Aren’t we always looking to get things for free or getting unbelievable deals at the best possible prices? Well, not only us, but everyone looks forward to it.
Getting such deals is a scarce event in this world. We rarely get such deals in the real world.
Hence it is no wonder that a lure like (if offered) through copywriting will immediately catch the reader’s attention. And if a smart copywriter plays the cards right, it’s sufficient enough to make them take the action you want and turn the tide towards conversions.
This is the underlying principle of a call to action.
A call to action is a strategy used by marketers to motivate readers to become consumers. Let’s talk about how to write a killer call to action.
What is a call to action?
A call to action is a part of your advertisement that is placed strategically in the ad piece to tell an engaged reader about what he must do next. When an engrossed reader goes through an advertisement, he finds himself in a situation where he is at a threshold but needs a little motivation to cross it.
A call to action does just that.
It is a copywriting tool to convert the bystander into a customer.
Without a CTA, a reader is left in oblivion after all the content he has consumed. It acts as the subtle push needed before a purchase or subscription.
What are the benefits of call to action in copywriting?
You may have come across a call to action while browsing the internet. It is a prominently ever-present button that lures the readers to take the next step.
An ingenuous copywriting expert will deliver the knockout punch and enable these benefits:
a. The copywriting accelerates conversion
A well-written call to action is subtle at hinting. It is a suggestion that this can be the next course of action.
It helps people to understand the next step they should be taking instead of being stuck in a limbo. A CTA written with sense can positively boom the conversions.
b. Reward psychology
Every time the brain thinks about what to do, we immediately start browsing or going through social media.
Well, when it comes to CTA, the brain behaves in the same way.
When we have been through the ad piece, for a moment brain thinks about what to do, and if there is CTA, we click, and the brain rewards.
c. It is the climax of a well-written copy
A well-written CTA acts as a climax to the whole ad pitch. The ad pitch and CTA work like a hand in a glove.
Consider a film with an engaging storyline from the start to the end. If it falters in the climax, it is ruined.
Maybe I mentioned this example to abate my anger over GOT season 8!
But the analogy explains my point well. A CTA will help serves the purpose of the overall copywriting.
Three examples of call to action that works
a. Babbel
Babbel is a language learning app that often comes up with various strong and engaging CTA’s for their social media offers.
Its CTA tactics include –
- The word “Join” with the number of reviews instils a sense of becoming a part of a society and learning the same language.
- They put “60% off on all languages” and “lifetime access” it evokes the thought of getting so many languages to learn at a less price and that too forever.
- The essential call to action is crisp and clear: “Get up to 60% off” It will make you check out what they have to offer at least once.
b. Juvia’s Place
The email marketing from Juvia’s Place has adopted some intelligent ways to turn its targeted audience into customers. It uses a strategic blend of bright and dull colors to convey its message clearly.
Its CTA tactics include –
- The colour scheme of this email makes it look attractive and simple. Its content is organized for a small window of attention for readers.
- Important aspects like “35% OFF” or “USE CODE: NEW LOOK” are both marked with bright orange color to stand out.
- The Call to action button “USE CODE: NEW LOOK” is marked with a coupon code to lure customers into checking it out.
c. Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a social media marketing and management platform that gives users an interactive and integrated UI. It has a targeted niche, and hence its content is concise.
Its CTA tactics include –
- The glimpse of dashboards and UI in the centre evoke a thought of what it would be like to use it.
- The caption “create, schedule, publish and analyse” tells people what Hootsuite offers.
- And after all the info, in the end, “Learn more” CTA with free for 30 days entices users to experience it.
What are some copywriting tips for writing killer CTAs?
a. Emphasize Low Risk
Well, a free trial itself is enough to lure a person into testing a particular service. But to step forward, a company must emphasize the convenience a user will have while selecting the service. After landing on the page, a user must not have any hesitance in choosing a particular service.
For these reasons, a call to action feature must tell the user that opting for the service is risk-free. Consider the Amazon Prime Video membership ad, where the content emphasizes risk-free service by providing them the convenience of cancelling the service anytime.
Either plan a service that users find no red flags for it or make the users wear red glasses not to see red flags.
b. Enable Incentive
A call to action is supposed to tell people what they can do after they have been through the ad. But there must be a reason for them to do it. If you can incentivize the CTA, it will aid in a call to action to serve its purpose.
The call to action must state what it is providing and be clear and succinct. You can add the percentage of the offer; you can add what other benefits the offer accompanies. We can also add urgency to the offer.
Mention everything lucrative with the call to action, and done at the end as it has proven to be a successful strategy.
c. Build Trust
When your site is new and unknown, people find it suspicious and refrain from indulging in what it offers. It is one of the reasons why CTAs fail. You can ease up the people by being transparent about what you have to offer and put it across the people in an effective way.
People also fear clicking on the links because they are suspicious of security issues. Abate their fears by addressing them and being open about them. They must know they can trust you.
In some cases, people do not want to add their emails as they fear spam. Address the issue and tell them how you will be emailing them and what the frequency will be. You must also tell them about the people who already trust and follow you.
d. Be Clear
If you have gone through the abovementioned examples, you may find a striking similarity between them, i.e., they are very brief, concise, and clear.
There is a lot of room to express creativity in the designing and writing of content. An ad pitch can be designed very well to attract a lot of eyeballs towards it, or it can be very well written to generate a lot of interest regarding the content, and it is important too. But the pitch must reinforce what the user is going to get after clicking the call to action button, and it should be very crisp and clear in doing that.
e. Use Strong Action Words
Call to action limits the number of characters to be used with it. With this limit in place, a call to action must be short and persuasive enough to serve the purpose. Start with a verb than an adverb or the subject, like “Download MP4 now” or “Get eBook now.”
We can also add numbers, urgency, or incentives to the CTA. Consider an ecommerce example like, “Get 60% off + free shipping” the 60% off plus the free shipping makes the deal super lucrative.
Even if there is little interest, the user will think twice before sidestepping it. And “Get 50% off + limited time” to inculcate a sense of urgency.
To sum it up
The marketing tools will keep changing shapes now and then and evolve according to the prevalent technology.
Yet, the aim will always remain the same, enable buyer journey so that engaged prospects become loyal customers. This is the goal that copywriting enables for its client brands.
To make it happen, one must use a call to action. Professional copywriters can use in any form of marketing and any genre. And not just any CTA will work. As discussed above only a killer CTA can do the trick. This post showed you know how to write the one that really works.
If you need a copywriting agency, then you can reach out to us at Textuar.
Frequently Asked Questions
[1] What does a call to action mean to copywriters?
A call to action or CTA is a statement or an advertisement that guides a customer to take action. It is intended to encourage quick reactions like Buy Now or Sign up. This assists and guides the reader towards becoming a customer.
[2] What is the role of a CTA in copywriting?
A CTA is helpful because it converts the reader’s curiosity into action. Without a CTA, readers may not have any idea of what they should do next.
That means you can miss the opportunity to make these individuals customers. It is the last effort required to prompt the consumers to take the final step of purchasing the products.
[3] How has a call to action been used to enhance conversions?
An incredibly crafted CTA can increase conversions by interestingly helping readers know their next step. It gives a sense of the time element and takes away the element of hesitance. This can even compel the readers to take quick action such as purchasing a product or downloading the resource.
[4] What are some guidelines to follow when creating CTA?
You can use strong verbs to write a proper CTA and avoid making it wordy and complicated.
Use low risk terms like “Free Trial”.
Use phrases like “Limited time offer” to create a sense of urgency.
It would help to build trust by being transparent about what happens next.
[5] What mistakes should I avoid when writing a CTA?
Avoid unclear language and fail to highlight the benefits. A weak or confusing CTA can lead to lost opportunities. You must ensure your CTA is easy to understand and aligned with your content. This can improve the chances of driving the best results.
