The Call to Action
The phrase "call to action" (CTA) is used in email marketing to describe any element of an email that invites or asks the reader to take some action that contributes to the goal of the email.
So, if you email your list with a special offer to generate more online sales, a CTA might be the "Buy now!" link that accompanies the description of the product on offer.
The "Buy now!" text "calls" to the reader and encourages them to "take action," in this case by clicking on the words and going directly to a product page on your website where they can make a purchase.
Here are some more examples of calls to action taken from real emails:
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The call to action isn't just the link itself, but also all the associated words, images or other design elements that draw specific attention to that link and encourage the reader to follow it.
Why is the CTA important?
Since nearly all marketing emails are designed to get some kind of action out of the reader (even it's just getting them to read an article), the "call to action" is obviously an important element of those emails: it helps and encourages the reader to take that desired action.
If there is no CTA, the reader is stranded. They have no obvious way of following up on any interest or attention sparked by the contents of the email.
Consider our special offer example. With no CTA, no "Buy now!" link, you would rely on people interested in that offer finding their own way to your website and navigating around until they came across the product in question. Most wouldn't bother to take the time.
The CTA gives people an obvious and attractive way to take the next step in the chain of actions you want them to follow.
What are the issues?
Not all calls to action are born equal. Since the CTA moves people to action, the characteristics of this CTA have an influence on the likelihood of people actually taking that action.
Particular issues include...
1. Location
- Where do you put the call to action? (At the top of the email? The bottom? In the middle? All three?)
- Should you have more than one for each desired action? (e.g. should you have more than one "buy now" link?)
- Should you have just one clear call to action, or several serving different purposes? (e.g. "buy now," "browse the catalog" and "start a wishlist" links.)
- Should you blend your CTA into the text, like this:
- ...or should you have a clear CTA set apart from the text or rest of the email, like this:
2. Wording and presentation
- Should your CTA be text or take the form of an image? (Should "buy now" be a text link or look like a clickable button?)
- What wording should you use? (Buy now? Shop now? Get more info? More details? Shop here?)
- Should you draw attention to the CTA through colors or design elements like boxes and arrows? (Red button or green button? Bigger font for the CTA text? How big? What color should links be?)
Further reading
In many cases, the answers to these questions are defined by the kind of emails you're sending out. But they also involve judgment calls, and often need you to test different options to see which works best with your subscribers.
For advice on some best practices, try these articles:
- CTAs get some action: Four design tips for CTAs, with a number of screenshots of real examples to illustrate each point.
- Get more opens and clicks: See the end for a five-point CTA checklist.
- A better call to action in your emails: Overview of the main points to look for. Plus further links to several in-depth articles.
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