Encouraging potential customers to take the desired action can be incredibly challenging. They abandon their online shopping carts, refuse to subscribe to your well-crafted newsletter, and lack the courtesy to even finish reading your blog posts.
Don’t worry, there’s still hope! In this article, I’ll present 11 innovative and successful call-to-action examples and explain their effectiveness. So grab a beverage, a notepad, and prepare for an overwhelming surge of conversions.
Examples of Calls to Action
To guide your potential customers towards your goals, simply incorporate a captivating call to action on your website and in your marketing initiatives. Sounds easy, right? Well, the truth is, call-to-action marketing is more challenging than it seems. Fortunately, many companies have already invested effort in A/B testing their call-to-action buttons, eliminating the need for you to do so. Let’s explore these examples.
1. Crazy Egg – ‘Show Me My Heatmap’
Here at nexus-security, we’re big fans of Crazy Egg, and not solely because of their impressive product. Crazy Egg’s communication is also spot-on, as evidenced by this compelling CTA:
CrazyEgg’s call to action is captivating, bold, and irresistible.
Why This Call to Action Works
This call to action excels in several key areas. First, it utilizes clear language to emphasize the risk-free nature of trying out Crazy Egg, reassuring potential users about the safety of their service. It outlines multiple reasons to give it a try, using straightforward verbs. Lastly, the CTA button itself, “Show Me My Heatmap,” leverages the power of adopting the customer’s perspective, making it highly appealing.
Free guide 2. Manpacks – ‘Build a Manpack’
Connecting with your target audience through their language can be incredibly persuasive. A prime example of this is the call to action from Manpacks, a men’s grooming product website.
“Now you’re speaking my language,” thinks the man reading Manpack’s call to action.
Why This Call to Action Works
Individually, underwear, razors, and condoms may not be particularly thrilling, but by appealing to men’s desire for creation, you’re on the path to success. By merging potentially stereotypical imagery (a man in a plaid shirt cutting wood) with powerful wording (“Build a Manpack”), this company makes assembling a male grooming gift box as exciting as constructing a house—or a cabin in the woods.
3. GiftRocket – ‘Send a GiftRocket’
Let’s be honest, gift certificates and generic greeting cards are often seen as impersonal gifts. However, GiftRocket successfully combines these two into a surprisingly appealing package that can actually result in a thoughtful present for loved ones.
GiftRocket’s call to action: ‘Send a GiftRocket’
Why This Call to Action Works
This CTA is effective because it doesn’t use generic phrases like “Sign Up Now” or “Get Yours Free.” Instead, it invites you to “Send a GiftRocket,” a more interesting and exciting way to give a gift. The landing page features simple yet visually appealing imagery combined with concise sentences and action verbs, creating a compelling user experience. Why settle for a gift card when you can send a GiftRocket?
4. Contently – ‘Talk to Us’
It’s no secret that Contently produces exceptional content, but their landing pages also feature impressive calls to action.
Contently’s call to action is as welcoming as their logo. The design of this landing page is unconventional. Personally, I believe they could eliminate the “You’re interested in…” field, but the CTA itself—“Talk to us”—is excellent. Instead of a bland and generic option like “Submit” (which would be almost unforgivable), they use friendly and approachable language that emphasizes the importance of relationships in Contently’s operations. It also hints at what potential customers can expect from Contently, which is a two-way dialogue—not a sales pitch.
5. Less Accounting – ‘Let’s Do It!’
Persuading potential customers to take actions perceived as risky—even if ultimately beneficial for their business—is challenging. This is particularly true for SaaS companies and even more so for financial software providers. That’s why our fifth impressive call-to-action example, from Less Accounting, truly stands out.
Less Accounting utilizes a muted color scheme and an encouraging, collaborative CTA.
Why This Call to Action Works
This landing page employs a muted color palette to evoke a sense of tranquility, but the CTA is what makes it exceptional. While they are requesting the prospect to sign up for a free trial of their accounting software, the way they phrase it—“Let’s Do It!"—is particularly compelling. Firstly, the CTA itself implies a partnership, not just an attempt to obtain personal data. Secondly, the exclamation mark conveys enthusiasm for the product, quite an achievement considering its nature. Overall, this is a fantastic example of an effective call to action.
6. Square – ‘Get Free Card Reader’
Offering something your target audience truly desires is a great way to boost conversions. If you can achieve this, your CTA doesn’t need to be overly innovative or exciting, as demonstrated by this landing page from Square.
The word “get” stands out in Square’s call to action.
Why This Call to Action Works
This landing page appeals to small business owners by emphasizing the benefits of using their product, specifically the ability to accept credit card payments—a feature previously inaccessible to many merchants before Square. The CTA uses straightforward language that can be effective for various businesses, as the inclusion of the word “get” is often highly motivating. The fact that Square offers its product for free is likely to surprise many potential customers, reinforcing the value proposition and making it more enticing. With a minimal form (only three fields), a strong indication of potential benefits (“Start accepting credit cards today”), and an attractive offer (the free Square card reader), this landing page/CTA combination is a winner.
7. Basecamp – ‘Give Basecamp a Try’
Everything about project management software platform Basecamp is designed with simplicity in mind. From the style and tone of its website copy to its minimalist and approachable design, Basecamp aims to streamline the lives of project managers everywhere. Basecamp’s call to action is another variation of a tried-and-true approach—the free trial—but it features subtle yet effective differences:
“What do you have to lose?” Basecamp’s call to action seems to ask.
Why This Call to Action Works
Basecamp’s CTA is effective because it simultaneously reinforces the risk-free nature of the free trial while using casual and persuasive language. “Give Basecamp a try” sounds much less intimidating than a more direct phrase like “Start Free Trial Now.” The CTA’s wording almost suggests a nonchalant attitude, as if to say, “What’s the worst that could happen?” This is precisely what Basecamp aims to achieve. They are so confident that users will enjoy their product that they don’t need an aggressive pitch with a potentially off-putting CTA. Very clever.
8. My Perfect Resume – ‘Create My Resume’
Crafting a resume from scratch can be a tedious task, a fact that My Perfect Resume cleverly capitalizes on with its service.
My Perfect Resume’s call to action benefits from the frustration typically associated with resume writing.
Why It Works
This call to action example is inherently simple. However, its strategic placement alongside the step-by-step graphics above significantly enhances its clickability. The one-two-three progression flow implies that My Perfect Resume handles the majority of the work, making the “Create My Resume” button highly enticing for individuals who lack the time or motivation to write their resumes themselves. This exemplifies how a simple CTA, combined with visual elements, can be remarkably compelling.
9. Point Blank SEO – ‘Be Awesome’
Newsletter sign-up CTAs can be challenging. You want prospects to subscribe, but asking them to do so can be quite dull. If you’re struggling to grow your newsletter’s readership, consider Point Blank SEO’s approach:
Point Blank SEO’s CTA doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Why It Works
This CTA is highly effective for several reasons. Firstly, instead of a boring “Sign Up” or a worse “Submit” button, Point Blank SEO makes subscribing to their newsletter fun and even slightly humorous. After all, who wouldn’t want to “Be Awesome”? Secondly, it creates a sense of urgency and immediacy by using a direct call to action in an interesting way. This is reinforced by the navigational link to the Point Blank SEO blog on the right, which uses an exclamation mark to generate excitement for a simple navigation element. Finally, the bold orange and black color scheme is visually striking, further enhancing the CTA and the visual cue to the blog.
10. KISSmetrics – ‘Log In With Google’
No discussion about calls to action would be complete without mentioning KISSmetrics. Arguably one of the simplest examples, this CTA from the KISSmetrics homepage is also one of the most persuasive:
KISSmetrics’ CTA leverages Google’s credibility.
Why It Works
Instead of overwhelming visitors with a detailed explanation of KISSmetrics’ features, the homepage simply conveys the platform’s purpose. However, what makes this CTA so effective is its minimal user input and effort—just a URL. The “Log In with Google” button clearly indicates what to expect and makes getting started incredibly easy. The phrasing of the explanatory text sparks curiosity, and the mention of Google reinforces the importance of security without explicitly mentioning OAuth or other verification technologies.
11. Quick Sprout – ‘I Want To…’
Our final impressive call-to-action example comes from Neil Patel’s Quick Sprout. Similar to newsletter sign-ups, encouraging users to engage with educational content can be challenging, as this traffic might not translate to immediate qualified leads. However, these visitors are still valuable, requiring a different approach.
QuickSprout’s CTA conveys the message: “What do you need? We can provide it.”
Why It Works
To drive traffic to its educational content, Quick Sprout utilizes two straightforward yet highly effective CTAs, both of which tap into the prospect’s desire for problem-solving. The first CTA appeals to the more “self-serving” goal of increasing traffic to the prospect’s website. It offers helpful suggestions based on the user type, simplifying the choice between the two options and reducing the bounce rate. The second CTA reinforces the value of Quick Sprout’s educational content for agencies and consultants by establishing a deeper connection with the content itself and highlighting the benefits of learning. It suggests that consuming Quick Sprout’s content can make users more valuable to their clients, strengthening their desire to excel in their work and capitalizing on their aspirations for job security or higher earnings. Once again, very clever.
Be Awesome
The most effective calls to action are clear yet specific, creating a sense of urgency that motivates user action. If your offer is truly irresistible, your call to action should effectively communicate its value. We hope these examples provide inspiration for your own CTAs!
Looking for More Call to Action Examples?
- The 36 Best Call to Action Phrases Ever (Real Examples +Tips!)
- 24 Unusual AND Effective Call to Action Examples You Can Copy
- 7 Ways to Upgrade Your CTA