Andrew Kucheriavy
Continued from 'Improve Website Conversions through Customer-Centric Copy' An effective Call to Action (CTA) is what ultimately converts your website visitors into customers by urging them to take an immediate action, whether buying your product or service online, registering on the website or picking up their phone to call you. A proper call to action serves as an effective sales tool. The strategy, "If we build it, they will come" simply does not work. Listing your e-mail address or a phone number on your website is not a call to action, and you will lose business to websites that take the extra effort and encourage users to take the next step. Effective calls to action lead, urge and entice the website visitor, create urgency and offer rewards. Here are some tips for creating an effective call to action.
Continued from '1. Create a Seamless Experience
Your call to action should work in tandem with your customer-centric taglines and slogans and should be a logical progression, i.e., the "next step". An effective call to action should always be supported by your value proposition and the visuals. Make it enticing and personal.
2. Make Your Call to Action Stand Out
Your call to action should be one of the brightest and most visible elements on the page, preferably at the same location throughout the website. One of the best locations is the top right corner or the center of the page that usually draws most attention.
3. Use Action Verbs
This may seem obvious, but tell the user what to do: "Call…click…register" or make it clear to them with the help of the design. This is all about usability. If you have a call to action button linked to your contact form, you don't want the user to have to guess if it is "clickable."
4. Give Your Users Confidence to Buy
Think of ways to remove or reduce risks. No-obligation statements work great. In addition, if your service is free or you offer a free trial, make sure to state that also.
5. Encourage Your Users to Respond Right Away
Create a sense of urgency. Don’t give people an option to wait and ponder your offering. You want them to make decision on the spot--impulsively. 
6. Use an image
An attractive image will draw the viewers' attention and further communicate what they will receive.
CTA Examples
In the previous section, we discussed customer-centric messaging. Here are some other calls to action that we have written:
| Website For: | Targeted Demographic | Taglines: |
|---|---|---|
| Web Design Agency | Companies that want to see results from their website and a return on investment. | Start Getting Results |
| Business Consultants | Small business consultants with a custom approach and life-changing track record. | Make Your Business Work for You |
| Health Insurance | Individuals over 60 years old interested in Medicare supplemental insurance. | Ask about FREE in-home Needs Analysis |
| Social Network | Aspiring artists who want to share their art and be discovered. | Register for Free |
| Online Service | Parents of children with special needs looking for babysitters. | Qualified babysitters today. It’s free and easy. |
