So much of our time spent in digital marketing is preparing the customer journey for that magical moment of conversion. We organize campaigns and initiatives, write pages of copy, and pull the data we need to make informed decisions. Then, when it’s finally time to open our funnel up to the public everything can hinge on that final call-to-action (CTA)! If you’re wondering whether to use “Apply Here” or “Consult our Team of Experts” is the right phrase for your next CTA, you’ve come to the right post. Here we’ll discuss writing a good CTA and what approaches complement your customer’s journey the best!
Spending hours on tweaking the colors or size and shapes of buttons can only really get you so far. While your conversion funnel has many specific elements to inform and persuade your customers, the moment of their decision really comes down to your CTA’s invitation. For paid search advertisements in general, you are dependent on the copy itself rather than imagery or video. In all honesty, writing a good CTA means different things for each and every business.
The best way to break it down is by understanding the intent and goals of your customers, thus crafting your CTA to reflect this!
People Search with Goals in Mind
In the age of digital marketing, we’ve come to think of the customer journey as something much more complex than simply seeing a commercial and entering credit card information. Customers may interact with your brand or product several times and on different platforms before even considering a purchase! Viewing your CTA as a reflection of a search’s urgency is the way to really zero-in on what to say.
Low-Urgency Searches
For potential customers in the low-urgency bracket, they may be just flirting with the idea of your product or service. Generally speaking, using words like “free” or “no-risk” can be turnoffs for paid search marketers, however, it’s about the phrase as a whole.
If you’ve got a hot-new SEO tool, you might approach your CTA like:
“Start Gaining New Insights | Free Trials Available”
At this point, you’re just looking to get people familiarized with your product or service. Offering freebies is the way to go if you’re not quite tailoring your efforts to our next level of urgency…
Medium-Urgency Searches
If customers already have a general idea of what you sell or what they need in the end, it makes sense to start breaking out the bigger guns. These searchers are a little past the “free trials” and are more inclined to specifics. Still, they are mainly in research mode and may not be ready to buy just yet.
Using some keyword research, try to figure out how people are searching to meet their goals. Here you might want to try something along the lines of:
“3D Printers for Prototyping | Cost-Efficient Modeling”
Here you’re thinking like a customer is searching, all while adding a little extra selling point with the second half. With writing a good CTA it often comes down to getting as much information across as possible in as few words as you can.
High-Urgency Searches
At last, we’re writing with immediate solutions in mind. This is for all of the emergency car-rental services and locksmiths of the world! Still, just about any business can incorporate these CTAs into their marketing efforts, it’s just about finding the right moment in the customer journey.
Writing a good CTA is about capturing the task at hand after a customer graduates from the research phase. Consider something like
“Immediate Consultations | Organize Your Taxes in Less Than 24 Hours!”
These are the types of searches that get people in touch with phone lines or online chat services for immediate service. What would seem way too pushy for a low-urgency search is generally what you’re trying for here.
At the end of the day, writing a good CTA is about getting a grip on your customers’ motivations. Addressing the various portions of your conversion funnel through different levels of urgency helps to inform your overall copy and the text used.
Got any particular examples of writing a good CTA? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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