How to Create Calls to Action that Increase Bookings

Listen up! (Did that get your attention?) A call to action, also known as a CTA, when done correctly can help businesses that thrive on bookings engage more customers. A great way to find out which kind of CTA will appeal to your ideal audience is to try different approaches. Some good old fashioned A/B testing will allow you to test which CTAs get more clicks.

Here are some great tips to keep in mind as you develop and test your calls to action.

1. Color Matters – Call to action buttons can showcase a wide variety of different phrases. Some read “Order Now,” while others read “Tell us about Yourself.” While the statement on the button is important, don’t neglect the color of the CTA button. The color of the button can speak just as loudly to potential customers as the phrase. For example, a CTA button with a black background color will perform differently than a button with a green or blue background color. A surefire way to begin choosing background colors to test is to take a look at your company colors. Pick two that you feel your audience will respond positively to and A/B test them.  Remember, change only the background color of the CTA button. Keep the phrase on the button the same for both A and B options.
2. Just the Right Spot – Test the placement of your call to action button by placing it in different areas on your website. This will allow you to gauge which location of the CTA button generates the most clicks. For example, place the button above the fold line of a website. Did this CTA button get more clicks then the when the CTA button was placed below the fold line?  This kind of testing can help you determine where your customers naturally prefer to have the CTA bottom.
3. To Move or Not to Move – Should your call to action button dance around on the screen, or should it stay still? Sometimes when things slide in from the side they generate more attention. Tools for crafting different types of static and movement-filled CTA buttons are available online.
4. Say What?! – Which words or phrases appeal most to your target audience? Maybe they don’t want to “Download Now” but they DO want to “Snag a Copy.” A/B testing will come in handy when you are trying to create that perfect statement. Create several CTA buttons with variations of the same statement. Remember, similar to A/B testing background colors, only change the statement. Keep the background color the same for both A and B options.

Implementing the results of your A/B tests can easily increase your online response rate and provide you with valuable insights about your audience’s preferences. The knowledge you gain from these experiments can benefit other marketing approaches as well and improve your overall marketing strategy.

Don’t stop now – responses and aesthetics change, for the most accurate CTAs, continuously develop your hypothesis, create different CTAs, and test them to find the most appealing approach for your customers.

Happy Testing!

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