We’ve all had the experience of being part of something confusing. Maybe you were talking through an exhibit at the art museum and suddenly realized you didn’t know where to go next. Or you might have been trying to register your child for preschool and found that the school’s website was so poorly put together that you couldn't complete the task.
There’s always a desired outcome in situations like these, but a lack of direction slows the progress. If the confusion continues, you might even give up. Rather than seeing the rest of the museum exhibits, you backtrack to the entrance and never return. As for the preschool registration, you’ll probably decide that any school that has such a jumbled website is no place for your child.
You can help avoid these same types of unfortunate situations from occurring within your email marketing campaigns by using clear and compelling calls to action.
Examples of a call to action include any button or link within an email that highlight a desired action. The wording of a call to action (often referred to simply as a CTA) should be short and sweet, so there’s no confusion about the next step. Good call to action phrases examples include succinct things like “Reserve your spot” or “Register for webinar” or “Update your profile.”
Of course, your call to action is more than just a signpost. It should offer value and be persuasive. If the rest of your email message has done its job, the reader will understand what you’re offering and then be compelled to click when the time comes.
Even if they’re not ready to click, at least they’ll see the point of your email. One of the cardinal sins of email marketing is sending messages that lead to dead ends. Not only does this show a lack of basic communication skills, but it may also leave your customers feeling like you don’t have much to offer.
A good call to action is positioned where the person reading the message would either be wondering where to go next or be motivated to take an action. Think back to the scenario of registering a child for preschool. The school could send out an email with a headline at the top announcing that registration for the upcoming year is now open.
For parents who already know they want to sign up, there should be a button above the fold proclaiming, “Register now.”
But what about the parents who still need some persuading? Below this initial call to action, the school could add a couple paragraphs promoting the quality of the teachers, the depth of the curriculum, and the unprecedented deliciousness of the snacks.
Excited about these details, additional parents would then be ready to proceed. So a second prominent call to action would be a great way to capitalize on their momentum. If there were another relevant action that the school deemed important, such as their allergy-friendly snack policies, then it could be hyperlinked within the body copy of the email so it wouldn’t compete with the primary call to action.
These examples of call to action placement demonstrate that less is more. If the school were to plaster various buttons throughout the email saying things like “Register now,” “Don’t forget to register,” “Get our snack policy here,” and “Go to registration page,” the reader would likely be overwhelmed and confused. You’ll find that two or three well-placed calls to action will always outperform an overcrowded collage.
Whether you’re talking about social media call to action examples, email call to action examples, or any other format, these best practices will likely apply. Let’s take a closer look at five ways to catch your readers’ eyes and steer them to your desired destination.
Just as it takes money to make money, it usually takes action to spur action. Use verbs in your call to action that explain the process or highlight the benefit. For example, if you were launching a new windshield spray that prevents the glass from cracking when it’s struck by rocks, you might take a couple different routes with the call to action.
First, you could use a classic option like “Order now.” With the headline, photographs, and body copy providing context, that message would hopefully be enough to get conversions.
The other option could focus more on what the customer will get from the transaction. So your call to action might be “Protect my windshield.”
In the CTA example below, the coffee capsule brand Cometeer used this latter approach. And it’s highly effective, because who wouldn’t want to get 15 free cups of coffee?
Good call to action statement examples are prominently placed so the reader can’t miss them. Give them breathing room so the reader can spot the call to action at first glance, because let’s be honest, that’s all that many readers are going to give your email.
Consider this excellent example from Sling. Following the headline and a quick line of copy, they put a button right where most readers would expect it to be.
Try using new colors to make your call to action really pop. A dynamic color that contrasts with a more muted background instantly signals importance to the reader. Likewise, you can use larger font sizes and unique button shapes to draw attention.
Your goal is to create something that’s visible even if the person is standing a few feet from a computer screen while reading it. Just remember that even though you’re taking a unique design approach, all your call to action marketing examples should still fall within your brand guidelines.
In the following example, Patagonia takes the unusual step of using a white button with black text. Sounds boring, right? But there’s so much action and detail going on everywhere else that this simple approach was actually the right choice. There’s no missing that button.
Writing a phrase that’s compelling and noticeable is a tall order, and your first draft will often contain lots of words. Upon review, look for ways to trim it down. Effective call to action button examples usually contain no more than five words. Beyond that, you’re basically writing a sentence and all punchiness is lost.
If you feel there’s essential (but wordy) information that needs to be included with the call to action, you can always add it above the button. For instance, you could use a subhead above the call to action that informs the reader that the deal you’re promoting ends in just four days. That way the button can be left uncluttered and showcase only the most impactful words.
This example from Wi-Fi technology company eero uses the classic “Shop now.” There’s no wasted space and all readers will understand exactly what it’s prompting.
Your audience is continually evolving, so your tactics should as well. Use A/B testing to reveal what’s working in your email campaigns and what needs to be improved.
Not only does a test-focused approach help you get better business results, but it keeps your brand vibrant. Customers don’t like when things go stale, whether it’s bread or marketing communications. By evolving your content through testing, you’ll keep people more engaged because they’ll notice its recency and relevance.
Let’s consider another Patagonia example. A one-word call to action of “Explore” might seem ambiguous to a lot of marketers. But Patagonia’s team has undoubtedly tested that button and found that it works, so they feel confident using it in their campaigns.
The process of designing emails, writing copy, developing calls to action, sending out the messages, tracking performance, and then testing new options used to take a team of skilled individuals. Thanks to the power of templates and automation, an email platform allows you to work solo and get exceptional results in a fraction of the time.
Twilio SendGrid has a full suite of tools that streamline the process from start to finish. You can choose from a wide selection of professional templates to master the design stage. After completing your emails, automate the sending schedule within our platform and let technology take care of the rest.
-examples-to-inspire-your-campaigns/Call%20to%20Action%20(CTA)%20Examples.png/_jcr_content/renditions/compressed-original.webp "Call to Action (CTA) Examples - 1")
