15+ Call-to-Action Examples You Can’t Help But Click

ABOUT CTA

In case you’re taking part in the world of digital marketing, you’ll eventually come across the CTA, a popular term used in advertising and selling.

CTA is an acronym for Call-To-Action, and it’s proven to be one of the most useful features for increasing sales.

Basically, it’s a message displayed on the clickable ad that leads website visitors to the page related to the advertised brand.

CTA is designed to convince people to take an action (for instance, read an article, learn about the brand, buy the product, use a service, etc).

It is similar to a hyperlink in Word documents, which means that by clicking on a particular ad picture, you’ll be automatically redirected to any other web place of the advertiser’s choice.

Those buttons must be strategically designed and placed on the webpage in the way that drives attention to them, allowing users to discover the offers easily.

You can find these anywhere: social media (usually Facebook), e-mail messages, websites, articles, forums and many more; all chosen according to the audience the brands are looking for the most.

Companies also take care of every single detail of the CTA button, such as font, text size, background and text colors, word meanings, the position of the message, etc.

Why is this important? Because a successful CTA is the one that is impossible to miss or ignore, leading to massive conversion rates.

Source: auburn.co.uk

The most effective call-to-action techniques use basic psychology.

CTA feature needs to provoke an immediate response from the audience that will eventually result in higher profit for the business advertised.

This is mostly done by using imperative verbs such as “learn more”, “call now”, “sign up today” and others similar to these.

In desperate need of new customers, businesses promise varieties of gifts, discounts, benefits, free services and anything that could catch the user’s attention while browsing.

Companies understand that the key to a powerful and effective CTA is providing customers with strong and compelling reasons for purchasing straight away without delaying the purchase decision.

As a key element on a webpage, CTA is sometimes used as a signpost that leads visitors through the website, telling him which step is the next and what else to do.

In most cases, where there is one CTA ad, there must be more of them somewhere on the webpage.

They are very often brought together to strengthen the effect and chances of being noticed.

MOSTLY USED PHRASES

Basically, marketing is all about encouraging people to use offered services or products. And there are dozens of words that could trigger potential customers to take such actions.

Mostly used and the most effective ones are probably “free”, “new”, “guarantee”, “you”, and similar.

They seem so simple, but these regular words used correctly give amazing results.

They compare your offerings against the competitors’ ones, but in a positive manner, helping people to choose you rather than all the others.

The best example is the word “you” that makes the message feel more personal and engaging.

That way, potential customers can feel as the message was directed at them, instead of hundreds of people besides.

A similar effect is causing the word “my”. A targeted CTA will convert 42% better than a generic one.

But there’s bigger problem companies are dealing with. Most of the visitors come and look around, browse the offers on the website and then leave to “think about it and come back later”. In most cases, they never return.

And again, advertisers found a way to fix this issue by adding a sense of urgency to their messages. They use words like “now”, “immediately”, “last chance”, “hurry”, “limited supply”, “only today”, etc.

Of course, most of these offers last much longer then the message says, but people still feel as they’ll lose a chance of getting a product if they miss an offer this time. It’s basic psychology.

Companies know how to use these to make a profit, but do we know how to recognize a click-bait?

Here we’ll explain what is hiding behind the most popular phrases you see all around the internet and can’t help but click.

1. Click here for details

Plain and simple, yet so compelling, it convinces people that they are missing some information so they must read along.

Also, you can increase conversions if the reader knows what exactly he is going to get by clicking on the CTA.

There are also many variations of this phrase, but they all have one thing in common – they offer some sort of information that the customer might be seeking. Different audiences look for different offers.

Chances for getting higher conversion rates are increased that way. Mostly it gets even higher by adding a sense of urgency (the word “immediately” for example).

2. Try for free

We assure you there is no person who doesn’t like the word “free”.

Whether the offered product is valuable or not, no one can walk away from a free sample.

Many people don’t trust it, but the messages eventually find their prey.

A lot of companies offer a test drive for those unfamiliar with product or brand, but interested in the particular type of offer.

They help users make a more informed decision by letting them feel the benefits of offered products.

On the other hand, customers can see the company’s confidence and faith when it comes to their own services. It’s as they already believe that people will get satisfied and come back for more.

The variations of the phrase: “sign up free”, “free trial”, “get free sample”, “try it for free today”, etc. Research had shown that by using “try” with the free-something phrase, users are more likely to take an action since the message sound more active and engaging itself.

But people are already familiar with the concept of a free sample, so they will recognize the language in any case.

3. Learn more about us

CTAs of this kind are usually made to increase brand awareness among people interested in a particular branch but not quite familiar with companies in it.

It allows interested visitors to learn more about the company’s work, collect information they were looking for and become familiar with the company’s concept.

Moreover, this CTA helps people remember the business name, so when they need to compare or buy they’ll probably choose the one they already heard of.

The more people you reach through this type of CTA, the word about your business will spread faster, leading to better sales and global brand recognition.

4. Join/Reply now and get

In case we use “join now and get” phrase, it is important to know that the word “join” conveys the feeling of belonging, acceptance, and community.

We all want to be part of some groups, right? This is where this message hides its power.

During every stage of our lives, we are part of the communities, groups, clubs or teams. It is our family we belong to, a sports club maybe, libraries and many others.

We have a need to be surrounded by those with similar interests, those who understand and accept us. That’s the whole point of the “join” thing – to make users feel as they are becoming members of a group of people with similar interests or needs.

The concept of balance even increases this message’s meaning. Companies ask for something, but give something in return as well. It’s like trade, the same as giving money for a product of that particular value.

But it’s far simpler than that. They just ask for a simple reply, not a huge favor. But in return, customers get something of that value that might be useful for them.

It is usually an e-book, a template, a free sample or something else relevant to the specific audience.

5. Talk to an expert

The keyword here is “expert”. It tells visitors that the advertiser has enough knowledge to give advice and that they should feel safer while using this opportunity.

It shouldn’t be used if it’s not true, but unless stated, nobody can know who is on the other side of the computer.

This CTA message is used in case the companies want customers to reach them and call, so they must offer them valuable information in return

6. Send your application

We find these on university pages, internship programs, job searching websites and similar places that seek applicants.

The button is linked to a page where you can sign up and leave your data in order to find a new job/study/membership opportunity.

7. Click to use/Get a coupon

We all know that people are more likely to click on the CTA if they get a “payoff” for that click.

One of the many great ways to encourage users to take action is by offering a coupon for your product or service. It is discounted, but you are still selling it.

Although it’s more desirable when there’s an exact number in the message (“$50 coupon”, “20% discount” and similar), this CTA is efficient alone as well.

Who doesn’t like being included in special and exclusive offers, especially if it means getting one part for free?

8. Offer expires soon/today

And once again, we are talking about the sense of urgency. Just think of how many times you’ve clicked on one of these.

It basically says: the product is so exclusive that you’ll miss a great chance of having it if you postpone the decision. If you don’t snap the offer, perhaps you won’t find any similar soon.

Companies know that we understand very well the concept of clearance, so they use it to trigger our desires for the products.

They offer limited-edition products, huge discounts, and other benefits BUT you must take action right away or you’ll miss it. Pretty manipulative, isn’t it?

9. Reserve your spot now/today

Limited quantities also apply to events. An event can become more valuable from the consumers’ perspective if there are limited spots.

It is also recommended to state how many spots are there left and let the audience understand the meaning of it. Those who don’t reserve one, run the risk of being rejected after all spots get filled.

10. Download now

This CTA message is a true lead magnet.

It’s effective both for free and paid downloads since the visitors know what EXACTLY they will get if they click the CTA button. Nobody skips this one.

It is mostly found on the landing pages for specific services or products, and it leads visitors to the checkout or sales pages.

This explains why it’s one of the most effective CTA phrases – people on those websites have most probably been looking for this product and they are not there by accident.

11. Receive/Claim a free gift

As we’ve already mentioned, people love getting something for free.

Companies use this trick to convince people to buy anything from their product range by giving them more than they paid.

However, the truth is sometimes far more different.

Most of the purchases that lead to free gifts are very expensive; sometimes you pay for the free product as well without even knowing it.

The real price of the purchased item might be a little lower but increased only for those who want to claim “free gift” too.

This trick works as well online as it does in the offline world.

A free gift can be a pair of shoes for purchases over $500, but it could also be a simple and cheap template, article, advice, exclusive video, license, program or anything similar.

12. Get yours now

Definitely, one of the most personal and relatable messages that tells the customer they could get something very valuable that other people probably don’t. You can feel a sense of privacy in this one.

Translated, this CTA says “Make it yours before it becomes someone else’s”. It is mostly used in the beauty and fashion industry.

13. Get free shipping

You’ve probably searched through some of the most popular cheap shopping websites (Amazon, Wish, Ali Express…), where you can find the weirdest woman accessories you didn’t even know that exist, as well as furniture worth thousands of dollars.

If so, you probably understand the trouble of giving high amounts of money on shipping costs, which can sometimes be higher than the product price itself.

To attract new customers, companies partly solved this issue by offering free shipping on more expensive products.

This CTA states that you are asked to pay only the price of the item, but most often there will be no information about the products you can choose from.

Until you open the page linked to an ad, you can’t know how much money you have to spend to claim free shipping.

14. Money-back guarantee

It’s a rarity for companies to stand behind their products and services by offering exchange or money back if the customer is not satisfied.

Those who offer this possibility can attract buyers a lot easier since they don’t have to worry if the product looks just as described or shown on the picture.

People feel safer knowing that they’ll get the money back if the purchase turns out bad, if the size is wrong, or if the package was damaged.

We don’t know if the company will stand behind its promises after complaints, but the offer is surely tempting.

15. Do you want X?

This is mostly used on the audience that has problems with accepting themselves as they are, or getting ahead of something in their lives.

The message usually asks if they recognize a problem, and if so, the ad probably offers a solution.

For example, it could be “Do you want to lose weight fast?” or “Do you want to earn overnight?” These sure seem exciting and convincing for some of us.

If the sentences question modern-age problems, it is more likely that they will reach the wanted audience and get them to click on the CTA.

Some more CTA phrases you’ve probably seen around:

• #1
• 5 Stars
• Best Reviewed
• Cancel Anytime
• 1 Month Free
• Holiday Sale
• Act Quickly
• Start Today
• Now Hiring
• Take the Challenge
• Begin Now
• Contact Sales
• Results Guaranteed
• No Credit Card Required
• No Experience Required
• Why Wait?
• While Supplies Last
• Join the Beta
• Don’t Miss It
• Limited Stock
• Closing Soon
• Get Started
• Private Access
• Members Only
• Join the Waiting List
• Apply for Access
• Custom Made
• Signature Series
• 1 of 100
• By Appointment Only
• Take the Quiz
• Visit Our Office
• Read the Summary
• Help
• Contact Me
• Say Hi
• Email us here
• Connect with us on Social Media
• Questions?
• FAQs
• Subscribe
• Search
• Shop Now
• View Limited Deals
• Save Today
• Buy 3 receive 4. item Free
• Subscribers Only
• Join the Club
• Share with Your Friends
• Get The App

POPULAR EXAMPLES

Shopify

Shopify succeeds at getting concise in the very limited space of mobile ads. Their Facebook mobile ads are always simple, engaging and intriguing. Also, search for the colors they use.

These brief ads usually say “Sell your crafts online and in-store” or “Sell your crafts on FB”.

Spotify

When it comes to music, Spotify is worth as much is Netflix for movies. To stay no.1 it’s important to have well-designed promotions and engaging advertisements. This is why they have a very interesting approach to the CTA ads design.

There is one type of ad reading basic “install now”, as well as original ones such as “Music for love. Free”. And the service they offer is as good as they advertise it.

On the other hand, they use two competing CTAs at once. One of them leads to the free version, while the other opens the paid one. They clearly show that people should pay for the service of their choice only after they tried the free version and loved the quality.

Airbnb

Airbnb’s ads are simple, informative and easy for understanding. They don’t give useless facts and they know when to stop.

One of their better advertisements reads “Do you want to make extra money?” and without further ado, it shows just the way to do that.

Moreover, Airbnb offers users a tool for calculating how much can be earned on the platform. This allows more personalization, and the results speak for themselves.

CanvasPop

CanvasPop took advantage of Facebook advertising by placing the CTA in the right place. Instead of writing it underneath the ad picture, they write it above in the larger and more visible test.

The ad that got instant success stated “Get 60% off when you order today”, and it had more power and visibility the way it was written. It would have gotten lower reach if it was buried in the bottom in small text.

They also offer a quick explanation of what you’re getting by using CanvasPop services.

Evernote

Evernote uses for their CTA designs bold text, original font style, and very brightly colored button. Their ads look simply refreshing. They also took advantage of using the word “free” as their services are 100% free for everyone.

Instagram

The key part of Instagram’s CTA designs are images that this platform takes from its users to use it as a background.

These creative ads with high-quality pictures are very fast and efficient at attracting new users.

Starbucks

This coffee retail giant just knows how to use good CTA designs for encouraging consumers to stop by for a cup of coffee. Starbucks is well-known for its bold CTAs that get people to swipe through.

They are mostly using nature wallpapers and warm spring colors in combination with the “Swipe up to try” message, leading to the new flavors for the next season.

Ikea

Ikea mainly highlights their brand colors for CTA designs. Also, they provide us with just the right amount of information to understand what exactly they have on their shelves this season.

Their CTAs mostly lead to downloads, newsletter sign-ups and similar.

Netflix

The most popular sentence we all get to see these days says “cancel anytime”, which immediately lets people know that they are not risking losing money by using a free trial before the paid version.

Netflix wants us to know how much they believe in the convenience of their service by letting people stop using it they are unsatisfied.

They also write frequently “watch anywhere”, meaning that you can watch movies through their platform wherever you are and whatever device you are using.

Netflix shows users that there is no commitment and risk since they understand how many customers get skeptical about sneaky tricks brands use to get that one little click.

Besides, their ads offer very good insights (including movie trailers) into what to expect to get from the paid version.