In the world of marketing, your main goal is to get your audience to take action. Whether you want them to sign up for a free trial, download a PDF, visit a landing page, or even just pick up the phone, convincing people to do something—especially on social media—can be tricky. That’s where a clear call to action (CTA) comes into play.
If you want your audience to act, you can’t just drop hints and hope for the best (seriously, this applies to life in general, too!). You need a compelling CTA that grabs attention and points people in the right direction.
What is a call to action (CTA)?
A CTA is basically a text prompt that encourages your reader to take a specific action. On social media, a CTA could be anything from asking followers to leave a comment, buy a product, or subscribe to a newsletter. The options are endless.
CTAs on social media can appear in organic posts and ads. The CTA itself might show up as text on an image, in the caption, or on a shiny little button.
In ads, like the ones from Loop Earplugs, you’ll often find CTAs sprinkled all over the place—in the image, caption, and on the button.
Creating a CTA that compels your audience to take the desired action isn’t as easy as it sounds. Balancing urgency with a natural, non-pushy tone is a fine art.
Keep it conversational
No need to get all formal on social media. You and your ideal customer are practically besties, right? Use “you” and “your” in your copy to make it feel more personal and less like a sales pitch.
And if you’re not besties yet, check out some tips on building buyer personas to get there.
Use action words
This is no time to play it cool—you want your audience to take action. CTAs with strong, clear verbs can help cut down on decision-making fatigue.
Try these on for size:
- “Sign up for your free trial”
- “Download my guide”
- “Get your free instant quote”
- “Shop dog hammocks”
- “Post jobs for free”
Simple and direct usually work best. Just steer clear of phrases like “Click here,” which can sound a bit spammy.
Be specific
Specificity is your friend. Instead of saying, “Sign up for our newsletter,” try, “Sign up for our weekly travel newsletter to get the latest flight deals.”
Also, stick to one CTA per post. Too many options can overwhelm your reader, and you might lose them altogether.
Create a sense of urgency
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is real, folks. Use words like “now,” “today,” or “this week only” to encourage people to act fast.
Limited edition fall sneakers from Vessi? You’d better get them now before they’re gone!
Focus on benefits
Features are what your product or service does, but benefits are what your customer gains from those features.
For example, instead of saying, “Sign up for my 6-week course on social marketing,” you could try something more like, “Learn how to make six figures by selling on Instagram!” The first example tells your audience exactly what they’re signing up for, while the second tells them what they’ll gain by signing up. Ultimately, both CTAs might drive readers to the same destination, but one is a whole lot more intriguing than the other.
Offer something valuable
Need a little extra oomph? Go beyond benefits and give your readers an unbeatable reason to take the desired action. Free delivery is often a major motivator. In fact, almost 50% of internet users are motivated to complete an online purchase if they’re offered free shipping.
Stay true to your brand
Consistency is key. Once you’ve established your brand’s voice on social media, stick with it. Your followers will notice if you suddenly switch gears. For example, LensCrafters leans into its polished brand voice by using words like “discover,” “premium,” and “high quality” in their CTAs, building trust and showcasing their expertise.
Keep experimenting
If your first campaign falls flat, pick yourself back up. Experimentation will serve you well. Try switching up the words, the colors, the placement, the images, or even the font to see what drives traffic best. A/B testing can help you measure what works best and then tweak, polish and try again. Even a simple change from “Start your free trial” to “Start my free trial” can make a world of difference.
For further exploration on related subjects, check out our comprehensive articles on Developing Captivating Social Media Content, Leveraging Communities, and Getting through Online Forums and Groups. Each piece delves deeper into the nuances and offers additional insights. Happy reading!
