How to Create High-Converting CTA Buttons

CTA Buttons are an integral part of any website's equation. Check out these tips how to optimize them.

A Call to Action button should be an integral part of any website.  After all, that very button encourages website visitors complete the action you want them to do, whether that’s opting in to your email list or purchasing your product or service.  There are many different elements to consider if you’re trying to maximize the results of your CTA buttons and in this article we’ll go through some of the most important ones.

Use an Actual Button Design

This seems like common sense, but your business website is not the place to use cute, elaborate, or artistic buttons.  If you want your website to be taken seriously then make sure you use an appropriate button design.  Your Call to Action button should match the tone of the rest of your website and should have a similar style, while still standing out from the rest of the web page.  Make sure that the button is not only clickable, but that it looks clickable, too.  Otherwise, website visitors may just ignore it.

cta

Pick a Logical Placement on the Page

You can’t just randomly stick a CTA button anywhere on the web page.  Find a location on the page that makes sense for the button.  It’s usually best to place the CTA button above the fold, although this is no longer a hard and fast rule.  The button should be in close proximity to the Call to Action statement on your page, so that visitors seamlessly connect the two elements.  For example, with an e-commerce website, a product image should be very close to the “Add to Cart” button.  It’s also a good idea to make some strategic usage of whitespace around the CTA button, as this will force the visitor’s attention to the button itself.

Another method of deciding where to place the button is to look at the analytics that show which section of the web page visitors spend the most time on, and then place your CTA button in the area where more people click.  Keep in mind that people usually read a web page in a F-shaped pattern, so it’s a safe bet for success in getting conversions if you place the button somewhere in the area.

Don’t Make the CTA Button Compete for Attention

Your CTA button shouldn’t have to fight with other website elements for attention.  This means that your website shouldn’t be so cluttered that it’s hard to find the CTA button.  The button should have a design that fits in with your website, but it should also stand out from the rest of the page.  For that matter, don’t use multiple CTA buttons on the same page.  When website visitors are overwhelmed with too many choices, they’ll often just opt to leave the website altogether, rather than make a choice.  Sometimes fewer choices are better.

Choose the Right Color and Font

Color and font choices can make a big difference as to whether website visitors hit that Call to Action button.  Choose a font that is similar to the other fonts used on your website, and choose a color that contrasts with the rest of your color palette.  Research has shown that orange- or green-colored button often have the best results.

The font of words on the CTA button should be simple and easy to read, although the text size for the button should usually be slightly larger than the text on the rest of the page, to allow a visitor to differentiate it from the rest of the page.  Much like the actual design of the CTA button, this is not the time to try to be cute or use a pretty font that may be too hard to read.

Choose Your Wording Carefully

Wording is very important with your Call to Action button, particularly since you have a limited amount of space in which to convince a website visitor to take an action.  Keep the wording simple but effective, with action words that say exactly what you want the visitor to do. For example, “Subscribe to Us,” “Add to Cart,” and “Download Now,” are all words that succinctly direct the visitor to do something.  Don’t include extra information in your CTA button unless you’re sure that it will enhance the user experience.

Try to create positive emotions with the CTA button, while conveying a sense of urgency with the words of your button.  Clear and concise action words will encourage website visitors to act and hit that button, by creating a sense of anticipation that website visitors can’t resist.  You can also encourage website visitors by using your CTA button as a way of offering something as a free trial or an opportunity to try something for free.  People are more likely to click that Call to Action button if they feel like they’re getting a bargain and if they’re not obligated in the future.

Final Words

Designing an effective Call to Action button should play an important role in your website design because it can make a great difference in conversion rate. What good is a beautifully designed website if it doesn’t convert? Try to apply these principles and don’t be afraid to experiment until you find that sweet spot.