Any time you write an article, blog post, landing page or other piece of content for your website or social media platform, you should close it out with a call to action, or CTA. This tells your target audience what to do once they are done reading, such as “buy now,” download our free XXX” or “call to sign up.”

If you have hired a professional writer to handle your blog and other copy, you will notice they add a CTA automatically at the end of the pieces. This is critical for conversion. Indeed, the goal of any online marketing campaign should be to guide your audience in the buyers’ journey so they eventually buy your product or service, says HubSpot.

It’s important to add critical information in your CTA while keep it clear, crisp and to the point. Here are some tips on how to come up with a killer CTA.

Use Strong Command Verbs

You likely have limited space (not to mention you’re dealing with limited attention spans with busy readers), so you’ll have to get your point across quickly. Start off with a strong verb that tells them what they have to do.

  • For e-commerce sites, use words like “buy,” “shop,” or “order”
  • For newsletters and white papers, use words like “download” or “subscribe”
  • For instances where you want the customer to request more information, use phrases like “fill out this form for…” or “find out how you can…”
  • Use powerful, clear, instructive phrases like “post jobs for free” or “get a free instant quote,” says Hootsuite.

Infuse Your CTA With Emotion or Enthusiasm

Ultimately, you want your readers to be excited about what you’re offering. Using words that evoke an emotional or enthusiastic response will drive your CTA home. Phrases like “buy now and get 40% off!” show them that you’re offering them a great deal, to be sure, but even more importantly, you’re thrilled to be offering it.

Draw out emotional reactions to the offer, too, with phrases such as “plan your dream vacation with us now” or “get that brilliant smile you’ve always wanted!” to tap into their excitement. Using an exclamation point will provoke a sense of urgency and enthusiasm.

Give Them a Reason to Click

At the end of the day, you have to show your reader why they should click on the “learn more” button, or call you, or sign up for a newsletter. What’s in it for them? Will it help them lose weight, meet the love of their life, save for retirement, or get a new job? You have to show a link between the offer and your value proposition.

Use FOMO to Your Advantage

FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a very powerful motivator. Instill a slight fear in your readers that if they don’t take action right now, they could forfeit the deal you’re offering. If the appeal is strong enough, your readers won’t want to lose out on such a good opportunity and may be quick to take action. Try phrases like “only five left in stock,” “the first 25 people to sign up will get a free XXX,” or “this deal expires on Sunday at midnight.”

This works especially well in peak seasons such as the holidays. Saying things like “buy now while supplies last!” or “buy in the next 10 hours to qualify for free shipping by Christmas” will instill a sense of urgency in your readers that they will find hard to ignore.  

Crafting a strong CTA gets easier with practice. Of course, you can always hire someone to craft them for you!

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For blogs and articles with strong CTAs, rely on our many niche writers who know your industry and can draw potential customers in with the perfect close to the piece. To learn more, get in touch with us today.