How to Create a Compelling Call to Action

If your content doesn't include a call to action, you are leaving lots of money on the table that will never make it into your pocket until those CTAs are put into place. Simply put, a call to action tells your readers to do exactly what you'd like them to. And if your copy is intriguing enough, your readers will have no problem taking action.

While focusing on conversions during CTA creation is essential, your copy doesn't need to be "salesy" in order to be effective. Here's how to create balanced calls-to-action that result in new customers, newsletter subscribers, and even brand ambassadors for your business:

Create a personable experience

Let's say that you're promoting an eBook about do-it-yourself oil changes and you've written an article about the importance of regular oil changes for a vehicle. Instead of ending your piece with "Those interested in learning more can click here to buy this eBook," it's better to say something like "Click here to buy this eBook and become a master oil changer!"

Unlike the first instance, the second instance speaks directly to the reader as if they're a personal friend. It also tells a small story that tells readers exactly what they can expect after buying and reading the eBook. And in the end, this personable experience takes readers beyond a basic pitch and creates an engaging and compelling reason for them to buy.

Provide directions

Most people on the Internet are busy doing things like checking their email, surfing websites, and participating in social networks – all at the same time, so chances are that they won't want to spend the time trying to figure out how to actually take advantage of your offer after they have read about it. Telling your readers where to click, explaining when to join a live session, and providing links to in-depth instructions when necessary, can noticeably increase your conversion rates.

Go big and stand out

Make sure that your call to actions stand out from the rest of your content so there isn't a chance that it will be missed by readers just skimming your page. In fact, a good CTA that catches the eye of readers as soon as they reach the page may find themselves more intrigued by the content that precedes it.

You can simply increase the text size or change its font to create a unique vibe, or design a button to go underneath your content that displays your call to action. The idea is to ensure that it's seen as an enhancement to your written content so it doesn't get eaten up by all the other words on the page.

Keep it short and simple

To avoid giving your CTAs a salesy feel, it's important to keep them short and simple. Tell just enough of a story to spark interest and get straight to the point by following up with an actionable demand. By simply saying "click here to buy" instead of "check out all the benefits" ensures that readers know what to expect when they do click your link, and it gives all the power to your landing page so it can do the job of selling for you. Each call to action you create shouldn't be any longer than just a line or two – this will ensure that you don't leave any room for fluff or desperation.

When creating your CTAs, put yourself in the shoes of your potential customers and imagination living a day in their life before you start typing. This should help you identify and include specific attributes that will interest your readers and make them want to click on your offers.

Author: Small Business PR

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9 Ways to Increase Landing-Page Conversions

Headlines and visuals rule. Keep your most compelling content 'above the fold' and make your call to action an unmistakable target.

You know what really sucks?

Building a website, putting up a landing page and fighting to get as much traffic as possible to that landing page only to rush to your analytics to see -- nothing. A lonely space on a graph where your conversions are supposed to register.

Even if you took the easy road and used one of my gazellish.com video courses to help build your pages in WordPress, conversions are what really matter. When you can't move the needle, it's a discouraging sight.

Your next thought might be along these lines: "What went wrong? Was it the button color? I definitely should change the button color." You then waste your time making the most meaningless changes possible.

Optimizing conversions can be a big, hairy mess. It's art and a science, and you might feel at times as if you need a Ph.D. to make sense of it. In truth, you just need a checklist -- a roster of landing-page essentials to guide you to conversion-rate bliss. 

1. Write killer headlines.

On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. You need a main headline that grabs the reader's attention and sums up your proposition. It should be as concise as possible.

Then, craft a subhead to expand on the headline's promise. Remember: People scan and skim. You must ensure they'll get the gist of your pitch within a matter of seconds. These great examples of headlines and subheads do just that.

Related: This is How You Write Headlines That Hook 'Em!

2. Include images and videos.

You usually want a good "hero image" or video above the fold. That's old-school newspaper lingo, but it applies to virtual pages, too. Images help draw in readers, and compelling images will entice them to scroll down through your content.

Your hero image should connect directly to what you're selling. If you're pitching a product, it should be in the photo or graphic. If you're selling something less tangible, such as a service, select a visual that shows someone enjoying the benefits of what you provide.
Tie your headline to your image, and you'll have a winning combo.

3. List the benefits.

People love benefits, and they also love bulleted lists. Cater to both of those by listing your benefits with bullets. Or check out how Dropbox.com uses clean visuals to sum up the pros of storing your files on its cloud.

4. Keep the most important elements above the fold.

People spend 80 percent of their time above the fold. You'll need to strike a balance: You want as much content as possible above that imaginary screen border, but you don't want to clutter up the visual field. 

There are an infinite number of ways to accomplish this. Check out this article from Hubspot (and this one) to get some inspiration.

5. Issue an unmistakable call to action.

Your buttons should be your landing page's most prominent element. You don't want visitors to wonder where or how they should take action. Try backing away from your screen and squinting at the page until it's blurry. Does your call to action still stand out? If it merges with the rest of the page, you need to make adjustments. 

Related: How to Create a Compelling Call to Action

6. Add social proof.

Studies show that 70 percent of consumers say they look at product reviews before making a purchase, and consumer-generated product reviews are 12 times more trusted than product descriptions from manufacturers. If you want to sell anything at all, you need credibility. Consider adding customer testimonials, client logos or both to your landing page. 

7. Minimize distractions.

Removing links (such as your site's navigation) increases conversion rates. Obviously, you'll still include your logo to build your brand's recognition and link that element to your home page. But make no mistake: The goal is to strip your landing pages down to the bare minimum. That means giving up the sidebar, too. The more options you give viewers, the more competition you give your call-to-action button.

8. Address pain points.

Above all else, make sure your landing page does two things:

• Identifies a pain
• Links that pain to your solution

No matter your industry or market space, there's always a pain. It's just a matter of degree. Without pain (or at least annoyance), consumers wouldn't have searched online to find you or clicked the link in the e-mail you sent. Visitors are looking for something when they come to your landing page. Make sure nearly everything they see there serves one of the two purposes listed above. 

If your target market detests dull light bulbs or chafes at having to replace bulbs so often, your solution might be a brighter and longer-lasting bulb. If you're in the luxury-car business, you could be dealing with a lack of pleasure and not an actual pain point. Drivers might want to achieve a certain level of social status, or maybe they want a reliable and comfortable car that looks great.

Related: 9 Little-known Tricks About Conversion-Rate Optimization

9. Learn from others.

There's no shame in basing your landing page on a style you've seen somewhere else. If you're drawing inspiration from a company that's significantly larger than yours, its marketing department almost certainly has invested time and money to develop and test the strategies you see.  

Leverage their knowledge to your advantage, but don't simply copy their designs. Note which components and tactics are at work. Then, refer to the points above to analyze what makes their pages so inviting. Once you know why a landing page works, you can replicate that success without lifting someone else's design or identity. Here are a few great resources to study before you create or change your company's landing page:

• RayEdwards.com's landing-page framework
• 12 Essentials of a High-Converting Landing Page
• The Anatomy of a Landing Page (Unbounce)
• The Anatomy of a Perfect Landing Page

Author: Mike Taylor

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13 Tips to Create Better Live Videos

Have you been wanting to start hosting (or host more) live videos to develop your brand? Great! Then you’re ready to embrace the trend that is dominating social media. But first you want to know how you can create better live videos.

Like everything else on social media, just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean they’re doing it well… And I don’t want you to look bad either! So I’ve put together my list of top 13, super actionable tips that you can use to make sure your next (or first) live video looks like you’re already a real pro!

Practice Talking to Yourself

If you’ve never hosted a live video, a webinar, a podcast, or other one-way conversation, you NEED to practice this skill. It’s easy to talk to someone else on a screen, but when you’re just staring at yourself and laughing at your own jokes, it can be hard to keep the conversation going.

Get comfortable talking to yourself in front of the mirror or on camera. Record yourself doing short videos and play them back to see how you sound and look. Would you be entertained by that video? If not, keep practicing!

Know Your End Goal

Why are you doing this video? What do you want to get out of it? Are you looking to drive traffic to your site or opt-in? Maybe you’re teasing a new product or promotion.

What do you want your audience to get out of it? Are there actionable takeaways they can apply to their business? Is there a tool or resource or tip that could make them more efficient? Are you going to motivate them?

Knowing these details can ensure you aren’t wasting anyone’s time and make sure you get real results when it’s done.

Have a Plan for the Video Flow

You don’t necessarily need to have a bulletized, line-by-line outline of the video content, but you should have a comfortable grasp on the direction of the conversation and the key points you want to cover.

Know how you plan to kick off and introduce the live video, what points you’ll cover throughout, and how you’ll wrap it up.

PRO TIP: Plan a couple minutes of open dialogue to start the video. A lot people won’t jump on the second you start so delaying the “meat” of the call for a couple minutes allows people to tune in. BUT, don’t ramble erratically or for too long – then you’ll lose people.

Talk For At Least 10 Minutes

In reality, you should aim for at least 20 minutes if you want better live videos. The longer you stay on live, the more people have the chance to tune in and join you. Short 5 minute videos won’t get many live views.

Reiterate Your CTA Throughout the Video

Understanding that people are joining in at various times throughout the video, you want to make sure they don’t miss your message or call-to-action.

Make sure to point out at various points throughout the video what it is you want them to do. In a 10-minute video, you should do this about 3 times. For a 20-minute video, you could do 4 or 5 mentions.

PRO TIP: Mix them in at natural and logical points in the conversation. When the CTA flows as part of the conversation, it doesn’t look salesy.

Have a Good Video Title

Your video title should speak to your audience and the core message/value of the video. Vague, confusing, and click-bait style titles are not effective.

“How To” or best practice type videos and titles show value and resonate with audiences. If you’re at an event or talking about an event, include that event name in your video title. If you have a tool or product you’re showcasing, list that in the title so people know what to expect.

Find Good Lighting and Clear Audio

Good lighting should be a no-brainer. We want to see you on camera – not a shaded face. Ensure the light is in front of you and ideally a soft light. Big windows make for good lighting!

But remember, this is video, and audio is key. Being somewhere windy or with lots of background noise will ruin a live video quickly. Instead, find a sheltered or quiet area where you can record.

You can also invest in a relatively inexpensive microphone for best audio. Whether a standing microphone like a Yeti or Snowball for your desk or a clip-on microphone for interviews and video “in the field”, there are plenty of options to meet your needs.

Use a Tripod

If you’re recording a 20 minute video, I guarantee you won’t be able to hold up your smartphone for that whole time! And even if you do, you’ll be shaking and it gets distracting. Instead, invest in a tripod to support your video broadcasts. I have a couple different options from Arkon Mounts and they are serious life savers when I’m recording any video on my phone.

Stay Close Enough to Read the Comments

If you’re using a tripod especially, it can be tempting to move back from the phone. But don’t get more than an arm’s length away. You want to be close enough to see any comments and questions scrolling into your video feed.

PRO TIP: If possible, have someone moderate the conversation for you, answering questions or dropping links you mention in the video. This helps you focus on the video without having to worry about typing or adding comments into the feed.

Respond to Comments & Acknowledge Viewers

You want to see new comments and be able to read them clearly enough to respond and engage. If people have taken the time to watch you live or, even more so, comment, you absolutely want to address them. If you have lots of viewers, it may be hard to acknowledge them all, but definitely acknowledge those who leave comments.

Expect Lags

Here’s something you probably don’t realize, but what you’re saying and what they’re seeing are not in unison. So, when you ask a question or say something, they’re getting it a few seconds later. And then, if they have to type a response, that will take even longer.

Plan for lags by asking a question and then talking a little more, maybe even add more context to the question or topic as you wait for your audience to respond.

Embrace Real Life

One of the great things about live video, is that it’s, well, live. And life happens when you’re on live. Dogs bark, kids cry, neighbors mow their yards, doorbells ring, people walk by or want to talk to you, and whatever else could go wrong, probably will.

That’s ok! People know this and as long as you embrace it and make it work for you, you and your video will be ok.

Be Genuinely You

Whatever “you” means, be that! Let your personality shine through on your videos. Don’t feel like you have to be a certain personality, or talk a certain way, or look or dress a certain way. Be you and your audience will respect you a lot more.

Embrace your quirks. Laugh at yourself. Talk the way you do with friends and family. Make funny faces. Say weird things. Have an opinion. Share your viewpoints.

Be. YOU.

If you do all these things, you’ll be all set to create better live videos! But no matter what, practice makes perfect! I’ve been hosting webinars, doing training videos, and hosting live videos for years and I still know I can improve. But that’s what makes it fun! Growing and learning with each opportunity 

Author: Jenn Herman
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