How to Write CTAs (Calls to Action) That Actually Convert
You built a great website. Invested in proper design, good content, fast loading times.
Traffic comes in. People look around. Then they leave. No contact form filled. No service booked. No sale made.
Why?
Because your website doesn't actually ask people to do anything.
Let's fix that with effective calls to action (CTAs).
What a CTA Actually Is
A call to action tells visitors what to do next.
"Contact us." "Book a consultation." "Get a quote." "Download our guide."
Without CTAs, visitors browse, think "interesting," and leave forever.
With good CTAs, you turn browsers into leads.
Why Most CTAs Don't Work
Walk through 100 UK business websites. Most CTAs are weak.
Common problems:
"Learn More" Learn more about what? Why should I care? Too vague.
"Submit" On a contact form. Boring. No value proposition.
"Click Here" Lazy. Tells me nothing about what happens next.
Hidden at the bottom If I have to scroll past three screens to find your CTA, most people won't.
Generic language "Get Started" works for SaaS products. Doesn't work for a plumbing business.
Too many options Five CTAs on one page. Which one should I click? Analysis paralysis.
The Anatomy of a Good CTA
Effective CTAs have three elements:
1. Clear Action Verb
Tell people exactly what they'll do.
Good: "Book your free consultation" Bad: "Learn more about our services"
Good: "Get your instant quote" Bad: "Click here"
Good: "Download the pricing guide" Bad: "Find out more"
The verb matters. Book. Download. Get. Start. Schedule. Request.
2. Specific Value
What do they get by clicking?
Good: "Get a quote in under 2 minutes" Bad: "Request a quote"
Good: "Book your free 30-minute strategy call" Bad: "Contact us"
Good: "Download our free website cost calculator" Bad: "Resources"
Specificity builds trust and sets expectations.
3. Low Friction
Make it easy to say yes.
Free removes cost friction. No commitment removes obligation friction. Fast removes time friction. Simple removes complexity friction.
"Book a free 15-minute call, no commitment" works better than "Schedule a consultation."
Where to Put CTAs
Above the Fold
Your most important CTA should be visible without scrolling. First thing people see.
Homepage hero section. Right there. Big button. Clear value.
At Natural Decision Points
After explaining a service, ask them to book it. After listing benefits, ask them to get started. After showing pricing, ask them to buy or enquire.
Guide the journey logically.
In Your Navigation
Secondary CTA in header. Always visible as they scroll.
"Book Now" or "Get Quote" button that stands out from normal menu items.
End of Content
Blog posts, service pages, case studies. Always end with a relevant CTA.
Just shared valuable information? Now invite them to the next step.
Multiple Times (Strategically)
Long pages need multiple CTAs. But make them consistent.
Same primary action repeated at logical points. Not five different competing CTAs.
CTA Copy That Actually Works
For Service Businesses
"Book your free site visit" Action: Book. Value: Free. Clear outcome: Site visit.
"Get your instant quote" Fast, clear, actionable.
"Schedule a free consultation" No risk, clear value.
For Professional Services
"Book your free 30-minute strategy call" Specific time, free, describes what happens.
"Request your free business assessment" Value-first, no commitment.
"Download our free guide: [Specific Topic]" Tangible resource, clear benefit.
For E-commerce
"Add to basket" Clear, familiar, works.
"Buy now with free delivery" Removes friction (delivery cost).
"Pre-order yours today" Urgency and ownership language.
For Software/Web Services
"Start your free 14-day trial" No risk, specific timeframe.
"See it in action, book a demo" Shows confidence, low commitment.
"Get instant access" Speed and simplicity.
Design Elements That Make CTAs Work
Buttons vs Links
Buttons work better. Significantly better.
Blue underlined text "click here" gets ignored. Big, contrasting button with clear text gets clicked.
Use buttons for primary CTAs. Links for secondary actions.
Color and Contrast
Your CTA button should stand out.
If your site is blue, don't make your CTA button blue too.
Use contrasting colors. Make it impossible to miss.
Test with the "squint test." Blur your eyes. Can you still clearly see where to click? Good.
Size Matters
Small buttons get missed. Make CTAs prominent.
On mobile especially. Thumb-sized tap targets minimum.
White Space
Don't crowd your CTA. Give it breathing room.
Surrounding white space draws attention and makes the button feel more important.
Arrow or Icon
Small visual cue can increase clicks.
Right-pointing arrow suggests forward movement. Download icon clarifies what happens.
Subtle, but effective.
Mobile CTAs
60%+ of your traffic is mobile. Your CTAs need to work on small screens.
Sticky CTAs
Make your primary CTA stick to bottom of screen on mobile. Always visible, always accessible.
Thumb-Friendly
Bottom third of screen is easiest to reach. Put CTAs there or make them sticky.
Simplified Forms
Don't ask for 10 fields on mobile. Name, email, phone. That's it.
More fields = more abandonment.
Click-to-Call
On mobile, "Call us now" button that actually triggers the phone. Instant, easy.
CTA Testing: What Actually Matters
A/B Test These Elements
Button copy: "Get started" vs "Book now" vs "Request quote"
Value proposition: "Free" vs "Fast" vs "No commitment"
Button color: Orange vs Green vs Red (against your site colors)
Placement: Hero section vs after benefits vs sticky footer
Size: Larger vs smaller buttons
Don't Test Randomly
Change one thing at a time. Track results properly. Give tests time to collect data (100+ conversions minimum).
Small traffic sites can't effectively A/B test. Just implement best practices.
Common CTA Mistakes
Too Many CTAs
One primary action per page. Secondary actions are fine but should be clearly secondary.
Don't ask people to simultaneously book a call, download a guide, subscribe to newsletter, follow on social, and request a quote.
Pick one. Make it prominent. Everything else is supporting.
Asking Too Soon
Homepage CTA can be direct if your offer is simple.
But for complex services, you might need to build value first. Explain benefits, show credibility, then ask.
Don't put "Buy now" at top of page if people don't know what you do yet.
Weak Landing Pages
Great CTA, but it links to a generic contact form with no context.
Your landing page should match the CTA promise. If CTA says "Get instant quote," landing page should be a quote form, not your about page.
No Follow-Up
Someone clicks your CTA, fills the form, then... silence.
Have an immediate confirmation. Email within 24 hours. Follow process you promised.
Generic for Everyone
Trade businesses need different CTAs than SaaS companies.
"Request your free site survey" works for builders. "Start your free trial" works for software.
Match language to your industry and audience.
CTAs for Different Page Types
Homepage
Primary: Your main offering. "Book consultation" or "Get quote." Secondary: "Learn about our services" (less prominent).
Service Pages
Specific to that service. "Book your [service name]" or "Request [service] quote."
Blog Posts
Relevant to content. Post about website costs? CTA: "Get your free website cost estimate."
About Page
Build trust first, then "Ready to work with us? Get in touch."
Contact Page
Obvious, but make it easy. Form, phone, email. Clear response time expectations.
Pricing Page
"Choose this plan" or "Get started with [plan name]."
Real Examples That Work
Trade Business (Electrician)
Before: "Contact us for more information" After: "Book your free electrical safety check" Result: 3x more form submissions.
Why it worked: Specific service, free, valuable, clear action.
Professional Services (Accounting)
Before: "Get in touch" After: "Book your free 30-minute tax consultation" Result: 5x more bookings.
Why it worked: Specific value, time-bound, free removes risk.
E-commerce (Home Goods)
Before: "Shop now" After: "Free UK delivery on orders over £50" Result: 40% increase in average order value.
Why it worked: Removed friction (delivery cost), set clear target.
Web Design Agency
Before: "Request a quote" After: "See what your new website could cost (takes 2 minutes)" Result: 2x more quote requests.
Why it worked: Fast, specific, casual tone reduced intimidation.
Urgent vs Pushy
Urgency works. "Limited spots available" or "Book this week, get 10% off."
But fake urgency damages trust. Don't use countdown timers that reset. Don't claim "only 2 left" when it's not true.
Real urgency: "Next available appointment: Tuesday 14th." Honest scarcity: "We take 3 new clients per month." Time-bound offers: "Promotion ends Friday."
Be honest. Urgency works because it's true, not because you made up pressure.
How We Use CTAs at Arcscribe
Homepage: "Book your free consultation" Clear, low commitment, specific action.
Service pages: "Discuss your [specific service] project" Contextual to what they're reading about.
Blog posts: "Need help with this? Let's talk" Conversational, relevant, not pushy.
Sticky mobile CTA: "Get in touch" Always accessible, simple action.
We A/B tested different copy. "Book consultation" converted 40% better than "Contact us."
Action Items for Your Website
This week:
- Audit every page. Where are your CTAs? Can you see them easily?
- Rewrite weak CTAs. Add action verbs and specific value.
- Check mobile. Are CTAs thumb-friendly? Visible?
- Add CTAs where missing. Every page needs at least one.
- Ensure consistency. Same primary action throughout site.
This month:
- A/B test your homepage CTA. Try 2-3 variations.
- Create dedicated landing pages for main CTAs.
- Review form length. Cut unnecessary fields.
- Set up proper follow-up automation.
- Track conversion rates. Measure what's working.
The Bottom Line
Your website isn't a brochure. It's a conversion tool.
Every page should guide visitors toward action. Make those actions clear, valuable, and easy.
Test. Measure. Improve.
Need help optimizing your website's CTAs and conversion rate?
We audit sites, identify friction points, and implement changes that increase leads.
Free website conversion audit. See what's costing you customers.
Email: isaac.marshall@arcscribe.co.uk Phone: 01603 327078
Arcscribe builds high-converting websites for UK businesses. Based in Norwich, we focus on designs that don't just look good, but actually generate leads and sales.