The strength of your calls to action directly impacts your conversions.
However, many B2B marketers treat the call to action like an afterthought. They may devote hours – or even days – to developing a piece of content only to spend just a few minutes writing its call to action.
One of the biggest mistakes I see with calls to action is that many B2B marketers don’t include them. For example, I recently read a technology white paper that provided some valuable tips. However, the white paper didn’t specify what step the reader should take next. I imagine that a lot of people – including solid leads – read the white paper and did nothing. If you don’t provide your readers with next steps, they won’t know what to do. This can lead to missed opportunities and lower conversions.
The second, and bigger, mistake is when B2B marketers use inappropriate calls to action. This usually involves asking the reader to do too much too soon. For example, a call to action at the end of a blog post may ask a reader to contact a sales representative. It’s highly unlikely that someone will click a link to your blog post from Twitter and then want to buy your product.
Here are five ways you can improve your calls to action and increase your conversion rates:
1. Show the benefits
Many B2B marketers use call to actions such as “Click here to download our white paper.” However, this isn’t compelling. Instead, try something like “Download our mobile device security white paper to discover how to support your employees’ mobile devices without increasing your IT costs or putting your data at risk.” The second call to action describes how the reader will benefit from reading the white paper. Benefits increase clicks!
2. Make it stand out
Many calls to action get buried at the bottom of web pages and are easily overlooked. To increase your conversions, you must make your calls to action stand out. You can do this by placing them above the fold, so readers can see them without scrolling. You should also use a distinctive font colour or button to make it obvious that it’s a call to action.
When I’m writing a call to action for the bottom of a blog post or B2B product page, I like to create a subheading with a line or two of text below it. The subheading helps the call to action stand out.
3. Don’t ask for too much information
One of the biggest complaints that B2B buyers have about opting in for content is having to provide their life story just to listen to a webcast. The less information you ask for, the higher your conversion rates. Try to strike a balance: ask for as little information as possible while still attracting quality leads.
4. Match your ads to your content
Another way to increase your conversions is by matching your banner ads to your web page’s content. For example, include an ad for your IT security webinar on all your blog posts related to IT security. If you have a WordPress blog, you can find a number of plug-ins that support this targeted advertising. Many web content management platforms also offer this functionality.
5. Create a sense of urgency
Urgency is a great motivator if you have an offer with a deadline – such as registration for an event or a special promotion. If you want to express urgency in a call to action, just be sure to specify why someone should take action now.
What about you? What do you think are the biggest call to action mistakes? Please share your opinions below.