If you’ve ever purchased a product or service, be it in person or online, it might have appeared to be the result of your own volition. Though it’s true that consumers buy what they need or want, there are subtle marketing elements that give them a push in their decision making. After putting in the effort to conceptualize and execute an attractive marketing campaign, the final statement is one that prompts the consumer into action. In the business, this is known as a Call To Action (CTA).
CTAs are short imperatives and action phrases that allow easy access to your end goal, such as sharing a post or buying a product. These come in the form of clickable buttons or opt-in forms placed in blog posts, social media content and websites. CTAs are an essential component to any digital marketing; by explicitly directing the viewer to do something, it drives them further along the buyer’s journey and conversion funnel, thus achieving the main purpose of your marketing content. To help you reach your business endeavours, here are 30 CTA examples you can consider when picking the ideal one for your product.
1. Sign Up Now
The “sign up” CTA is perhaps the most common one you’ll come across. Typically used to market courses, subscription deals or softwares, this is a simple and direct command meant to facilitate your easy registration process. On the Disney+ landing page, a minimalist web design makes the blue button stand out, making it more enticing to click on. Adding “now” at the end emphasises the imperative, urging you to take immediate action.
2. Save Now
Playing on gratification we get when saving money, this CTA tells you that buying the product instantly will secure you a good deal and save you a hefty sum. This is usually used to push bulk purchases or package deals. Streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ offer attractive discounts for yearly payments as compared to monthly, which helps them secure more customers in the long term.
3. Try For Free
There’s nothing more tempting than having access to something that is otherwise blocked by a payment barrier. Netflix’s bright red button shows “FREE” in capital letters, highlighting the costless service you’ll receive. Instead of saying “1 month”, the higher numerical value in “30 days” creates the illusion of it being an even longer period of time. Letting consumers “try” removes the pressure of commitment from the get-go, making them more willing to dip their toe into your product.
4. Subscribe
“Subscribe” is the go-to word for any YouTuber or publishing company. Simple and concise, this CTA is easy to drop casually during a video or tag on to an advertisement. On The Straits Times website, the “subscribe” button is easily noticeable as it is included in the top header bar, and its positioning on the far right makes it a breeze to click on, considering that the majority of users are right-handed.
5. Learn More
“Learn More” or “Find Out More” is a more indirect method of guiding consumers down the funnel. It does so by peaking their interest, such as the Pela Case webpage above that provides a one-liner on an intriguing environmental product. The “Learn More” button is placed directly below, letting consumers follow up on the train of thought and creating a further connection with the product.
6. Claim
Shoppee’s “Claim” link is clad in the brand’s signature shocking orange, making it jump out at the viewer and enticing them to click. The one-word command presents the idea of ease—that the website is simply giving out discounts that are a literal click away, and all you have to do is hit the redeem button.
7. Shop Now
“Shop Now” is commonly seen under product descriptions and imagery. It recreates the authentic experience of browsing a store’s clothing racks in person, inciting a spendthrift mood in the consumer. Furthermore, the term “shop” is less assertive than “buy”, assuring the user that they can merely browse (though this often leads to buying).
8. Grab Yours Today
Taking advantage of consumers’ FOMO tendencies, this CTA holds a “don’t miss out” connotation. Similar to “now,” “today” seems to introduce a time limit, encouraging people to confirm their purchase as soon as possible. “Grab” also has a more casual and carefree implication than “Buy”, which makes the buying process appear more fun and impromptu.
9. Buy
Apple displays their “Buy” option elegantly. Every product is paired with an understated yet noticeable link that takes you straight to the selection page. This streamlined process is telling of the brand’s seamless user interface, creating a sweat-free buying experience.
10. Book Now
Restaurant reservations or hotel bookings are increasingly made online rather than over the phone. On applications like Chope or Klook, variations of the “Book Now” CTA are adopted to direct consumers towards the payment page.
11. Join Us
This CTA beckons you to be part of something bigger than yourself. Whether it’s inviting the viewer to participate in a movement or a membership, this foregrounds a sense of community over commercialism or profit, giving you branding a more humble tone.
12. Get Started
The best way to pump up the enthusiasm in your audience? Propel them into getting started. Getting consumers to make that buying decision is arguably the hardest obstacle to overcome. In SquareSpace, once you have clicked on “Get Started”, you are launched into an immersive website creation process, which means that the consumer is unlikely to back out.
13. Continue
When taking consumers through their shopping journey, from reviewing items to checking out, websites use “Continue” to prompt them along the way. These CTAs give nudges in the right direction, culminating in the entering payment details and confirmation of purchase. It also amps up the excitement for sealing one’s ownership of the product at the end.
14. Continue Shopping
Take advantage of the instant gratification triggered by retail therapy. Many websites have this CTA for empty bags or after you’ve just checked out an item. This feeds off the high of a shopping spree and hopefully prompts an additional, spontaneous purchase that the consumer was not planning in the first place.
15. Refer A Friend
In a bid to increase traffic and brand awareness, you can offer a discount in exchange for consumers recommending your product to others. Such a win-win deal enables you to make use of the most powerful marketing weapon: word of mouth. On the Toms webstore, the phrase “The more, the merrier.” effectively brings to mind the joy one feels when buying a similar pair of shoes together with friends.
16. Download Now
Many people grow lazy when faced with the tedious prospect of having to install unfamiliar softwares. Make your download more accessible, such as providing clear links like the ones on SquareSpace. By simply indicating separate links for Mac and Android users and foregoing convoluted explanations, the website becomes more user-friendly and easy to navigate.
17. Add To Bag
“Add To Bag” or “Add To Basket” are typically included to further emulate the organic shopping experience. Instead of just saying “buy this”, adding something to the cart implies that the shopper is going to continue browsing for more, thus increasing your final sales.
18. Log In
Getting web users to log in to their accounts not only provides them with a more intimate browsing experience, but also gives you access to their consumer activity so that you can streamline your products or ads. If you access Facebook via a browser, a large pop up encourages you to log in to your personal account. The white pop up blocks a significant portion of your screen, making it hard to ignore and hence leaving you no choice but to log in, should you wish to get a more immersive and unhindered experience of the app.
19. Create Account
An important aspect of building brand loyalty and a strong consumer base is by getting people to create accounts on your website or webstore. For Tinder, the landing page simply presents you with a trademarked pop culture reference and a subsequent CTA to create your account. Placing the vibrant CTA button against a darkened background tells you that all you have to do to unlock those alluring profiles and join the fun, is by signing up.
20. Be Our Partner
A popular marketing tactic is for you to get on the same level as your consumer. Instead of instigating a hierarchical chain of command, Grab’s CTA welcomes drivers and merchants to join them as equals in their business venture, highlighting that they too benefit from the company’s success, and are respected as skilled workers in their own right.
21. Sign Me Up
Birchbox uses a variation of the “Sign Up” CTA. Adding the “Me” turns the phrase into a first-person voice, transferring the power back into the consumers’ hands. This subtle trick creates an illusion of authority—the buyer is no longer a passive money-making pawn but an individual commanding the company to complete the signup process for them.
22. Get Yours
Second-person addresses help you speak directly to the viewer and engage them more effectively. On the Birchbox website, “Get Your Box” instills an inherent sense of ownership and possessiveness over the product. What’s more, it also highlights your gain of the attractive product rather than your loss of money.
23. Donate Now
If you’re running an organization that is seeking funding or donations, the most typical CTA you’ll use is “Donate Now”. The Nature Conservancy sets up an excellent template; it first states its main purpose and plays up the donor’s importance in contributing to a greater cause. Pairing the text with a stunning view of nature confronts the user with the very beauty at stake, signalling them to click on the CTA button (which is tinted green to fit the theme) and protect the environment.
24. Enter Your Email
Many websites include a pop up that invites users to subscribe to newsletters in exchange for exclusive promotions. The Min List provides singular blank instead of a long form, which takes users a quick second to fill in, making them more receptive to keying in their contact. In addition, the benefit (10% off) is made clear by big bold lettering, while the limitation (only on the first purchase) to the discount is subtly added in fine print below.
25. Get It Free
While there are many ways to advertise a “free” service, Epic! personalizes its CTA by calling out specific target groups. Educators, for instance, would feel special getting this exclusive offer. On the other hand, the website still fronts its payable option, placing it above and enclosed in a more colourful bubble. Rather than outright indicating the price, it simply reads “Start Reading”, turning the paid product into a valuable experience.
26. Get It Now
The “get” imperative is another CTA that uses potential gain to overshadow the act of spending. In the case of Epic Games, the brand swaps out the commonly used “it” in “get it” for their actual name, painting a clearer picture of what the consumer will be obtaining, as indicated by the multitude of game titles on screen.
27. Follow
Building a base on social media like Instagram can drive more traffic and increase brand awareness. The site is specially designed to facilitate this. Although the CTA remains modest and unassuming on your profile, the “Follow” button is located directly by your handle and is the first thing anyone sees when clicking on your profile, making it incredibly easy to connect with your brand.
28. Be The First
This CTA supercharges a consumer’s competitive streak. Hinting that there is limited stock or high demand can instantly make any product appear all the more desirable, potentially pushing those who are on the fence to bite the bullet and make the purchase.
29. Get Your Own
On Shein, the webpage displays an eye-catching banner with bolded capital letters, revealing the possibility of gaining further deals. Our eyes are drawn to the “Click here” icon as it is the only button in black, and also has a mouse hovering over it and clicking repeatedly, visually drumming in the action that the website wants us to mimic.
Hopefully this article has proven useful. If you'd like to read more articles, check us out at En3.
