There are countless amount of blogs online, and our marketing team read through hundreds of posts each week.
Something we have become aware of is the lack of call-to-action in blogs. We find ourselves reading posts but not knowing what the company running the blog actually do. We don’t know what service or product they sell.
We can only assume they’re blogging to attract new customers to their site but they don’t have any email opt-ins or calls to action. So the majority of readers will just leave after reading the post.
We are not saying that you should bombard your readers with pop ups and banners, we just feel that more blogs should show their purpose and try harder to acquire more customers.
To do that you need to encourage visitors to take some action after reading a post, whether it’s signing up for your email list or making a purchase of some sort.
You need a CTA.
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Decide On An Objective
Before you begin, you need a clear idea of what you actually want your readers to do. What action you want them to take. Are you trying to get them to sign up for your email list? Share something on social media? Also, what is the most likely action they will take?
There’s a concept called attention ratio in conversion rate optimization. The more calls to action you have, the lower the ratio and the lower your conversion rates. The same concept applies to your blog posts. If your primary objective is growing the email list, then focus on that with your CTAs.
In the end, if you don’t know what you want your readers to do, then how will they know?
Place the CTA Strategically
Most CTAs are found at the end of a blog post. That makes sense, right? A person reads the blog and is then spurred to take action.
However, according to a study by Josh Schwartz, a Chartbeat data scientist, the majority of readers will only get through about 60 percent of an article. Rather than placing the CTA at the end of a post, consider using a CTA that will scroll down the screen as the reader progresses down the page.
A plugin that we have been using recently is SumoMe, which slides a CTA up from the bottom of the browser after readers have reached a certain stage of your post. The sliding motion attracts attention and the CTA remains visible after that. When you increase the visibility of your CTA, you increase the chances of it being acted upon.
Alternatively, you can embed CTAs in the body of your posts. Anyone reading the post will have to look at the CTA, and if they’ve enjoyed the post so far, they’re more likely to take action.
Design Matters
Strategic placement aside, you also want your CTAs to stand out on their own. Colour always draws attention, especially when using contrasting colours.
There are no standard colours that convert best. This will vary with each website. If your theme is predominantly blue, try using a green or red CTA to make it stand out.
The use of functions
Functions are great for getting clicks. For instance, if you want readers to click through to another page, use a button that stands out. The CTA should basically reflect the objective. The design can be as nice as you like – no button will mean no clicks!
Write Creative Copy
Now that you have your readers’ attention, you must convince them to take action. Your CTA copy should basically explain why they need to take this action and how it will benefit them. There are three parts to the typical CTA…
The Headline
This is the summary of what you’re offering. For example, if you’re giving away an ebook, keep it short and clear “Get The Free Ebook”.
If you’re just offering a newsletter or something along these lines, you can go with something like, “Get my best fitness tips straight to your inbox.”
The Body
The point where many people fail is on the body copy. They try to cram in as much as possible when really it should just be a couple of lines long.
Tell readers what problems your ebook will help solve, or what the email subscription will give them. Basically, just reiterate the point in your CTA with a few more words.
What Your Buttons Say
The creative copy doesn’t end there. You need to think about every little detail – including the text you put on your buttons. Again, some creative copy here will help increase conversions. Instead of the mundane “Subscribe,” use something a bit more unique like “Yes, I want that book.” This will get people more excited to click the button.
Keep It Simple
Don’t ask too much of your readers in your CTA. The last thing they want to do is fill out their phone numbers, home address, or pet’s name. If you want to collect emails, one form field is enough. You can collect more information about them later through email nurturing, but step one is to get a foot in the door with an email.
Similarly, if you want them clicking through to another page, one button is all you need. Any more and your conversion rates will start to drop.
Time For You To Take Action
Your call to action is an essential part of your blog. However, in order for it to be effective and actually get results, you must consider certain aspects. The pointers in this post will help you create effective CTAs that will help convert readers into leads and customers.
Try testing different versions of your CTA to incrementally increase conversion rates. From different placements, to different designs etc.
After you’ve made your CTA’s come back here and let us know how they’re getting on in the comments below.
