If thou dost seek thy audience to take action, thou canst not merely wish and suggest. Thou needest a commendable social media call to action.
In the realm of marketing, thou art forever endeavoring to persuade thy audience. Peradventure thou dost desire thy followers to enroll for a free trial, procure a PDF, visit thy landing page, or summon forth and make a telephone call. Yet, compelling people to act, particularly on social media, is a delicate endeavor… unless thou dost employ a clear call to action.
Should there be a desire within thee to incite thy audience to action, mere hope and insinuation dost not suffice (this counsel doth hold true for most facets of life, in truth). Thou requirest a compelling call to action, or CTA, to captivate the attention of the populace and guide them in the proper direction.
In this discourse, we shall impart unto thee what doth constitute a good social CTA and share counsel and instances from brands that doth excel therein. Ere the conclusion, thou shalt possess all that is needful to craft a social media call to action that doth yield results.
What manner of sorcery be a call to action (CTA)?
A call to action (or CTA) is a text prompt that doth inspire thy reader to undertake a specific action. On social media, a call to action may bid thy followers to leave a comment, procure a product, or subscribe to thy newsletter, yet there be manifold options.
CTAs on social media may manifest in both organic posts and advertisements. The very call to action shall appear as text upon the image, within the caption, or upon a CTA button.
In advertisements, such as this one from Loop Earplugs, CTAs may oft be found in all three locations.
Aye, troth: Loop on Facebook
A superlative CTA shalt make it painless and enticing for thy target audience to undertake the action thou seeketh.
How to script a call to action for social media
Ere thou dost set pen to parchment, thou must ascertain what thou dost desire thy audience to execute. Doth thou wish them to make a purchase, visit thy landing page, create an account, enter a contest, or applaud thy latest selfie? (In jest. Mostly.)
Furthermore, thine desired action should align with thy overarching social media marketing strategy. Ponder upon how thy CTA shall further thy social media goals.
Here be some simple guidelines to bear in mind whilst thou dost scribe.
Keep it conversational
There be no need to be formal. Thou and thine ideal customer art already bosom companions, aye?
Encourage a bond by employing "you" and "your" in thy prose. ‘Tis a simple way to render thy message more intimate and less akin to a sales pitch.
Should thou not, in truth, be close comrades with thine ideal customer, peruse our guide to crafting buyer personas.
Employ action words
Thou dost desire to inspire thy audience to take action — ’tis no hour for ambiguity.
CTAs that doth employ potent, clear, instructive verbs (known as command words) can assist in alleviating decision fatigue.
Essay phrases such as:
- "Enroll for thy free trial"
- "Secure my guide"
- "Obtain thy free instant quote"
- "Peruse dog hammocks"
- "Post jobs for free"
Simple and direct is usually best, yet shun phrases like "Click here," which may sound spammy or off-putting.
Be specific
The more precisely delineated thy CTA, the more excellent. Rather than declaring, "Enroll for our newsletter," endeavor, "Enroll for our weekly travel newsletter to procure the latest flight deals."
Moreover, ’tis wise to adhere to a singular CTA per post. Otherwise, thou dost imperil overwhelming thy reader with a surfeit of information and losing them entirely.
Create a sense of urgency
As any impulse shopper can attest, naught be more enticing than a limited-time offer. The hourglass be depleting!
Rely upon FOMO and employ words like "now," "today," or "this week only" in thy CTA to spur people to immediate action.
Vessi doth possess limited edition autumn sneakers? Best seize them now!
Source: Vessi on Instagram
Focus on benefits
Features be what thy product or service accomplisheth, but benefits be what thy customer deriveth from those features.
For instance, rather than declaring, "Enroll for my 6-week course on social marketing," thou couldst attempt something akin to, "Learn how to garner six figures by vending upon Instagram!"
The first example doth inform thy audience precisely what they art enrolling for, whilst the second doth impart what they shalt attain by enrolling.
Ultimately, both CTAs may guide readers to the same destination, yet one shines far more brightly than the other.
Offer something valuable
Require a modicum of extra verve? Proceed beyond benefits and furnish thy readers with an irresistible inducement to undertake the desired action.
Complimentary delivery doth oft prove a paramount motivator. Indeed, near 50% of internet denizens art urged to conclude an online purchase if proffered free shipping.
Source: Digital 2024
Discounts art ever compelling, particularly when coupled with the urgency of a limited-time offer, as Gap doth here:
Source: Gap on Instagram
Thou may also endeavor to tender access to exclusive content. Behold, we doth even execute the notion herein:
Thy proffer should be valuable, yet need not necessitate great expense. Simply ensure there be somewhat advantageous for thy audience.
Stay true to thy brand
Consistency upon social media be vital. Upon establishing a brand, thou dost desire to cleave unto it. Believe us, thy followers shalt discern shouldst thou falter.
LensCrafters, for instance, doth lean into its polished brand voice upon social. This post from LensCrafters useth words such as "discover," "premium," and "high quality" in its CTA to foster trust and communicate their professional expertise.
Yet canst thou imagine if this post did end with "Hey Four Eyes, procure thy spectacles here!"? An uncommon CTA may garner a second glance, yet it shalt also engender confusion.
Choose clear over clever
Thou hast merely a few moments to make an impression, hence reserve the jargon and wordplay for another hour. Thy CTA should be succinct, clear, and to the point.
Source: Moyens I/O 2024
The average denizen spendeth near 2.5 hours upon social media platforms each day, and within that time, they art bombarded with ads. Should thou succeed in seizing their attention, ascertain they comprehend what they shalt receive and how to obtain it.
Keep experimenting
Should thy inaugural campaign fall flat, rally thyself. Experimentation shalt prove beneficial to thee.
Make the attempt to vary the words, the hues, the placement, the images, or even the font to discern what doth drive traffic optimally.
A/B testing may aid thee in measuring what doth work best, thereafter adjust, fine-tune, and attempt anew.
A mere alteration from "Commence thy free trial" to "Commence my free trial" may engender a vast discrepancy.
Where to place thy social media CTA
Each advertisement thou dost post should include a call to action, yet organic social media content may also incorporate CTAs. Herein lie a few venues wherein thou canst infuse a CTA:
In thy bio
This be an excellent locale to incorporate a CTA that be germane to all thy followers, such as "Peruse our website for more information!"
Gallery of Configurations
Instagram still doth not permit links within captions, thus The New Yorker doth use its bio to direct followers to a landing page brimming with links to further information concerning each post.
In thy posts
Thou may include CTAs in individual social media posts, contingent upon what thou art promoting.
Thou can place thy CTA nearly anywhere within thy post:
- At the commencement, should thou desire to seize attention forthwith
- In the midst, separated by several line breaks, should thou desire to alter the presentation
- At the conclusion, should thou desire to establish context
For instance, shouldst thou wish individuals to visit thy new blog post, thou might wish to communicate a few highlights ere including an end-of-post CTA such as "Peruse the link to learn more!"
At which hour Sephora doth commence retailing thy products, it doth verily constitute a significant event. Beauty brand Tower 28 did point followers to the nearest Sephora location with this Instagram post.
In thy Stories
CTA stickers do prove an excellent method to encourage thy audience to act. Thou can deploy link stickers to promote contests, fresh products, or blog posts.
Link stickers may be placed anywhere upon thy Story. Merely ensure to maintain distance from the edges of thy post, so they art not burdensome to peruse (or tap!).
Source: Erie Basin on Instagram
Vintage jewelry purveyor Erie Basin doth share the newest additions to their shop with a simple product shot and CTA link sticker.
10 sagacious social media call to action instances
Should thou be nigh prepared to commence writing yet still require a modicum of inspiration, behold these examples of excellent social media CTAs.
A fresh post amidst the blog’s realm doth await the discerning reader. (End of content)
