A CTA, short for call-to-action, is the button or line that prompts your visitor to act: request a quote, call, or fill in a form. A good CTA states exactly what happens when you click, rather than a vague prompt like "more information". Put one central action on each page and repeat it on longer pages, so the visitor never has to hunt for how to get in touch.
CTA stands for call-to-action. It is the place where you ask the visitor to do something. Usually a button, sometimes a linked sentence, sometimes a whole block with a form.
The most common mistake is vagueness. "More information" or "Read on" tells the visitor nothing about what will happen. Uncertainty holds people back, so the click never comes.
The second mistake is wanting too much. A page with five equally prominent buttons forces the visitor to choose, and then they often choose nothing. One primary action per page works better.
| Weak | Strong | Why |
|---|---|---|
| More information | See the prices | States what you get |
| Contact us | Request a quote | Concrete, with a purpose |
| Submit | Send my enquiry | Written from the visitor's side |
| Click here | Call 070 4500 300 | Immediately actionable |
There should be a first opportunity above the fold, for the visitor who arrives already convinced. After that you repeat it at logical moments: after the pricing, after the proof, and at the end. On a long page that is three or four times, which is not pushy but helpful.
You can see how we apply this on our page about what a website costs: price up front, one clear next step, and no form with fifteen fields.
One primary action per page, but repeated several times. On a short page one button above the fold and one at the end is enough; on a long page you repeat the same action three or four times at logical moments, for instance after the pricing and after the client stories. What to avoid is five different actions competing for attention: quote, newsletter, brochure, call and download side by side. The more choices you offer, the more often someone takes none. Pick one goal per page and make that goal easy.
Colour helps, but less than is often claimed. There is no colour that universally converts better; what counts is contrast with the rest of the page, so the button reads as a button. More important than colour is the text on it and where it sits. A button reading "See the prices" in a calm colour outperforms a bright button reading "More information". So work on the wording and the placement first; colour is the last five percent, not the first fifty.
Only when it is true and relevant. "Free quote" works when visitors genuinely wonder whether a quote costs money, which happens in some sectors. If it is taken for granted in your market that quotes are free, the word adds nothing and can even read as cheap. What matters more is stating what happens after the click and when someone gets a reply. Uncertainty is the biggest brake on a click, and you remove it with clarity, not with the word free.