“Call now and get our product half off!”

“Click here to subscribe!”

“Start your free trial today!”

Odds are you’ve seen these lines a million times while browsing the internet. These (or something similar) are some of the most common call-to-action lines you’ll see online. Some might sound tacky, or remind you of a cheesy infomercial, while others lead you to buy a product without even thinking about it.

If you’re not in marketing, you might not have heard of a call-to-action before, or know why it matters. The definition is simple: a call-to-action is a simple instruction to the audience, usually written to elicit an immediate response. This is why you’ll usually see the words “now” or “today”– the goal is to get the reader to act sooner rather than later. The longer they think about it, the more likely they are to change their minds or forget about it.

So why do I need a call to action (CTA)?

First and foremost, CTAs tell your reader what to do. They might not always listen or decide to follow your advice, but like Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception, they plant the idea in the mind of the reader. Whether a visitor wants to buy your product or not when they visit your page, a “buy now” or “add-to-cart” CTA puts the idea in their head. It makes them consider it. There’s a reason why so many commercials and advertisements have a CTA at the end– because they work. Without a CTA, the most interested or intrigued customer might slip through your fingers because they weren’t directly prompted to think about buying your product.

CTAs for Digital Marketing

CTAs were a marketing staple long before the Internet, but in digital marketing, they’re more relevant than ever before. On websites, CTAs can be built into a page as a button or contact form. This means that digital marketers can directly track the conversion rate– how many times the CTA has been seen compared to how many times it has been clicked. This allows digital marketers to gauge the effectiveness of a CTA, or the page as a whole. If the CTA or page is underperforming, then digital marketers can adjust it until it’s converting a higher proportion of views into leads.

Bottom line: If You Want to See Results, You Need a CTA

CTAs boil down everything you’re trying to communicate to the reader into a simple, short phrase. Subscribe, call now, add-to-cart, buy now, download our free trial…no matter what your CTA is, it succinctly sends the most important message. Without it, you’re just blowing smoke about your business.

 

PGN Agency has an extensive track record of bringing our clients returns on their marketing and advertising campaigns. If you would like to learn how PGN can come up with creative marketing solutions to drive YOUR business’s growth, feel free to contact us directly at 248-414-6860. One of our friendly team members will help assess your needs, and put together a game plan for success!