Call to action is an element that can boost conversions and increase chances to encourage users to take desired action. But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for the call to action, especially when there are different visitors, customers, leads, and promoters visiting your website.
From making them buy your product or service, subscribe to your newsletters or follow you on different social media platforms. Whatever your marketing goals may be a clear and effective CTA button can prompt website visitors to take specific action.
Call to action buttons help your brand to generate leads, start moving them through the sales funnel and boost your marketing campaigns effect.
Having a variety of CTA buttons on your website ensures that you are catering to different types of visitors and creating multiple touchpoints for them to engage with your brand.
In this blog post, we will discuss 12 different types of CTAs that will help you drive more sales and results and achieve your brand marketing goals.
Understanding the CTAs
A call to action is a prompt or message that encourages users to take a specific action and improve the click-through rate for your website.
CTA can appear as a clickable button or simple text that is commonly used in marketing campaigns and sales to guide users to the next step in the sales funnel journey and perform certain actions such as subscribe, click, download, etc…
A well-crafted CTA helps your business to grab audience attention and incentivize them to take a decisive step, which can increase conversion or drive traffic where you want it to go. Each CTA has different wording, so make sure to pick the right words to make them reach the right audience.
Benefits of Using Call to Actions (CTA)
Increase Conversions: Effective CTAs can drive more conversions by asking them to take action, whether it is signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or downloading an ebook.
Increased Engagement: Using appropriate CTAs, encourage your audiences to get engaged with your content, follow on your social media, or participate in discussions to build stronger relationships with the customers and turn them into loyal ones.
Improve User Experience: With the right CTA button, you make it easier for the audience to navigate through the website and provide a positive experience that increases the chances of conversion.
Brand Awareness: A CTA has the ability to build brand awareness and recognition by using a consistent tone and style across marketing materials, making it easier for the audience to remember and recognize you.
These are some benefits of the CTA that improve sales and conversion rates for your website or any marketing campaign.
CTA Types for Your Website and Online Store
Here are 12 different types of CTAs marketers can use for their website and online stores
1. Lead Generation CTA
As mentioned above, calls to action are effective lead-generation tools for your website since the main goal is to convert visitors into leads using CTA. Add lead generation types of CTAs to your web pages and blogs, specifically at the bottom, to grab the attention of new visitors.
Your lead generation CTA should typically invite users to sign up for the newsletter, download a resource, request a demo, or take advantage of a special offer in exchange for an email address or other contact information.
Using phrases like “Sign Up for Our Newsletter“, “Download Free Guide,” “Unlock Exclusive Deals,” “Enroll Now,” and more can help to generate more leads.
Here is an example of Lead Generation CTA from Mail Chimp:
2. Lead Nurturing CTA
Lead nurturing is more about connecting with prospects on a deeper level and building trust among them before asking for their business. It is a crucial process that focuses on connecting with the right audience and building relationships at every stage of the funnel until they purchase.
These CTAs are a prompt or message that guides leads through the various stages of the sales funnel to encourage users to engage further with your brand and move them closer to making a purchase decision.
Unlike lead generation CTAs, lead nurturing CTA focuses on connecting with existing customers in a deeper sense and providing them with valuable content or opportunities to interact with your brand.
Using phrases like “Learn More“, “Read Our Case Studies,” “Download additional resources“, and more can help to nurture leads.
Here is an example of Lead Nurturing CTA from Hubspot:
3. Sales Conversion CTA
Once you nurture the lead, you need to turn them into customers. The Sales Conversion CTA is more sales-focused and encourages leads to typically make a purchase or subscribe to your services. Unlike lead generation or Lead nurturing CTA, which focuses on capturing leads and nurturing them, Sales Conversion CTA aims to close the deal and turn leads into paying clients.
When driving sales, it’s about using the right CTA that captivates audiences and makes them want to make a purchase. Using phrases like “Buy Now“, “Add to Cart,” “Shop Now,” and many more.
Here’s a Sales Conversion CTA example from Cococart.
4. Read More/Blog Post CTA
Whether you want to share informational content, a customer case study, or a press newsroom, make sure to encourage readers to discover more by influencing them to click on the “Read More” types of CTAs button.
A “Read More” CTA button is typically used in content marketing to encourage readers to explore further information on a specific topic. It is commonly used at the end of blog posts, articles, or social media posts where a summary or content is displayed, followed by a “read more” CTA.
Use phrases like “Read More,” “Continue reading,” “Learn More,” and many more to encourage readers to continue reading and improving traffic as well as spending more time on your website.
Here’s an example of the “Read Story” CTA button from ClickUp.
5. Social Sharing CTA
Up on the list is Social Sharing CTA, which encourages users to share a piece of content with their friends, families, and other users. These buttons can also be used to enable users to follow your social platforms and engage with your brand.
They typically display different social media platform buttons along with the text, prompting users to share the content and follow your brand. That helps the brand to increase social shares, impressions, brand presence and potential revenue.
Use phrases like “Share on Social Media“, “Follow Us, “Click to tweet,” and many more.
Here’s an example use of social platform icons by WiserNotify.
6. Event Promotion CTA
If you are promoting an event, focus on Event promoting types of CTAs that prompt actions that clearly invite them and encourage them to attend. Use an event promotion CTA to raise awareness of the event and exclusivity of the event with phrases like “Limited Seat Available – Register Now!”
Use an event promotion CTA to raise awareness of the event, which helps drive ticket sales or sign up for the events. You can add a form that makes it clear for users to sign up for the event, encourage them to attend, and provide some contact information for potential leads.
Use phrases like “Register for Webinar“, “Join Event Now,” “Get Your Tickets,” and more to encourage them.
Here’s an example of event promotion CTA from Inbound.
7. Free Trial/Subscriptions CTA
This type of CTA is a must-have to offer extended by your brand that allows users to access the product or services for a limited period of time. It’s a common strategy used to offer and promote a free trial to engage with the right audiences, and users get the opportunity to experience the product or services firsthand.
Use words like “Start Your Free Trials“, “Subscribe Now,” and many more.
Here’s an example of Free Trial CTa from Document 360.
8. Product Discovery CTA
Product discovery types of CTAs buttons are typically used on websites, product pages, or digital platforms to encourage users to explore more or learn more about a specific range of products. This CTA button is designed to prompt visitors to take action to view more information about a product.
Examples of product discovery CTA phrases like “Discover Our Products“, “Explore Features“, and many more.
Here’s an example of a Product Discovery CTA from Nike.
Related: 10 Impactful Push Notification CTA Examples to Use in 2024
9. Contact Us/Feedback CTA
A Contact Us types of CTAs makes it easier for the audience to contact you. Adding contact CTAs on all pages facilitates communication between your brand and customers, allowing users to ask specific questions, provide feedback, request support, or inquire about products or services.
Using phrases like “Contact Support“, “Give Feedback“, and others are great ways to encourage them.
Here’s an example of the Contact Us cta button “Let’s Talk” from SPD Load.
10. Limited Offer/Countdown CTA
These limited offer types of CTAs create a sense of urgency among the visitors and motivate them to take quick action. It creates FOMO to not lose the offer, along with creating a sense of scarcity and exclusivity.
Use phrases like “Limited Time Offer,” “Hurry Sale Ends Soon,” and many more to grab their attention.
Here’s an example of a Countdown timer CTA from Reliance Digital.
Also Read: Top 6 Mobile CTA Buttons That Drive More Clicks & Conversions in 2024
11. Testimonial/Review CTA
Testimonials are powerful elements in marketing that help to influence customers by providing social proof and building trust by showcasing the positive experience of existing customers. Using a testimonial Call to action encourages existing customers to leave a testimonial or a review for a product/service.
Use phrases like “Read Customer Stories” and “Leave a Review” for the Testimonial CTA.
Here’s an example from BarkBox asking for the recent experience of the customer.
12. Download/Lead Magnet CTA
Do you want to offer gated and exclusive content and increase the chances of conversion? Using these lead magnet types of CTAs influences customers to download the freebie in exchange for relevant contact information or other details.
Phrases like “Download eBook” and “Access Template” can be effective lead magnets to influence potential customers and take action.
Here’s an example from Hubspot influencing visitors to download the Free Marketing plan template.
These are the 12 best examples of different types of CTAs that can be used on landing pages, websites, a home page, a product page, email marketing, and other marketing channels to prompt a target audience or site visitors to take a desired action. Now, let’s dive into some key elements to design CTA for maximum impact for your business.
Designing CTAs for Maximum Impact
The fundamental step that turns visitors into customers is the unique, eye-grabbing design of the CTA. Here are key elements to craft an amazing CTA that helps you out.
■ Placement Strategies for Higher Visibility
Strategically positioning the Call to Action is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness in driving user management. Make sure to place the CTA that grabs and captures immediate attention on your marketing platforms. CTA placement improves the overall experience and chances of more conversion.
Must Go: 12 CTA Mistakes to Avoid That 90% of Marketers Make
■ Importance of CTA Copy
Crafting an engaging CTA involves leveraging action-oriented words that build an emotional connection with the audience. Use strong command verbs and meaningful verbs like “Secure Your Exclusive Spot Now” or “Grab the Exclusive Offer” that create a sense of urgency and exclusivity and resonate with the audience’s needs and desires.
■ Visual Elements That Enhance CTA Effectiveness
Make sure the CTa copy is eye-catching and achieve your marketing goals. Make sure to use contrasting colors, powerful and actionable words, sizes, shapes, fonts, and white spaces that make it visual for the customers. Combine all these elements to make sure the CTA makes users click and drive desired outcomes for your marketing efforts.
■ Using Dynamic CTAs to Boost Engagement
Adapt CTAs based on time, location, and user engagement that give personalized user experience and increase engagement with the audience. Using marketing tools, data, research, and analytics to track user behavior, customer journey, and the sales funnel stage increases the likelihood of engagement and conversion that resonates with the customer’s needs and preferences.
Related: 9 Best Call To Action (CTA) Tools to Help Raise Conversions
Conclusion
CTAs make your website easy to navigate and serve as a roadmap for visitors to improve user experience and convert them into valuable customers. However, make sure to craft a compelling CTA that resonates with the user and influences them to take the next step.
Whether it is Purchase CTAs, Signup CTA, Simple CTA, or other types of CTAs, make sure to craft a call to action button that prompts users to take action and offer value. Whether you place one CTA, second CTA, or multiple CTAs, on a landing page, website, home page, or any digital marketing platform, create CTAs that offer value and immediate action to the user.
Now you know different types of CTAs that can be used as per your marketing goals and improve conversion rates for your website. Make sure to optimize CTA according to your marketing strategy and continually do A/B testing to optimize their performance and achieve business success.
