Call-To-Action Buttons Usage Guide

Call-to-action buttons on sites are often overlooked, in this article, see a tutorial on how to setup & make correct usage of the CTA buttons

By Claudio Pires
Updated on May 6, 2023
Call-To-Action Buttons Usage Guide

Call-to-action buttons on websites are often neglected. Designers sometimes don’t understand precisely what makes an excellent call-to-action button beyond being attractive and fitting into the overall design. In this article, see a tutorial on how to setup the usage of Call-to-action (CTA) buttons.

After all, the main point of a call to action button is to get visitors to do something.

Call-To-Action Buttons Usage Advantage

Your CTA has to benefit the user to make him/her click. Just imagine the last time you bought something on the internet… what prompted you to take action? I’m sure you took action not because you were looking for what to buy but because you saw an excellent benefit attached to the ‘Buy’ button

In the same vein, a user cannot take action if your CTA is not convincing enough – they want to know precisely what they’re getting and what they’ll achieve with it to avoid wasting money. Therefore, your call to action has to provide a solid benefit to your customers. If people are unsure about the value they’ll get from your CTA button, they won’t click. It’s as simple as that.

Furthermore, when usage call-to-action buttons in addition to the text in your CTA button, the color and placement of the button are just as important as the message.

You must find out which placement works best for you. You don’t have to do what others are doing. Just test, test, and test some more before choosing a winner. Also, figure out which button color works well for you. Green buttons may imply money and prosperity, but the best choice is always to test. Test every element of your CTA (including button color).

Looks Like Buttons

The subject of “signifiers” is critical regarding conversions and user experience (UX). When we mention “signifiers” in the web design space, we mostly talk about making every element on a web page look exactly like what it’s supposed to be used for.

This means that a call-to-action buttons usage should look like buttons… and nothing more.

This will make it easy for users to immediately identify it as an element they should click on to initiate an action. So let me ask you… when a first-time visitor lands on your landing page, will he/she identify which elements are clickable? Or will he/she get confused and start guessing what to do?

If you agree with the second question, you must change something immediately. In a nutshell, buttons are generally easier to click when we’re sure they’re clickable.

It’s no wonder why gray buttons often convert poorly. They look deactivated, so many visitors won’t know they’re expected to click them. Can your visitors quickly identify the CTA on your site and landing pages? Is the call-to-action visible enough? Does it have signs implying clickability?

Finally, another good idea when setup your CTA buttons to stand out is to make your call-to-action have a lot of space around it, like PayPal’s.

Curiosity about Call-To-Action Buttons Usage

When users see this level of openness, they know exactly what they’re to do. Make Your Visitor Curious. Use curiosity effectively, and you’ll see a massive boost in conversions.

According to Andrew Sobel, one of the 6 rules for evoking curiosity is: “Tell people what you do and the results you get, not every detail about how you do it. The former is interesting; the latter can become tedious.”

Curiosity brings out the burning desire to know something you didn’t know before. If you design your call-to-action message in a way that could create a burning passion for your prospects to find out what’s on the other side of the CTA.

They’ll be more willing and eager to click, giving you the lead generations you want. And remember, The higher your click-through rate, the more sales you’ll generate. In other words, emotional triggers like surprise, trust, fun, delight, and, most importantly, satisfaction arouse curiosity in your users.

You should never forget that your target audiences are human beings who continually make emotional and rational choices depending on the information presented.

Call-To-Action Buttons Usage For Free

We all love free stuff, especially when it’s useful free stuff. Although there may be no such thing as a free lunch, even in free town, as humans, we can’t resist the attraction of a bonus, including a free eBook that sounds interesting.

Offering your customers a helpful freebie is one super-effective way to attract and retain more of them. Therefore, you have to start offering a bonus in your CTA message, too. For example, when a company offers you an excellent opportunity to save a little money while making a purchase, that’s a reward because they’ll bear all the risk, and you’ll gain more.

Most telecommunications service providers offer some “bonus,” such as free shipping, extra savings, rebates, and “buy-one-get-one-free” offers.

Attractive Call-To-Action

Your sales copy, PPC ad campaigns, promotional banners, and landing pages can only drive quality leads and customers to your business when they click your call-to-action button.

To a significant extent, a high click-through rate (CTR) equals a higher conversion rate. If all the other essential elements, like your sales, funnel, and offer, are correctly optimized for your target users, you’re not seeing conversions. The problem is likely with your CTA.

Concluding Call-To-Action Buttons Usage Tutorial

Action-oriented design is an important part of creating user interfaces and websites. How to help users take steps to reach their goals. Poorly designed buttons can lead users to perform the wrong action, not to do anything at all (which is highly undesirable on an e-commerce site), or be confused about what to do next.

Paying attention to button design simplifies users’ workflow and gives them confidence before clicking. We hope that this article, with a tutorial on how to setup the usage of Call-to-action (CTA) buttons, has been of help to you.

Claudio Pires

Claudio Pires is the co-founder of Visualmodo, a renowned company in web development and design. With over 15 years of experience, Claudio has honed his skills in content creation, web development support, and senior web designer. A trilingual expert fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, he brings a global perspective to his work. Beyond his professional endeavors, Claudio is an active YouTuber, sharing his insights and expertise with a broader audience. Based in Brazil, Claudio continues to push the boundaries of web design and digital content, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.