When it comes to social media convincing your followers to click a button is half the battle. The easiest thing for people to do is nothing after all. That’s where a call to action can come in handy. But first things first –
What is a call to action?
A call to action (CTA) is a prompt that encourages your audience to carry out a particular action. In terms of social media, CTAs essentially act as a signpost, directing your followers to specific actions such as liking, commenting, following, subscribing or even buying a product.
CTAs can be used in both regular posts and paid-for ads and can appear in the caption, as text on the image or in a CTA button at the bottom of the post, with some posters utilising all three. However, we suggest only using one CTA per post so as not to overwhelm your reader.
How do CTAs work?
A good CTA essentially tempts your audience into taking the action you want them to take. They don’t need to be overly complex, a single word such as ‘Follow’ or ‘Subscribe’ can be hugely helpful. However, the most effective CTAs tend to be a bit longer and more specific, telling your audience exactly how taking this action will benefit them.
Before writing your CTA, think about exactly what you want your audience to do as each action will require a different style of CTA. You should also consider your overall social media strategy and how your CTA will help you to meet these goals.
Here are some tips to write an effective CTA:
Be specific – Specificity is key to creating a good CTA, not only does it let your audience know what they can expect when they click on your post it will also give you insight into what your readers respond well to. ‘Subscribe for more beauty tips that will help you save money’ is a good example of a specific CTA.
Consider tone – A conversational tone will encourage a friendly connection between you and your audience, making them more likely to buy, follow or subscribe. It’s also worth considering your brand voice, as this will impact the tone you take. Having worked hard to establish your brand voice it’s vital to make sure every aspect of your posts sticks to this voice, including your CTA. If your brand voice is fun and playful then your CTA needs to be fun and playful too, similarly, if your tone is more serious then your CTA will need to reflect that.
Give clear instructions – CTAs are meant to motivate your audience to take a particular course of action. The best way to do that is to ensure the language you use is clear, concise and instructive. Use phrases like ‘sign up now’ and ‘discover more’, rather than more vague phrases like ‘click here’.
Offer value – Be really clear about how following your CTA and, ultimately, your product will benefit your reader. Customers need to know what they’re signing up for and how and why this will help them. Another surefire way to get your audience to click on your posts is to offer something valuable, like a discount code or free delivery on a purchase.