It takes more than a pale button, or an underlined word to get your readers to actually take an action on your site. Face it, “click here” is a pretty weak incentive to do much of anything. You’ll be lucky if your reader bothers to slide the cursor over the link. Your call to action should call for an activity:
- Buy Now!
- Join Us!
- Make an Appointment
- Get Your Free ebook!
Don’t “click here”
If your link means to launch your reader into a hotbed of information and compelling content, give them an active way to get there:
Don’t – For more information about Savings Bonds, click here
Instead – Get Savings Bonds! or Tell me more about Savings Bonds.
The Big Bright Button
For a call to action button, it’s clear that bigger and brighter is better. Studies show that large buttons get far more responses, so it’s no surprise that many “add to cart” buttons are bright orange and that some action buttons are larger than the brand logo.
Offer An Alternative
Sometimes its good to give your visitor more information to convince them to take action. Asking folks to sign up to download your ebook? Give them an opportunity to look at the table of contents to seal the deal. Teaching an online course? Offer a look at the syllabus, or a preview lesson.