12 Best Tips for PPC Calls to Action

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has a 200% ROI, and yet many businesses do not get the full advantage of this Digital marketing strategy because they fail to use effective call to action . In fact, 70% of small business B2B sites lack CTAs.

If you want a high click-through rate (CTR) on your PPC ads, you’ll need to craft irresistible call to action. In this article, we’ll go over what PPC call to action are and give you 12 tips on how to make them stand out.

What is a PPC Call to Action?

In marketing, a CTA is any language that invites readers to do something. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, viewing a website, or making a purchase. Without CTAs, a landing page leaves a potential buyer hanging, without direction on where to go next. That’s why CTAs are so crucial. They turn casual browsers into potential leads and customers. Any marketing effort involves writing the perfect CTA Button.

In pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, CTAs are what drive the click-through rate (CTR). They are what get users to click on the ad. CTAs go hand in hand with PPC. So they need to be compelling.

There are 3 broad categories of CTAs in PPC: those that invite user engagement, those that generate leads, and those that encourage a direct response. Which you use will depend on your ad campaign goals:

• User engagement CTAs aim for engagement with content only, whether it’s a blog post/article, landing page, or study. Since engagement is the primary focus, they tend to use softer verbs like “explore,” “discover,” “visit,” and “learn more.”

• Lead generation CTAs try to move users further down the sales funnel by having them express interest by signing up for a newsletter or contacting a representative. So they use verbs like “request,” “enroll,” “contact,” and “verify.” It’s more than engagement. It’s a deliberate step toward learning about the product or service.

• Direct response CTAs strive for immediate Google Ads conversions via purchases or enrollments. So they use words like “buy now,” “register,” and “sign up.” It’s all about getting the user to take quick action. No pulling punches.

No matter which type of Call to action/(CTA Button) you’re after, following some basic guidelines can make them more effective. So without further ado, here are 12 tips on writing the most effective PPC calls to action:

1. Make it simple

Call to action need to be simple and clear. Tell people exactly what clicking the ad will do. In other words, what you want them to do, e.g. “buy now.” Remember PPC ads have a strict character limit, so you need to make every word count. You can’t afford to be vague or unclear.

Always write digits for numbers as this reduces character count and the time it takes to read the ad, e.g. “24” instead of “twenty-four.”

We recommend sticking to just one 1 Call to action – (CTA Button) line per PPC campaign. That way, your CTA buttons are not competing against each other and your campaign has a clear goal & desired action for the users.

2. Use Strong Action Verbs

Every Call to Action should get the user to do something. So use strong verbs that convey action. call to action examples, “skyrocket your ROI on SEO marketing Materials” sounds a lot better than “read SEO insights.”

Use words that tap into users’ emotions. After all, people buy with their emotions first, then rationalize their purchase later. This is true even for B2B customers. Try to make them enthusiastic about trying your product by using exclamation points, e.g. “Buy now for 50% off!” If your Call(CTA) is enthusiastic, users are more likely to be.

3. Add a Sense of Urgency

Creating a sense of urgency motivates users to act. If they feel like the offer is limited, they’ll think it’s now or never. So consider advertising a limited-time sale, offer, or promotion to get their attention. This way, you take advantage of their fear of missing out (FOMO), a powerful motivator.

You might even contrast with something negative, like “stop eating junk and transform your life with an easy diet proven to work by thousands.” Appealing to users’ negative sentiments, like their bad eating habits, is risky and may not always work. But it can be a powerful way to incite action.

4. Show Value

Show that there is value behind every Call to action, e.g. benefits, bonuses, or return on investment (ROI). Otherwise, users don’t know whether clicking on the ad is worth their time.

Draw on a unique selling point (USP). Maybe you can offer a free consultation or a free trial. Such offers communicate value to the user by showing what’s in it for them. If it can’t show value, your Call to Action won’t generate clicks. Simple as that.

5. Evoke Curiosity

Say what your business does and the results you get, while keeping it at a high level. This will intrigue customers and make them want to learn more. You don’t want to give away too much, but just enough to spark interest.

Leave cliffhangers. TV shows have mastered the art of cliffhangers to get viewers to keep watching. As humans, we need closure. The same goes for Call to action-(CTA Buttons). Make a promising claim without giving all the details and users will want to learn more.

6. Leverage the Urge to Belong

Humans have an urge to belong. We want to do what we see others doing. Call it the bandwagon effect, following the crowd, or peer pressure. Whatever you call it, it’s here to stay, and your Call to action can leverage it by citing influencers or celebrities, e.g. “Try Lebron James’s work out routine for $10/month.” You can also cite recommendations, endorsements, reviews, and ratings. Together, these are considered “social proof.”

Social proof is the future of marketing. As the modern world becomes more connected, people place more and more value on the opinions of others. Try including social proof for your product or service in your CTA to make it that much more irresistible.

7. Emphasize Low Risk

What keeps many from investing in a new product or service is risk. People don’t want something to turn into a waste of time or money. So your CTA should show that they have nothing to lose. Do this by offering a free trial, a money-back guarantee, or no-obligation quote. Users feel more at ease when they know what they’re getting into.

Offering a low-priced or free product in hopes of gaining a new customer is called the loss leader strategy. By marketing a product below its value, you stimulate interest. Then once the user is hooked, you can increase the price. The user will feel more comfortable paying more once they’ve experienced the product’s real value. It’s a win-win.

8. Showcase Immediate Gratification

The internet makes us impatient. We want instant information and gratification. Your Call to Action can tap into this by showcasing instant delivery, e.g. “Get a free demo now.” By including the word “now,” the Call to Action implies that the user won’t have to wait for a benefit. The reward for clicking on the ad will be immediate. This way, you’ll increase your click-through rate (CTR) and generate more leads.

9. Speak to Your Target Audience

Make your CTA highly relevant to your target audience. It could be masterfully crafted, but it won’t do you any good if it’s targeted at the wrong people. For instance, asking regular consumers to buy B2B software is unlikely to generate much response. You need to match the Call to action  to the intended customer.

You can also personalize the Call to Action by drawing on shared interests or using a casual tone. Users want to connect with you before engaging. One way to do this is by writing in the second person. The pronoun “you” implicates the reader, making them feel involved. For call to action examples, “buy the hot tub you deserve” is more appealing than “buy a hot tub.”

Consider the words users type into search engines when looking for your product and tailor your Cal to action(CTA) accordingly. If their searches include action phrase like “free,” “best,” or “near me,” you’ll want your Call to action to reflect that. Try writing “free SEO tool” or “best SEO tool,” for instance.

10. Know Your Devices

PPC ads display differently depending on the device. Mobile devices have smaller screens, for call to action examples, so ads have to be smaller. Keep this in mind when crafting CTAs for a mobile audience. Plus, mobile users are usually searching for a quicker answer. So make mobile CTAs short and to the point and try offering an instant solution. You might also enable call extensions for mobile CTAs. That way, clicking the ad automatically triggers a call to your business phone number. When you do this, make sure to set the PPC campaign preferences to only show ads to mobile users. Otherwise, users on other devices will be left at a dead end when clicking your ad.

As for PCs and tablets, search engines, including Google, consider them the same when it comes to PPC ads. Since tablets have only slightly smaller screens than PCs, you don’t need to worry about altering your CTA much between tablet and PC users. Both devices, and PCs especially, allow users to research more easily, so you might leave CTAs that require more time to this audience.

11. A/B Test your CTAs

Success with PPC advertising is a matter of trial and error. Perform A/B tests to see what CTAs work best. Call to action examples: you can test different CTA button placements and colors. Generally, the CTA button color should contrast with the blog post & web pages/landing page background color. Test different CTA wordings, word orders, and lengths. The amount of variation is endless.

Though A/B testing different CTAs can be time-consuming, it’s worth nailing down the best one because it could make a huge difference in clicks, conversions, and revenue.

12. Avoid Common CTA Pitfalls

Of course, there are some pitfalls to avoid when crafting the perfect CTA. If you can avoid them, you’re guaranteed to improve your click-through rate (CTR). Here they are:

• Don’t ask for too much in one CTA. Make sure you stick to one action or outcome. Otherwise, you’ll confuse users and dissuade them from clicking at all.

• Be careful not to write clickbait. Be honest and don’t overpromise. Tricking potential customers into clicking an ad only hurts you in the long run. They feel cheated, and you risk losing any future business with them. It’s a lose-lose situation that doesn’t benefit either party.

• Don’t make your CTA button overly vague. Users should know off the bat what you are offering. If they don’t, they’ll move on.

Conclusion

Having a sensational call to action can make the difference between a failed PPC campaign and a successful one. If you implement the tips above, you can dramatically increase your click-through rate, conversions, and sales.

Need help managing your next PPC campaign? Our experts at ppc.co have over a decade’s worth of experience in everything from Google and Facebook Ads to landing page optimization. We specialize in optimizing your return on ad spend. You name it, we can help. Get in touch to start scaling your business today.