Better Blogging Tips: Use a Call-to-Action
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David
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December 19th, 2012
Many people struggle to find the safe, common ground between sales writing (web copy, in this case) and plain ol' blogging. There are key differences, depending on your audience. One of the best ways to increase conversions, or get more people to do what you want them to do, is to take advantage of the call-to-action.
Expert calls-to-action can be one of the best things you do for your business.
In this post, we'll talk about how to leverage the call-to-action in your business blogging to make the most impact.
Use a call-to-action on Facebook, too! (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)
What is a call-to-action?
Basically, a call-to-action is the text you use to help people go from simple readers to product or service users.
Let's say you've just spent an entire page writing about the great reasons why your product or service is the best thing ever for your clients. When the reader gets to the bottom of the page, what would you like them to do?
Naturally, you probably want them to contact you to set-up use, purchase the good, or register for an email list (or something of the sort). If you just expect your reader to do that, they usually will not. Instead, we must make the path to purchasing incredibly convenient.
One of the best ways to do this is through the use of a strong call-to-action. Many writers have different ideas about the exact way to add them, but focus on exactly what you want the user to do.
Note: Many people abbreviate "call-to-action" as CTA, so if you've seen that out and about, that's what it means!
If you've written incredibly strong and convincing web copy, you can use more abstract calls-to-action like "Change your life today!" or "End your scheduling troubles now!" For the average or even better-than-average copy, you might want to set your sights a little lower. Although your copy is good, use clear, simple calls-to-action.
After you finish up your text, include a brief statement about what it means to take advantage of this service. Pair it with a convenient button that takes the user to the end destination (whether a contact form, scheduling agent, or online shop). A phrase like "Buy Now!" isn't exactly bad, but you really want the reader make the decision to take action on their own. You can convince them and direct them towards the final destination, but the actual conversion should be their own.
I like to see calls-to-action like "Request your free sample today," or "Pre-register for the free 'Ultimate Blogging Guide.'"
Many writers will include a strong call-to-action at the end of their web copy, but that is not necessarily how it has to be. In fact, having a call-to-action towards the top of the page can help increase conversions from people who do not want to scroll all the way down the page. Or, you can have a floating bar that appears after the user has been on the page for a few seconds that gives them that sense that they just cut to the head of the line.
For more information on where and how to place these calls-to-action, check out these wonderful works below:
Smashing Magazine: Call to Action Buttons: Examples and Best Practices
HubSpot Blog: 5 Real Life Examples of Fantastic Calls to Action
boagworld: 10 Techniques for an Effective 'Call to Action'
Thomson Chemmanoor: 20 Top Call to Action Phrases to Increase Conversion on a Website