly telegraph the next step work best.
4. Use a button: A well-designed button is much more inviting than text. Also, buttons that have a lot of visual space surrounding them can stand out better visually. (More about design below.)
5. Use action words: CTAs leverage consumer power-verbs like “buy,” “shop,” or “order” because they direct specific action. But if you’re finance focused, action verbs like “download now” or “sign up here” or “find out more” will be as effective.
6. Test and refine: If you aren’t testing, you should be. Whatever you can reasonably test is fair game: word choices, button color, button size, and even the offer itself. (More about this below.)
7. Include your USP and some FOMO: Create more interest by adding the benefit of your unique selling proposition (USP) or fear of missing out (FOMO) language.
Powerful CTAs should convey how taking this step will help them do something better, easier, faster, cheaper, or avoid missing out on those benefits.
Consider:
> Get a no-obligation portfolio risk analysis today
> Reduce your self-employment taxes up to 32%
> Still paying a mortgage? Sign up for our reverse mortgage webinar now
>Don’t miss another thought leadership writing goal
Other things to consider
Beyond crafting the perfect CTA copy, several additional factors can significantly boost your overall marketing performance.
First, make sure your emails—and especially your CTAs—are optimized for mobile devices. With so many readers accessing content on smartphones and tablets, responsive design and easy tap targets are a must.
Next, consider the landing page experience. When a prospect clicks your CTA, the page they land on should seamlessly align with the message and promise made in your email. A cohesive journey not only reinforces your brand’s credibility but also makes it more likely that visitors will follow through on the next step.
Analytics and A/B testing are critical. Track metrics like click-through and conversion rates, and experiment with variations in design and copy. Even subtle changes, such as adjusting button color, size, or placement, can lead to significant improvements in performance.
Design psychology is another key element. Thoughtful use of contrasting colors, ample white space, and clear visual hierarchies can draw attention to your CTA and make it more inviting.
Finally, personalization—tailoring your CTAs based on user behavior or segmentation—can make your message resonate more deeply with each recipient.
By combining a well-written CTA with these additional strategies, you’re setting up a powerful system that not only captures attention but also drives meaningful action.
