Landing Page Conversion Optimization Checklist: Call-to-Action

May 2, 2014 - 5 minutes read

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Part 1: Getting Started
Part 2: Headlines
Part 3: Call-to-Action
Part 4: Social Proof
Part 5: Buyer Objections
Part 6: Lead Generation
Part 7: The Copy
Part 8: Landing Page Design
Part 9: Prelaunch

[title text=”Calls-to-Action (CTA)” line=”true” size=”h3″]
After the headline, your call-to-action (CTA) is arguably the next most important element on your landing page. Its purpose is to gently nudge the visitor to convert into a customer. CTA can refer to the button or link itself, or more generally, anything that prompts the user to take action, whether that be to enter their email, buy your product, or anything in between.

_____ Is your CTA above the fold?

It may be more appropriate to have your CTA near the end of your long form landing pages. However, when it comes to short form (and sometimes long form) formats, you should almost always place the CTA above the fold, so the visitor can start mentally preparing for the next step, right away. The two are not mutually exclusive, however. Be sure to keep the action itself consistent throughout.

_____ Is your CTA repeated throughout your landing page?

I’ll often include multiple instance of my call to action, particularly when dealing with long form sales letters. If you’re utilizing a short form lander longer than a single page, it’s a good idea to include a CTA at the end of your page as well, in addition to the CTA above the fold. The saves the visitor from having to scroll back to the top, and provides them a way to take then next step when they’re ready to.

_____ Is your CTA free of generic verbs?

Action words like “Submit” or “Click Here” are so cliché that many readers are likely to subconsciously block them from their minds, resulting in a lower CTR. Substitute these duds for more descriptive actions like “Get Your Free eBook” or “Claim Your Free Trial Now”. This applies to your request for action, as well as the button itself.

_____ Does your CTA promote a sense of urgency?

You want your reader to convert right now, so you don’t want to give them the impression that the current offer will be around forever. Give them an ultimatum such as “only 300 copies left” or “On Sale for Only 24 Hours!” to promote a sense of urgency that encourages them to take action now, rather than later.

_____ Does your CTA accurately represent the action that follows?

People hate to feel like they’ve been deceived, so tricking your visitors into clicking isn’t likely to do you much good. If your product is going to cost something, don’t be afraid to claim so.

_____ Does your CTA focus on what they’ll receive, rather than what they’ll need to do to get it?

Although you want to be upfront about the price of your product, that doesn’t mean you have to remind them that they’ll be forking over their money. The CTA, if effective, is the last thing they’ll see before buying. To put it bluntly, the final thought you want running through their brain is how they’ll be benefiting, not what it will cost them. Try “Get the Solution To All Your Acne Problems” instead of “Buy Your Copy Now for Only $19.95”.

_____ Is your CTA graphic sufficiently eye-grabbing?

Bigger is almost always better when it comes to the size of your CTA image and/or text. Increase the size of your CTA until it’s almost too big, then make it 25% bigger.

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