Your website’s CTA (Call-to-Action) button is quite possibly the most important button on your webpage. It was literally designed as a creative way to invite web users to try your product. As a website owner you should always be asking yourself “Does my website fit the brand I am trying to sell?” and “Is my CTA button strong enough?”. Well, you can find out this information and test your website’s visual content by split testing different techniques.
Split testing, also known as A/B testing, is a method of comparing two versions of a webpage against each other to determine which one performs better… But you probably already knew that. People unintentionally use this method in everyday life. We split test food, beverages, shoes, cars, people, and much more. We are always comparing and contrasting things to decide what we like the best. If we split test in our daily lives, then why would we not split test different options for our website? Specifically, why would we not split test different CTA buttons to see what performs the best? Split testing your website will ultimately help you decide what looks and feels the best. To help you in your process, we have come up with five things that you need to be split testing on your Call-to-Action button.
- Nifty Button Shapes
Surprisingly, the shape of your CTA button on your webpage has a BIG impact on whether or not someone will follow through with your offer. You will want to play around with the buttons and split test which shape is more appealing based on the design and setting of your website. There are many different things to consider when choosing the right button shape.
Depending on the “look” of your website, you could choose to add rounded buttons, square or rectangle-shaped buttons, diamond, or custom shaped buttons. There is no limit to what button shape you can use. The most important thing to note is that the shape of your CTA button will determine whether or not a user will click on it. As mentioned, the shape has to go along with the design of your site. Play around with the options on your website and split test whether a circle, oval, or rectangle CTA button would perform better.
- Large Text
People are drawn to big, bold lettering. That is why web designers and marketers always encourage making your web page headline large and bold. In the same way, your CTA button text should be clear, legible, and easy to read. You do not want your text to be so big that it is distracting, obnoxious, or intimidating. If your letter size is too big you could make the customer feel uncomfortable or threatened, which would obviously deter them from your website.
It would be extremely beneficial for you to split test the size of the lettering on your CTA button. Our recommendation is to split test small and large lettering. By doing this, you will have accurate results showing how many people clicked on each one.
- Button Color needs to STAND OUT
The color of your CTA button is perhaps the most important aspect of the button. Studies show that orange and green buttons receive the most clicks. The color of your CTA button should ultimately depend on the design of your site. You will want your button color to contrast the background color of your site so that it stands out. You should not create a red button to go against a red background. Obviously, that would not be a smart choice because it would make your CTA button less visible for the user. In that case, they might even think that the red button on the red background is a mistake on your site. If you are not sure what will look the best, ask your close friends or family if they think your button color contrasts well with your site color.
You can also perform a test on your own by squinting! By doing that, you should see the button color pop! Split testing is really the only way to test what color attracts the most attention and clicks. Studies show that different colors evoke different emotions from people. The colors you choose to use on your website are everything! Think about a few of your favorite TV shows, businesses, restaurants, and stores. Now think about the colors that they use to market their brand. Below is a quick list of colors and the emotions that are usually evoked.
- Yellow: Optimism, Clarity, and Warmth
- Orange: Friendly, Cheerful, and Confident
- Red: Excitement, Bold, Youthful
- Purple: Creative, Imaginative, Wise
- Blue: Trust, Dependable, Strength
- Green: Peaceful, Growth, Health
- Gray/ Silver: Neutral, Calm, Balance
- First-Person Speech
Studies show that those who switched from second-person speech to first-person speech on their CTA buttons have seen a 90% increase in clicks. This does not mean that you should use first-person speech everywhere on your website! That would only leave your audience feeling confused and uncomfortable. You should only use first-person speech on a CTA button. Make sense? For example, instead of the CTA button saying “Your Free Newsletter”, it would say “My Free Newsletter”. Using first-person on the CTA button will make your offer feel more personal. You should perform a split test to gauge which technique is the most successful. We both know that the first person technique will gain more traction… but go ahead and split test it!
- Use Engaging Words
Call-to-Action buttons should of course include action words! It should include engaging, strong, and exciting text. The last thing you want for your CTA button is lazy, mundane verbiage. You want your customers to want to click on your CTA button. You can always pick up a thesaurus or search the Internet for words to sub in and out. Instead of using boring words such as “Submit”, “Go” or “Enter”, use words that will draw the user into your offer. Use words such as “Download my Newsletter”, “Reserve my spot”, “Take this course” or “Try a Free Trial”. Your words change will go a long way- trust us! Your verbiage should also go along with the text that relates to your offer. When you use more exciting words and phrases in your CTA buttons, you are also engaging your audience and you will inevitably begin to see more clicks. You should stay focused on offer-related actions.
By using these 5 split testing techniques on your website’s CTA button, you will have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t work. You will gain a better understanding of what your audience prefers, and therefore pointing you in the right direction to gain more traffic and grow your business. The first step in seeing what works and what doesn’t work is driving traffic to your website. Do what you can to drive traffic your way, and let your split test do the rest.