How to write an effective call to action (CTA) to round out your business blog post.
What is a CTA.
A call to action is a phrase used on your website or blog that asks readers to do something. It’s also called an “action statement”, “prompt”, or “command”. CTAs are all around us, popping out of advertisements, emails, and television screens. They’re an important component in the marketing toolbox because they ask people to take action.
You have probably seen some CTAs before, but you might not have realized it. “Call now for a free consultation”, “Find out more about our services” and “Subscribe to our newsletter” are all examples of calls to action that are used on websites or blogs.
Why is a CTA important?
Writing a good action statement, prompt, or command can have a huge effect on your business blog post. It’s sometimes referred to as the “make it or break it” part of a message because it essentially asks people to do something. If you don’t ask people to take action, they won’t.
If you’re writing a blog post, the CTA is the part that ties it all together and brings readers to take action. You can’t assume that people will do what you want because there are a lot of other options out there for them to read or watch.
What isn’t a CTA
A call to action isn’t a label placed at the end of a sentence. The label “call now” at the end of a sentence doesn’t force people to take an action, it simply states that they should do something in order for them to get more information.
The label “call now” only tells people what you want them to do, but there isn’t a strong sense of urgency or need for them to take action.
How to write a good call to action
Writing a good action statement, prompt, or command can have a huge effect on your business blog post. Here are some tips for writing an effective call to action that rounds out your blog post.
Put the power in their hands – Let people know that they have the choice of responding or not, but give them information on what could happen if they don’t take an action. For example, “Find out more about our services below” is better than “Enter your email address to receive a free consultation.”
Make it personal – Ask questions that help you get to know your audience on a more personal level. This will make them more likely to respond because they feel like the message is directed at them. “Do you want to start your day better?” or “Is there something that’s been holding you back from being healthy?” are examples of questions that let people know that there is something they can improve.
Make it easy – Insert links into your blog post so readers don’t have to do additional work to find out more. Better yet, make it super easy for them by including a form to fill out or submitting a quick contact form. This way they can take action without having to go through the hassle of finding more information on their own.
The Call to action button
Include a call-to-action button – A lot of people are visual, so posting a bunch of text may not be the best idea. A call-to-action button, like the one above, will catch attention and stay in memory longer than a bunch of words at the bottom of your blog post. It also gives readers a visual cue on what you want them to do next.
Linking considerations
There are a few things to consider when linking content for SEO. Search engines like Google and Bing look at the context of your link to determine its relevancy. For example, if you use “click here” or “visit this website,” it won’t help people find what they’re looking for because it is too generic.
<rel canonical> <alt tag>
The rel canonical tag is a HTML element that allows webmasters to tell search engines which version of a URL should be indexed. The <rel canonical> element can also let other websites know which URL you prefer for linking purposes.
An alt attribute tells screen-reading software, like the text-to-speech software used by visually impaired people.
The alt attribute helps people with disabilities understand what is in the image they are viewing.
People should always use a real canonical and an alt tag because if not, some users will be unable to access your blog post. If there is no rel canonical or an incorrect one, or no alt tag then search engine crawlers cannot index your content properly. People who rely on screen readers can’t access it effectively either so they miss out on information too.
The call to action can be the difference between a mediocre blog post and one that generates results. Make sure you have an actionable statement in your headline, body copy, or conclusion so people are compelled enough to take some sort of next step with your business after reading it.
Here at Adept Creative we know how important this is because our team specializes in digital marketing services for businesses just like yours. If you need help crafting a powerful call-to-action that will compel readers to act on what they’ve read then contact us today!
