Call to action (CTA)

Every website operator is familiar with the term “call-to-action” (CTA), which indicates a request for the user to take action, which then triggers a specific reaction from the user. This lexicon entry shows exactly what this is and what purpose it serves.

What is a CTA?

The CTA is a call to action so that the user is redirected to the product page, for example. A call-to-action can be a text link or a button or image. Overall, a CTA ensures a much better conversion rate.

In addition to “buy now,” there are also “download now,” “find out more” and “read more” as typical labels. An effective CTA provides the user with a convincing reason to click on the button.

What are the goals of a call-to-action?

A call-to-action can pursue different goals, including the following:

• Calling up another website
• Product purchase/product request
• Adding the product to the shopping cart
• Request for a call
• Request for information material
• Starting a download
• Registration (for a newsletter)
• Recommendation of articles, pages and products

However, the area of application does not only include landing pages, but also websites, display ads, TV commercials, print ads and newsletters.

Design and placement

The button for a call to action should always be formulated in such a way that the user does not feel overwhelmed or even coerced. A CTA should also only ever have a maximum length of around two sentences, but ideally it should only be two or three words. Clarity through a short formulation is important in order to make the request itself visible.

These results in various points that should be fulfilled, especially on the Internet:

• Simplicity: CTA has a simple design and clear wording.
• Specific: The action to be performed is clear and unambiguous.
• Clearly: The purpose of the button must be clear from the wording.

The placement should be prominent, possibly also at certain intervals. There is nothing wrong with displaying the button again after every second or third paragraph. However, the button should be at the bottom of the page again.

Optimize click rate with simplicity

Overall, a CTA button is an uncomplicated method of increasing the click rate. The user decides within milliseconds whether to click on the button or not. Depending on the target group, you can also test which design ensures a higher click rate.