Call to Action (CTA)

Created by Chelsea Shadowens (Unlicensed)
Last updated Mar 03, 2020 by Rachel Hart

Draw attention to the page’s main action item with a button. Can only link to Program or Service, Contact, How Do I, Webform, or external page.

Details

  • Linking: certain types internal links or any external link
  • Elements: title, description, link, image, card, and icon
  • Placement options: Landing Page, certain text editors

When to use a Call to Action

Call to Action (CTA) is an effective way to drive users to important content like information on a program or service, a key webform, or an external web application. The link in a Call to Action will display as a button, so make sure that it highlights the most important information on the page. If you are considering a Call to Action for your homepage, it should typically link to the most common task for the largest segment of your audience.

Examples of good usage

A Call to Action is meant to grab visitors' attention and direct them to take an action. To make sure your visitors notice it quickly, locate the CTA near the top of the page; On a Landing Page it should be in the first or second section, and on a Topic Page (or another page that is primarily made up of a single "body" text editor) it should be in the first 2-3 paragraphs.

Write the link title (which will display as the button label) as an action to describe its function. For example, rather than "Program Application," it could be "Apply."

Misuse

Don't overload your site visitors with too many CTAs. Generally speaking, if there are two or more Calls to Action on a single page, consider breaking the content into smaller pages or reformatting the less important ones into text links. It's recommended to only have one Call to Action per page.

How to create a CTA