6 Quick Wins for CTAs – Craft Engaging eCommerce Calls to Action

Written by  Jocelyn Lin, Creative Director & AJ Leale, Sr. Director eCommerce 
Driving visitors to your site is no easy task — but converting them is even more difficult. Great call to action buttons can help manage visitors’ attention and get them to act. Not using these buttons is a missed opportunity because for most marketing teams, doubling the conversion rate is somewhat more realistic than doubling the site’s search engine traffic. 
Here are five suggestions for crafting engaging eCommerce calls to action. 

1. Invoke a Sense of Urgency 

A sense of urgency can make online users more inclined to buy a product. This can be achieved by showing a deadline for a scheme or a lack of stock status, for example. 
A sense of urgency can be created by using certain words such as now, hurry, quickly, and limited edition. When people find out that a product’s stock is limited, they’ll tend to rush to get it immediately, which leads to an increase in conversions. 
A few urgency-inducing phrases that work for most brands are: 

• Only 3 items left in stock
• Reserve your seat now
• Sale until midnight 
• Sale ends soon 
• Order your piece now 

2. Use Action-Oriented Words 

Action-oriented words can persuade the audience to click on call to action button(s). This is where great copy can make a huge difference. 
Putting a visible and attractive button with text such as add to basket or buy now adjacent to the product’s image helps the user have a more seamless shopping experience. 
Action-oriented words and phrases guide users about what they should do next. Some of the best verb-based action phrases to use for great CTAs include: 

• Get access
• Join
• Shop now 
• Add to bag
• Subscribe
• Checkout
• Place your order 

3. Highlight Key Features of Products With Different Icons 

People are social creatures and their attention span is now shorter than ever. These two things are important to remember when crafting an effective e-Commerce call to action. 
One of the best ways to eliminate hesitancy before purchasing is by using shortcuts like social proof. This harnesses people’s tendency to look to others for guidance when they are unsure of something. 
Ideally, social proof should be placed above the fold in two ways: 

• A best seller callout will indicate that a lot of other people have bought the same product. Other product-specific attributes that could be used are hot product and on sale. 
• The average customer rating is positioned close to the CTA button.

These site elements that convey what others have done before and how satisfied they are with the product make online shoppers more likely to act. 
Another thing that customers care about is the authority. People mitigate against the risks of purchasing by looking to authority figures or experts in a given field. Brands can showcase this authority using press features or awards received. This assures customers that the product is effective and motivates them to complete the purchase.

4. Showcase Security Features in Your CTAs 

Security is one of the most important elements of online shopping. Highlighting security features in the CTA copy can propel visitors to buy from an online store. 
Amazon is an example of a brand that employs this feature across its site. Their sign in securely call-to-action button assures users that shopping on their site is safe. 
Other words that can reassure users of your site’s safety include: 

• Refund 
• Guaranteed
• Certified
• No-risk
• Protected

5. Use the Psychology of Colors 

Colors can make a huge difference when it comes to achieving massive conversion rates. A highly effective CTA ensures the use of contrasting colors that stand out from the background. 
There’s no exact answer to the question “Which color works best?” A/B testing and experimenting with different colors is necessary to find the one that provides the best conversion rates. 
Adobe effectively utilizes the psychology of colors to make their CTAs more enticing and resonant with the brand’s overall voice. Keep in mind that site colors should always stay consistent and resonate with the feel of your brand. 

6. Pay Attention to Button Placement 

In general, you want your CTA button to land above the fold, meaning that a customer won’t need to scroll through the page to find it. 
However, make sure to only offer a few options, especially as someone gets closer to the checkout point of the conversion funnel. 
The two best CTAs to use in this case would be add to bag or add to wishlist. 

How Not to Use CTAs 

Although CTAs represent a great tool with which to push customers through your conversion funnel, you can overdo it. 
Here are a few guidelines to follow to make sure you are not overusing CTAs: 

• Don’t use too many buttons: You don’t want your page to be clogged with too many CTAs. Screaming for attention is not the right way to make customers buy. 
• Avoid being irrelevant: Remember, CTAs need to be useful and relevant. 
• Don’t let the CTA blend in: Use contrasting colours that stand out from the background. 
• Don’t let it overshadow the content: A good CTA is necessary but not at the expense of content.  
• Don’t set them and forget them: Every single CTA button should be tested from time to time to make sure it still clicks through, because even small changes can lead to increased conversion rates. 

Conclusion 

CTAs are part art, part science. Contact us and let us help you optimize your site for increased conversion rates.