Crafting Effective Calls to Action

Your website exists for a reason - to boost the bottom line of your business or nonprofit. Whether it's booking a table, making a purchase, scheduling an appointment, signing up to volunteer, or making a donation - you want viewers to do something - this is your call to action. While a website may have several objectives, but there should always be ONE clearly stated and trackable call to action. Here are some ideas for creating a call to action that will generate tangible results.

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Your website exists for a reason - to boost the bottom line of your business or nonprofit. Whether it's booking a table, making a purchase, scheduling an appointment, signing up to volunteer, or making a donation - you want viewers to dosomething - this is your call to action. While a website may have several objectives, there should always be ONE clearly stated and trackable call to action. Here are some ideas for creating a call to action that will generate tangible results:

• Are you a restaurant or other brick & mortar business who needs more people coming through your door? If you accept reservations then your call to action should be an online booking widget or your phone number. If you don't accept reservations then your call to action could be your Download Our Menu button (and your phone number should still be prominent).
• Are you a lawyer or someone who offers a free initial consultation? Try making your call to action a simple "Free Consultation" formright on your home page. Hint: While CAPTCHA's (the squiggly-line prove-you-are-human boxes) keep out fake entries they also decrease the likelihood of your form being completed. Unless you have a very compelling reason to use them they should be avoided on lead forms. 
• Are you a nonprofit? You may be simultaneously working to collect donations and get volunteers. If so, pick ONE area to focus on for a month and create a compelling graphic to lead the viewer to the call to action. For example, happy people working together accompanied by a simple sign up form is a great way to attract volunteers. Likewise, showing successful images along with a donate button can work well. Hint: Don't plunk a PayPal button down in a corner of your home page and expect it to magically bring in donations.

Your goal in crafting a compelling call to action is to think concretely about ONE thing that you want your viewers to do, then create a compelling message through text and imagery to lead them towards taking that action.
Tips:

1. View your home page from your audience's perspective, keep your call to action visually prominent and quick & easy for users to complete.
2. Make your call to action something you can track - ideally a clickable button or a form.This helps you see where your leads area coming from.
3. Keep a marketing notebook and check your web stats over a period of time to see what results you're getting. How many people clicked that button the first month... compared to the second? Then try tweaking the message or focusing on a different call to action.
4. Ask your clients what they think and/or take a look at the websites of other people in your industry to see what interesting things they are doing (or what ugly things to avoid).

Your organization is unique and it may take some creative thinking to convert website visitors into patrons, clients and donors but start with the basics: identify ONE thing, make your call to action bold and simple, track your results, experiment and be persistent.
Cheers to your successful site!

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