How to Turn Your CTA Buttons into Conversion Monster?

Everything related to digital marketing has one end goal, “Conversion.” Whether it’s to compel the visitor to buy something, download something, subscribe to a mailing list, book an appointment, or fill out a form, it all comes down to the conversions.

That’s where the call-to-action button becomes so important. If you are in the field, even for a short period, you know exactly what CTA buttons are. For those who don’t know, CTA buttons are small visual buttons on websites or landing pages that urge users to take some action. And hence, the name Call-to-Action.

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Although a small part of an entire landing page or a website, they are super important for achieving results. Let’s say you have a killer landing page. You’ve grabbed the visitor’s attention and explained to them why they should opt for what you are offering.

But there is nothing concrete in the end that explains what the visitor should do. Result? Your entire landing page and efforts go in vain. Reason? You don’t have a killer CTA button that can convert.

So how exactly do the CTA buttons work? How can you make yours more powerful? Well, that’s exactly what we are going to learn in this blog.

Psyche of a CTA button

Look, we are humans and humans tend to react emotionally. That’s the exact theory that CTA buttons deploy. It’s all about creating a button that has a perfect combination of shape, color, font, and placement that instantly clicks with the viewer. The goal is to encourage users to click on it.

For example, you have a landing page for Dental Implants for a dentist. Now you can either use a CTA button that says “Call to Book an Appointment” or “Get a Complete Smile.” Do you see the difference? First, one wants the user to do something that might bring in the “cost factor.” But the second one? It evokes an emotional response.

So there are more chances of conversion with a second copy. But again, it’s not just the copy. Your placement of CTA buttons, their shape, and their color, too, matters. So here are a couple of things you should know while creating a CTA button for your landing page or website.

A human brain needs commands.

Since evolution, humans have been habitual of living in groups and with group leaders. So, the human brain is hard-wired to follow commands.

Although we live in a free society, and even if you are selling something, a commanding copy generally works. The only requirement? It should not feel like a command. Instead, it should feel like a guide to do something.

For example, you have just created a LinkedIn page for your business. You are constantly posting top-quality articles on it, and people are loving it. But in the end, if you are not integrating even a simple CTA like “Follow My Page,” most of the visitors will read your copy, appreciate it, and move ahead! Your followers won’t rise. So, first things first, you have to add a CTA.

Maintain the Flow

This is another point that a lot of designers and copywriters miss out on. Their landing page or email copy is entirely different from what the CTA is proposing. For example, you are selling computer accessories, but the CTA on your landing page says, “Click for Free Consultation.”

This one looks absurd! There is no meaning or need for a CTA that offers free consultation on the selling of hardware.

So, you need to understand that your CTA copy should be in sync with your landing page, webpage, or email copy. Otherwise, your users will bounce off, and your efforts will go in wait. Remember, surprising your audience with an out-of-the-blue CTA is a sure-shot way of killing your sales.

Fuel the curiosity

Humans love to know what’s behind closed doors! That’s how we have evolved into what we are today. The same goes for CTA buttons. If you can raise curiosity in the mind of your reader or visitor, you can surely compel them to click on your CTA button. The buttons could be anything like “Top-secret tips,” “hidden secrets,” or “member’s only” copy.

Now, don’t confuse this with a click-bait CTA button. There is a difference between a clickbait and a curiosity-fuelling CTA button. The idea here is to generate curiosity with a promise to offer something interesting and fulfill that promise.

Remember, your visitor should not feel betrayed by clicking on your CTA button. E.g., if you are growing your email list and your lead magnet is an e-book, you can use a CTA with a copy like, “Get my free e-book!” Here, you WILL deliver an e-book in the end, so the visitor will never feel betrayed.

Rewards work well with CTA buttons.

We all love some rewards, right? Whether it’s a monetary reward, an appreciation, or something useful, humans love ’em all! So if you could offer a reward for clicking the button, a lot of visitors would gladly accept it.

But why this happens? Well, the reason lies in human evolution. Whenever humans find something without effort, they will claim it. You can leverage this human instinct by offering rewards if visitors click on your button.

For example, you can offer a monthly eBook on SEO tips to those who click on your “Subscribe Now” button. In this way, you expand your mailer list, and your visitors get access to quality content every week. If you are planning something for an e-commerce platform, you can offer a reward like “click now to claim 20% flat OFF!”

Such buttons can be a great hit as they offer some rewards to those who click on them. In fact, yesterday, I clicked on one such button that offered me 10% off for a limited period on Amazon.com! In short, such CTAs work like a charm.

I hope you get the idea of how the human mind interprets the CTA buttons and how you should work with them. But there is another problem with CTA buttons. How can you make them pop out so the visitors can click on them? Time to find out.

How do you make your CTA buttons look appealing?

Make your CTA button look like a button.

Now I understand you want to keep things minimal on your website or a landing page. Minimalism is in trend, too. But let’s be honest. If your CTA looks too minimal, no one’s going to notice it. It has to be something that stands out from the rest of the landing page.

Your CTA must have a border, background, a different font, or a different-sized font at the very least. Remember, if your buttons do not stand out, it will integrate with your background content. In short, your button should look like a button, or else you won’t get clicks.

Make sure your button looks distinguished.

You have created a good CTA button that stands out. Now is the time to use fonts, colors, and sizes. This will help you ensure that the button looks different. On the top, make sure you are placing the button in a good background.

Only then it will be visible to your visitors at a single glance. If it is just blending in with the color of your webpage, or if it is placed in an insignificant and unnoticeable place, it is of no use altogether.

Add an extra header for clarity.

Most of us skim through the webpage when reading a blog or checking out a website. Our attention spans are short, and there’s no time for a reader to go through all the content at once.

So if your text-only reads “Buy now!” they won’t know what it is that you’re selling with that CTA button. Instead, add a header to the CTA button and tada! You’re all set. Here’s a perfect example:

As you can see, the “Get Loom for Free” button is accompanied by a very engaging header text. The words “easy” and “free” compel the users to click on the button.

How Important are CTA button copies?

This is the most important part of any CTA button. No matter how good your CTA button looks, if it does not have an impactful and concise copy, it’s a dud. So, you have to craft copy that’s short, sweet, and impactful at the same time. Here’s how you can do it:

Write copy that incites action.

Action words are the soul of your CTA button. They give visitors an idea of what they can expect when they click on this button. So make sure you add necessary action buttons and mention what the readers will get.

Add action words in the copy to make it very clear to your audience what they can expect after clicking on the button. Let’s say you are offering a free trial for a tool.

Your copy should read “Create an account for Free,” just like Live Agent, as you can see below. But if you use just “Create Account,” it does not have that sense of motivation in it. So, make sure you use action words as much as possible. Some impactful examples with action words:

• Claim Your Free Reward.
• Download your free eBook.
• Try our free trial
• Grab this deal

Talk in the first person.

This is another important factor that a lot of people ignore. When you talk in the first person using the CTA button, the reader feels like you are talking to them. And when this happens, there are stronger chances of convincing the reader to take action.

Such a minor tweak can entirely transform your CTA button’s capability to convert.

Play on FOMO

The biggest fear humans have today is the Fear of Missing out (FOMO)! You can use it to your benefit for conversions. Create a feeling with your CTA that if the visitors do not click on the button, they will miss out on something very valuable and special.

I am sure you have seen a lot of landing pages with that ticking clock that constantly reminds you that the time is running out!

That’s exactly what I am talking about. You can use this sense of urgency and fear of missing out on your CTA buttons. For example, “Claim limited-time deal,” “Try 30days Free”, and “Book Appointment Now.”

Remember, the idea here is to pay the human emotion to get included and FOMO. But this does not mean you should use click-bait buttons, as I already mentioned earlier.

Highlight Value Preposition

Highlight the value of your offer directly in your CTA. You should use powerful words like “free” to attract attention and emphasize the benefit. For example, “Get My Free Guide” grabs interest and clearly presents the value proposition.

This direct approach can increase engagement by making the offer’s worth immediately apparent to users. Focus on concise, impactful phrases that resonate with your audience and compel them to take action. This ensures your CTA is both eye-catching and value-driven.

Keep it Snappy

While your button should convey all your offerings, that doesn’t mean it should keep going on and on! Make sure your CTA button should be snappy, attractive, and crisp. Reason? People do not have years to spend while reading your copy.

If your CTA copy goes on and on, no one’s going to read it. So make sure it’s short, sweet, and impactful! (I know I already mentioned this earlier, but just a reminder!).

Now that your CTA copy is ready, it’s time to optimize your CTA buttons’ visuals. This will make your CTA buttons stand out. Let’s understand how.

How do you optimize the visuals for your CTA buttons?

Colors, designs, shapes – these things make a great impact on the human mind subconsciously. Have you ever noticed that a lot of food brands use bright colors like Red, Yellow, Green, or Orange?

Have you noticed brands that sell herbal products use lush green colors? While these colors don’t directly convert customers, they do strike a chord with the viewers. That’s the same game you’ll have to play while designing your CTA buttons.

Focus on Contrast

No matter what color you choose for your button, just make sure that it is in high contrast with the text. A very simple way to choose the color is to go with the color behind the button, which is the background color of the whole page.

But if you still want to go with a different color, make sure the text is visible when placed above the button.

Steer clear from Small Fonts.

The only goal of a CTA button is to make it visible and noticeable. So, if you are using small fonts for your CTA, there is no sense in creating a CTA button at all! Because having a CTA button with small fonts is like not having the CTA button at all.

So, do not make the mistake of using small fonts and making them blend in with the rest of the main text. You can keep the same font style if you’d like, but the size has to be bigger than the main text on the page.

Bonus Button Text for Increased CTR

Sometimes, it happens that you need to add some extra information to your CTA. While this goes against our rule of keeping the copy short, it might seem fair in some cases. For example, you are creating a button to compel users to get a free trial.

For this, you can use a copy like “30-day trial, no credit card” beneath “Start Your Free Trial.” This reassures your user that you won’t have to share critical information like a credit card.

So, in this case, an extra line in a button might increase your CTR or click-through rate. These elements are known as “click triggers” and contain testimonials, key benefits, anxiety-suppressing info, or data points. They can significantly enhance user engagement and conversions.

Less is More When It Comes to Choices

Humans often experience choice paradox: while we enjoy choosing between a few options, too many choices can overwhelm us. So why risk it with your CTA buttons?

Recently, Mark Lepper of Columbia University found that participants who chose from a box of six chocolates were happier than those who chose from a box of 30. The same goes for your CTA buttons.

You can keep users satisfied and happy by limiting the number of options. If it’s mandatory to offer options, make sure the important one stands out. The key is to make decisions easier and help users feel more confident and content with their selection.

Natural Hierarchy for Buttons

When designing a webpage, make sure your main call-to-action (CTA) button stands out as the biggest and brightest. Secondary buttons should be less attention-grabbing. To do so, use grayscale or monochromatic colors to create a clear visual hierarchy.

Reason? Well, this makes sure that the users can easily identify the primary action you want them to take. At the same time, it can still provide access to other options without distraction. Do prioritize your CTA buttons to help guide user behavior. Result? The possibility of increasing the conversion becomes higher.

Use easy-on-eyes fonts

The CTA button is not about being creative with your fonts. Make sure your copy is easy to read. So do not go for something that’s too fancy. Just use fonts that are easy to read and noticeable from afar. Remember, the fancy and curvy fonts are not for CTA buttons.

Your button shape should be solid.

Your CTA buttons’ shapes are very important. The shape of your CTA buttons showcases how assertive you are with your CTA buttons. Generally, a solid rectangular shape is the best choice for almost every CTA button. But sometimes, differently shaped buttons work well in certain cases.

If you want to go on a bit creative side, you can add a shadow or some realistic 3D design around the button. This will make it look like a real button without the need to design a new CTA button entirely. As far as shapes are concerned, the ones that are performing well usually have mainstream shapes.

Keep testing

Always keep testing what works best for you. CTA buttons are crucial to your sales, and it is only logical to keep testing them and use the best tactics that work for you. Even a minimal change in the design, text, or font might bring you the best results.

Keep a balance when it comes to repetition.

Be it a mobile or desktop display, your CTA should not appear twice on the same screen. Keep enough distance for your readers to avoid viewing the same CTA button twice on the same screen.

Wrapping Up

Designing a killer CTA button is the core of your digital marketing strategy. Look, there is no single magic wand to create a perfect CTA button. You’ll have to fuse the best tips mentioned above, optimize it as per your particular product or service, and keep testing. No one strategy will fit perfectly for your brand.

So, you will have to keep testing the strategies to find out the best results. You’ll have to understand the psychology of your ideal customer and then create a CTA button based on that. Remember, a CTA button is something that adds a lot of value to your sales process, and giving your best shot at designing one is crucial.

I hope this blog on CTA buttons has offered you all the critical information on the topic. If you liked this one, I am sure you will find a lot more useful reads on our website. So don’t forget to explore it to learn something more useful.

Till then, happy marketing!

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