This post is a continuation of our series exploring the elements of inbound marketing. In our last blog, Paige talked about how to attract visitors to your website using blogs and other valuable content. The next step is to convert those users from visitor to lead using a call to action, or “CTA.”
What is a CTA?
A CTA is a button or link that grabs a visitor’s attention and directs the visitor to engage with you more. CTAs are everywhere: on blog posts, other web pages, emails, and social media posts.
What makes CTAs worthy of all this attention? They are lead generators. When visitors click on CTAs, they are asked to provide contact information and other details, either within that page or on a separate landing page. (By the way, we’ll cover landing pages in an upcoming post.) Through this information exchange, anonymous visitors convert into known leads that you can follow up with.
What should your CTA say?
You may be tempted to make every CTA say “buy now!” But keep in mind the buyer journey. Some folks just aren’t ready to purchase your product or service at that very moment. Which would you rather do: Get their contact information or lose them completely? The former, of course. That is why you should use various tools that move people along the “sales funnel” – the path to an eventual sale.
Your CTA should offer something valuable enough that people are willing to provide information in exchange for it. In the world of inbound marketing, that something is called an “offer.” Options might include:
- E-books
- White papers
- Checklists
- Templates Webinars (live or on-demand) Case studies
- Coupons
- {Free consultations
- Free trials
- Product demos
Ideally, your CTA is short, simple, and action-oriented. Start with a verb and use 80-150 characters. Repeat what the offer is in the button – for example, use “download checklist” instead of “submit” or “click here.” Yes, if you’re a literal thinker you might find it frustrating that the action described doesn’t happen immediately. But if your CTA is boring, action might not happen at all!
What should your CTA look like?
The most important thing is to make sure your CTA stands out from everything else on the page. There are three key ways to do that:
- Contrast – For example, make the button color contrast with the background
- Size – Generally, the bigger the better
- Placement – Leave plenty of white space around the CTA, but not so much that it seems disconnected from the rest of the content on the page
Some people say to use only one CTA per page. Others recommend using multiple CTAs. The best advice: Try both and see what happens. That’s the great thing about content marketing. You have a laboratory for testing – and, with software like HubSpot, an easy way to collect data and make informed decisions.
That’s it for CTAs. Come back soon for tips on landing pages, forms, emails, and other elements of inbound!
- Roberta
Roberta Gardner handles client service and project management for OSD’s social media and content marketing clients. She also enjoys volunteering for organizations including Mephibosheth Ministries.
