Who knew that this 1957 advertisement of Philco Bantam 12 AC would give direction to creating what we now term as call to action- one of the most effective and crucial marketing activities in the domain.
Can you spot the Call to Action in the ad?
Yup, you got it! Itâs â Take it home Today, Be Cool Tonight!
Of course, you can say it's long and not really the kinds of CTA buttons weâve been using today, but it does the job!
Itâs urgent (Today), benefit-driven (Be Cool Tonight) and includes a powerful action word (take) which might just get folks to the shop.
What are the other features that work in its favor?
- Itâs in a black box that stands out easily amidst the white background.
- Itâs placed pretty strategically too, right next to the visual that shows a man whoâs carrying the Air Conditioner, which really drives home the point of âtake home."
- It addresses the reader on a first-person basis which is friendly and engaging.
What is a Call To Action (CTA)?
Taking the above example, let's quickly define what a CTA button is and what a good call to action does.
Essentially, a call to action is created to trigger an immediate response towards your business, community, cause etc. Â A well designed call to action is a digital marketing tool that can turn a visitor into a buyer.
Basically, they are integral touch-points between a prospect and conversion and have been quite underrated until recent times when theyâre enjoying the spotlight.
50 Powerful Call to Action Phrases
Hereâs our list of CTA phrases to promote your products on an eCommerce store.
- Get X% off your first order
- Buy now - offer expires in XX:XX
- Shop the sale
- Talk to our {style, fashion, etc} expert
- Choose size â Add to bag
- Order now and receive a free gift
- Claim restock subscription
- Join the {brand name} communityÂ
- Claim free shippingÂ
- Complete my purchase
- Get my free sampleÂ
- Refer a friend, and you both get $X
- Get my discount
- Low stock! Buy now
- Add to cart - X$$
- Claim my exclusive offer now!
- Redeem my voucher
- Sign me up
- Get early alerts for new products and sales
- Book a free consult
- Schedule/Make an appointment
- Get limited time offer
- Shop now to get free shippingÂ
- Get the look
- Access the limited-time offer today
- Compare pricing
- Unlock subscriber-exclusive discountsÂ
- Share wishlistÂ
- Share with my friend groupÂ
- Add to registryÂ
- Add to wishlistÂ
- Subscribe to our weekly newsletter
- Shop {brand name}
- Sign up for weekly goodies!
- Upgrade now
- Donate with every purchaseÂ
- Try it at home for free
- Continue shoppingÂ
- Proceed to checkoutÂ
- Shop the collection
- Uncover the storyÂ
- Learn about our brandÂ
- Take the quiz
- Get on the guest list (for live streaming shop)
- Grab the new stock
- Grab it while stock lasts
- Shop low pricesâ
- Sign Up And Save
- Get the bundle
- Send me the coupons | I'm not interested
21 Tips to Create Revenue Generating Call to Action Buttons
Now that you've understood what a call to action is and what it means to a business and a marketer, let's cover a couple of strong ways to create CTAs that bring more conversions. These are some great call to action button examples to help you learn how to write or create a good call to action.
1. Keep it Personal
Personalized CTA buttons speak to your target audience directly. Why do these work? They instantly grab attention, and take the user instantly where they wanted to go, instead of to a product page or a lead form.
Grey Goose pitches you their bartending talent by this with a very unique CTA button example: âDiscover a Cocktail Tailored To Your Tasteâ
These CTA buttons also allow you to target the audience based on the journey.
For example, a CTA for a first time visitor will be different from the one for a lead.
For instance, these two CTA buttons would do wonders for a real estate business.
And with the First Stop, we have our first CTA Trivia.
Personalized Calls To Action perform 202% better than Basic CTA buttons.
2. Sign up?...hmmm...what else?
The âSign Upâ all to action button is the most common one and though it does work most of the time, there are times when it just might not get you the results you expect. Especially if youâre looking for subscribers for your newsletter or monthly updates.
TIP: A âSign Me Upâ adds a slightly more personal touch than a straight up, abrupt, âSign Up.â Like check out Birchbox below:
It empowers the user to instruct Birchbox to sign them up, rather than the reverse.
If youâre particular about who needs to sign up, then position yourself with an assertive CTA button thatâs backed by a strong benefit like Lyft does here so clearly:
Here Lyft takes power into its hands and rightfully so, and the CTA here. Apply To Drive clearly indicates that they expect drivers only to apply.
Something more unique? Check out how Kayak.com floats a real smart and unique CTA button:
CTA Trivia:
90% of the people who read your headline, also read your CTA!
Source: Constant Content
3. Sorry, for exclusive members only
Subscribers Only, Join the Club, Private Access, only available, subscribers/members only, now closed, and request an invitation.
These feed on the basic psychology that whatever is exclusive is more valuable. You can further customize the CTA button to hint that whatever the user finds here is not available anywhere else.
Hereâs how Rothyâs does it:
âRequest an inviteâ is another commonly used CTA button that immediately suggests that access is restricted and exclusive.
4. Letâs Do It!
These fist-pump vibe CTA buttons are popular for a reason. They reflect a strong team spirit shared by the user and the brand. Epic, a branding agency chooses to ditch the olâ Contact Us and instead goes in for something more together and warm.
Also check out the epic way in which Epic has designed their CTA, keeping with the design of their site. Theyâve chosen to avoid the standard button design. CTAs can be anything clickable: underlined text, a button, or an icon.
Hereâs another piece of CTA Trivia
CTAs in the form of buttons increase clicks by 45%
Source: Spiralytics
Hereâs Grey Goose getting the party spirit on!
5. Let's just show you what we can do
These come-to-the-point CTA buttons are great to offer a quick non-committal service to visitors. For example: CrazyEgg: Show Me My Heatmap/Headline Analyzer: Analyze Now or any real estate site with a primary CTA: Get A Quote or a software tool that calculates uses the CTA button: Get Your Score
They offer instant gratification to users looking for a quick and urgent solution. Â
Once the usersâ needs are satisfied, then they might show interest in any incidental information that you can offer, which can get them to go in for a trial or fill up your pop-up form.
Like for example, CrazyEgg states: âStart your 30-day free trial. Cancel Anytimeâ, right below the heatmap.
Headline Analyzer has a CTA button âAnalyze Nowâ which provides a quick and easy-to-implement solution to the user. Thereâs a âSign Up Free Nowâ at the top right corner. By having the Analyze Now button, an instant service/solution is provided.
Google gets it right â as usual â with âGet Your Gradeâ and in the anticipation of availing this service you give in and just like that theyâve got your email id.
6. Wait, I want in too!
FOMO CTA buttons thrive on the psychology of scarcity and urgency. Anything thatâs scarce or rare will definitely pull users; when thereâs an added limitation on time and availability youâve hit the jackpot. Grab your E-Book Now!
Download your coupons today only! The word claim adds an extra tinge of urgency, almost hinting-get it before anyone else does.
Words like âSaveâ and âReserveâ further trigger the FOMO psychology.
Get to grips with FOMO in: 14 Ways to use FOMO and Boost Your Conversion Rates
7. Buy, Shop & Drop!
E-commerce businesses have abused the âShop Now, Buy Nowâ and thereâs a reason for that. What reason...you say? They work. But what if you could personalize a bit more?
MVMT, an online brand sells watches, eyewear, and jewelry for men and women and they have 2 CTA buttons that take men and women to their respective shops.
And what if you can get them down to business without the overwhelming formality of a sign-up?
Check out how an e-card portal, Giftrocket, does it:
Have an offer which could serve as a great bait?
Check out how House of Fraser keeps it hot!
They really get you hook line and sinker with this Just-Can't-Miss CTA button:
A great way to state your value proposition is with âShop The Offerâ!
You know what youâll get in exchange for that click and you know youâll like it.
While weâre at it, why not learn from the e-commerce gurus themselves. Amazon spices up the olâ Buy Now with (with 1 click!)
The 1-click add-on emphasizes on a frictionless purchase and transaction.
And yes itâs time for yet another CTA Trivia:
On average, the eCommerce conversion rate is 2% but Amazon boasts of a whopping 13% conversion rate! Now you know why!
Source: Growcode
8. Itâs a Bird, Itâs A Plane, Itâs Free!
(Join free for a month) or âTry for Free.â Join for free/Start a Free trial CTA buttons are basically high reward and low risk. They give users the chance to test the waters rather than commit immediately. Another example of a great call to action. Give Basecamp a Try - Itâs Free for 60 days.
The small hitch - itâs too long.
Keep it short, Like Hot Jar here. When you can do it with just Three, why not Try it Free?
Spotify too pitches the Premium Subscription for Free.
Netflix does this well with Join free for a month CTA button. The âCancel Anytimeâ option too offers reassurance and has the capacity to boost sign-ups.
Teuxdeux, a go-to productivity app, does this well by focusing on the freemium twice while completely sidelining the Log in CTA button.
We know, itâs a bit early for more trivia, but we canât help it :)
A âbuy nowâ could bounce off 84% of your first-time visitors. A free demo/trial can increase conversions by 328%
Source: Magenest
9. Missing in Action? Not Really!
Generally, agencies, creative studios, web design sites, and templates go for CTA buttons without a Verb/action word.
A Simple What We Do/Our Work is focused on telling the user about you rather than getting the user to commit an action. These CTA buttons are more focused on giving users information rather than asking them to give information.
Read More and Know More are on the same lines except they use action words directing the user to act, but the above  example of What We Do is more inviting. These put the onus on the site to give information and take the pressure off the user to act.
Full Bundle another creative agency based out of London does so by welcoming its visitors with just two crucial words:
Given that the userâs main purpose of visiting the site is to see their work, âOur Workâ is a better alternative to a See or Go! It straightaway comes to the point.
10. The 'Inception' Methodology
Don't think of an elephant! ..... You're thinking of an elephant aren't you? Apply this psychology to your call to action buttons.
Harmless reverse psychology CTA buttons. These are playful CTA buttons that work well, especially if they reflect your brandâs voice.
If used well, these creative and fun CTA buttons can really bring out the creator in you. And honestly, wonât you be dying to press when asked not to press? Your cheekiness might just intrigue the user more, than a normal âClick Hereâ or âLearn More.â
Huemor really got their humor on, with this witty âDo Not Pressâ CTA button.
Webflow, a DIY website building portal, takes it to another level. They not just tell you about the creative struggle of web designing, which you would already agree with considering youâre visiting their site, but they also tell you what you can expect.
11. Pop It Up!
Pop-up CTA buttons, you can love them or hate them, but you canât ignore them! Pop-ups by nature are urgent and are always screaming for attention. But they can be solution-driven and thatâs where CTA buttons play a major role.
They always have something to get the user to subscribe or sign up. It could be a downloadable e-book, a monthly newsletter, or anything which gives you instant value.
Are you an online brand? Use pop-ups to lay that last bait, a juicy offer, perhaps like the way Hush Puppies does it�
No Sale or offer on the platter? No problem, Pop-ups are still the go-to tools to push the user towards your goal.
StuckInCustoms, a travel and photography blog, does this well with this entry pop-up that helps people quickly go to where they want to on the site.
12. Plead Guilty!
Guilt-tripping Exit CTA buttons - Want to catch them while they are just about to leave? Guilt-tripping CTA buttons might just get them to stay. For eg: Yes...I want to lose Weight! No, I don't mind the extra pounds!
Now, now, Grammarly, thatâs harsh isn't it? But it works!
Donât want to take a negative tone?
You could change it to NO, My grammarâs pretty good!
So something like this one...
Check out how here the âNo, I donât want to get your awesome contentâ is strategically in small caps and places the benefit â awesome content â that youâll be deprived of if you donât subscribe.
13. Curious CTA buttons
A striking question can really make all the difference. Questions pique curiosity easily. Check out how HubSpot puts you in the spot.
Beachway Therapy Centre does this well too by including the pain point or the objection to be addressed in the CTA button itself.
Cisco again fuels the anticipation of the user, whoâs looking to keep systems secure with the âAre You Ready?â CTA.
14. Aye, Aye, Captain
Now, these affirmative CTA buttons are great if youâre looking to help the user take the plunge by highlighting the pain point that the CTA will help the user address.
LemonStand had a pop-up offering a growth guide to eCommerce businesses with a CTA button that said, Yes, I want to grow faster. In this, the pain point which is to âgrow fasterâ is used in the CTA.
Check out how the copy at the top starts with an affirmative Yes! The CTA Yes Please! Here, the CTA feeds on the confidence that the copy exudes and gives the added push to sign up.
15. Zero Selling Point
These are great as social media CTA buttons; if youâre just looking to build an initial connection with potential customers without having an offer in place or if youâre a micro-influencer whoâs trying to reach out to more people. Thereâs no pressure on the user to buy/subscribe, plus you get more viewers or better still, followers!
16. Whatâs in it for me?
When the CTA clearly states the benefit the user can enjoy, for eg âGive Me Growth Tips'' it just adds a stronger push to click.
Conversionxl is hinting that giving them your email gets you a step closer to becoming a Conversion Master.
Assuring its audience of a better period, Thinx, is a period underwear brand that uses the CTA button âperiod betterâ and it couldnât have done the job better!
Inbound.org does this well! Thereâs the benefit of growing and growing NOW.
Check out the Urgent, Benefit-driven, and a power word like START.
Itâs all good.
17. TWO to Tango
When you have 2 different kinds of users using your app/website, youâll want to include both kinds with respective CTA buttons.
But as they say, no 2 CTA buttons are equal.
For eg Monster has job seekers and employers both visiting the site.
The primary CTA button is for job seekers thatâs why it dominates the site whereas, the CTA button for employers is at the bottom.
Uber has CTAs for both drivers and passengers. âMake money while you drive your carâ, for drivers, is right at the top navigation bar. âStart ride with Uberâ is at the center of the page and obviously dominates the page due to the contrasting color used. The straightforward copy further manages to arrest attention.
Here you go, right when you thought, you were missing something!
CTA Trivia
In 2009, Unbounce declared the Orange Button - The Big Orange Button - as the color that converts your CTA the best! But over the years, brands have reached the conclusion that whichever color stands in contrast to the background and doesnât get lost in the design has an equally good chance to convert!
Source: CXL
Interestingly, Barkbox creates 2 equally sized CTA buttons for first-time users while existing users continue by logging in. âGet Startedâ are for those looking to sign up whereas âGive a Giftâ are for those not looking to commit but just looking to Gift a Barkbox.
This way, they donât chase away those whoâre not looking to sign up and still close a sale.
18. Second to None
A Secondary CTA button is an alternative CTA to the primary CTA buttons like Sign Up, Download Now, that you ideally want visitors to click etc. Basically, these CTAs will still keep users interested in your services when they are not ready to commit.
The Go Premium one is highlighted whereas Play for Free is muted. Though Spotify wants to push for premium subscriptions they would not want to lose consumers with a take it or leave it attitude, hence the secondary CTA button is for those sitting on the fence.
Skype does it too.
19. The Refer-ee
Referral CTA buttons are one of the most underrated ones. Â
Rather than monotonous business jargon like ârefer a friendâ or âearn rewardsâ an âIntroduce Usâ can go a long way to get your customers to refer a friend.
Itâs more friendly and reflects genuine interest from the brandâs side to get introduced to new, potential customers.
Even better? Check out Harryâs a menâs grooming brand chooses does better than a Refer a Friend with Choose Your Friends
20. Interested?
Take The Tour, Visit your Office, Download the eBook, these are mainly for casual browsers who just chance upon your website - you wouldnât want to miss leveraging this surprise visit, now would you!
These persuade casual browsers to take concrete action which may help you close a sale too, down the line. These CTA buttons are great for service-based businesses like fitness centers, marketing services, or schools.
Here, Equinox uses the plain Schedule a Visit but backs it up with the offer of giving you your initiation back.
But if you want to milk their interest levels and tell them what you have to offer, without actually having an âofferâ, try something like what WPEngine a web hosting service does here with a simple, Â âSee Our Plansâ. Like this, you steer away from the dull Sign Up or the overwhelming âSchedule A Consultationâ.
With âHow We Help Marketersâ
Bluleadz, a Florida based digital marketing agency quickly garners interest in brands/companies looking for marketing services. âHow we help marketers' targets the right audience, engages the reader and piques curiosity.
Crossrope sells jump ropes. With this smart word play - Show Me The Ropes, they definitely boost interest levels more than what the know-it-all âKnow Moreâ could.
You can leverage interest level CTA buttons especially if you have downloadable content resources like a blog blog into a white paper or e-book or a case study.
Such CTAs take users closer to the content that they are interested to access and in the process get you their information details which you can add to your email list. Want to leverage this interaction? Try an additional CTA phrase, âAsk and you shall receiveâ and youâll be amazed by the willingness of people to share their deets!
21. Itâs all about the Community!
When youâre not just a brand looking for new subscribers but youâre looking to build a community.
Toms does this the best. Plus thereâs an irresistible offer!
The word âJoinâ has a lot of pull especially when the users know whatâs in it for them.
OkCupid gets this right all the time; inviting singles to join a thriving dating community with a great headline.
To optimize shopping experience, optimize CTAs
98% of visitors who visit an eCommerce siteâdrop off without buying anything.
Why: user experience issues that cause friction for visitors.
And this is the problem Convertcart solves.
We've helped 500+ eCommerce stores (in the US) improve user experienceâand 2X their conversions.
How we can help you:
Our conversion experts can audit your siteâidentify UX issues, and suggest changes to improve conversions.
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