If you’re not using CTAs in your emails, you’re missing out on one of the easiest ways to increase your conversions. CTAs (call-to-actions) are the instructions at the end of an email that tell people what they should do next. They can be buttons, links or even images with text overlays.

How do I write an effective CTA?

Make it clear

You want visitors to know exactly what they’re clicking on when they see your CTA. If your CTA is too vague or confusing, then visitors won’t know what they’re signing up for or buying. Keep it simple and make sure that there is no doubt as to what they will receive when they click on that button!

Use action-oriented language

Your call-to-action should include words like “sign up now” and “get started today” so that it sounds more inviting and less pushy. This will encourage people who have been hesitating about buying something from you to finally take action!

Set a clear goal for your CTA

Your goal should be specific and actionable — not just "buy now." For example, if you're running an ecommerce store, you might include a link in your email to purchase a product or add it to their cart. If you're trying to drive traffic back to your website, you might invite people to visit your site or sign up for your newsletter.

Include only one CTA per email

A common mistake many marketers make is including multiple CTAs in their emails. This can actually reduce your click-through rate since it clutters up the email and makes it difficult for users to find what they're looking for quickly and easily. Instead, focus on using only one CTA per email so that users don't get lost while reading through their messages.

Avoid the dreaded "Click here"

This is probably the most common mistake I see in CTAs. Instead of saying "click here," try something like "Learn more" or "Get started." It will help your readers focus on the important part: what they'll get when they complete their action.

Use a strong verb

A verb is more powerful than a noun or adjective because it can convey action and movement. Using verbs also helps readers understand what they need to do right away with no additional explanation on your part. For example, “Buy now” or “Sign up now” is more effective than “Click here.”

Include an image

Images are more likely to get clicked than plain text alone. So if you have an image available that relates to your message (like an icon or photo), then use it in place of plain text on your CTA button.

Make sure your CTA is at the end of the email

It's a common mistake to put the CTA at too early a point in your email. You're trying to create momentum, but if you ask for too much right away, you'll lose your readers' interest.

Many companies place the call to action at the top of their emails, but that's not where it belongs. The CTA should be placed at the end of your email — after you've made an emotional connection with your reader and convinced them that they want to take action.

Make sure your CTA has a lot of contrast against the rest of the email

Your CTA has to be obvious and easy to find — otherwise, no one will notice it in time (or at all). Make sure it has plenty of contrast against the rest of the email so it pops out at readers. And make sure it's large enough so people won't have any trouble clicking on it.

Segment your audience and personalize your CTA accordingly

If you're sending out a newsletter every month, segmenting your customers into groups based on their interests can help you craft more targeted CTAs. For example, if you own a clothing store and are sending out a newsletter about spring fashions, you might want to send different CTAs to those who have ordered from your store in the past than those who haven't ordered yet.

Run A/B testing to help you decide which CTA works best with your customers

The goal of A/B testing is to determine which version of your CTA performs better than the others. To do so, you'll need to create multiple versions of your CTA. See which email performs better by comparing the number of clicks, opens and conversions on each version after sending them out.

In summary

It's clear that a CTA can be a powerful tool in an email marketing campaign, but it needs to be presented in an effective and persuasive way. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing an effective CTA, but if you follow these suggestions the chances are, your clickthrough rate will improve, meaning more conversions and more sales for you.