What is a call to action (CTA)?
In content, a call to action (or CTA) is text that’s intended to motivate a reader (or viewer or listener) to take a specific action. One of the most common actions is prompting a reader to click a hyperlink or button, or to submit their information (such as an email address).
Types of calls to action
CTAs vary in format. A CTA might be a clickable image or text, a pop-up to join an email list, a free download (like a template or white paper) in exchange for an email address, or an invitation to share content on social media.
What is a call-to-action button?
A call-to-action button is a hyperlinked element in an email or other digital content that prompts the reader to act. Commonly, the button includes a short phrase like “Learn More” or “Get Started.” If a CTA is included in a button, it is typically no more than 2-4 actionable words to ensure it’s concise and mobile-friendly.
Where should you place a call to action?
You want your CTA to be visible and easy to find. On a web page or email, the best place is typically where it is immediately visible (above where someone would need to start scrolling). For blogs, you might include it at a natural transition point, like at the end.
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What is the purpose of a call to action?
While specific purposes will vary, the common goal of a CTA is to get an audience to act—to learn more, to sign up, to download something, etc. Rather than leaving readers dead-ended after reading an email or blog post, a CTA gives them an opportunity to engage further.
In marketing or sales, the goal is often to increase sales or at least to engage prospects with a demo or free trial. In internal communications, the goal of a CTA is typically increased engagement—encouraging employees to enroll in benefits, read a newsletter, or participate in a survey.
How do CTAs and click-through rates (CTRs) work together?
A click-through rate, or CTR, is one way to measure the effectiveness of a CTA. CTR is the percentage of people who click on an element (CTA) after being exposed to it.
For example, if you send an email to 100 employees and 10 of them click the “Learn more” hyperlink, your CTR is 10%: 10 unique clicks divided by 100 recipients.
Using CTAs and CTRs to make strategic internal comms decisions
In addition to inspiring employees to take action, CTAs—when paired with CTRs—give internal comms teams another way to track engagement over time. By measuring CTRs, you can experiment with different options and use the data to understand what works for your employee groups.
What is a good click-through rate?
Data in PoliteMail’s Benchmark report shows that the average click-through rate for internal communicators is 6.8%, a figure that varies by industry. Ultimately, a CTR is relative. If you benchmark your historical data, you can track improvements.
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CTA Examples: How to write a compelling call to action
You’ve seen common CTAs—Enroll Now, Buy Now, Sign Up Today. While these may be popular, they’re not the most compelling.
If you want readers to engage with your CTA, they need to find value in your proposition. Your call to action should show your audience how you can help them by tapping into their emotions or pain points.
Define your goal. Then, determine how you can help your reader.
- For example, if you want employees to enroll in their benefits, what’s the value to them?
- Instead of “Enroll Today,” you might say “Choose the Best Plan for Your Family,” or “Get Your Benefits Questions Answered.”
- If you want employees to participate in an engagement survey, what’s in it for them?
- Rather than “Take Survey,” you might invite employees to “Share Your Feedback” or “Tell Us Your Thoughts.”
A/B test your CTAs
A/B testing your calls to action is one of the fastest ways to improve click-through rates. Start by testing one variable at a time—wording (“Read More” vs. “Get the Guide”), placement (top vs. bottom), button style, or personalization—so you know what actually made the difference. If you change multiple components, you won’t be able to identify the problem.
Send each version to a comparable audience segment, run the test long enough to gather meaningful data, and measure results with reliable analytics like those from PoliteMail. Look for patterns across multiple sends, not just one-off wins, and keep iterating. Over time, small improvements compound into higher CTRs, better employee engagement, and more effective internal communications.
Simplify the CTA journey
Whatever your desired outcome, a “click here” button is unlikely to be the best CTA. Map your path and get specific.
For simple asks—like encouraging employees to participate in your quarterly survey—this may involve one email with a short description, a deadline, and a single call to action: “Take Survey.” This email series can include reminder emails sent only to folks who haven’t participated as the deadline approaches.
For more complex asks—such as getting people to enroll in your benefits—offer them one step at a time. Send separate messages for health insurance, dental insurance, and your flex spending plan. Create a series of calls to action for each. This might include an initial email encouraging employees to sign up for a live benefits Q&A webinar to review this year’s plan options. You may follow up after the webinar with an email encouraging employees to review the benefits materials. And follow that with a series of emails reminding people to submit their enrollment by logging into your human capital management (HCM) software.
Personalize your CTAs
Readers may mindlessly skim over cookie-cutter CTAs like “Click Here” or “Read More.” To increase engagement, write a specific call to action, such as “Attend a Benefits Session this Wednesday.” Hyperlink that text to a form that puts the event (with the call link) directly on their work calendar.
Key call-to-action tip: Ask just one thing
If you want someone to click, include only one link in your content. Shorter email messages with one action item perform better and produce the highest click-through rates. Ensure the link is displayed near the top of your email, and use a different color, a larger font, or an icon to distinguish the action item.
How you can use PoliteMail to design clickable email CTAs
PoliteMail’s easy drag and drop builder allows you to add links, buttons, images, and even clickable smart attachments to your email message. Customize your link and button colors, text, padding, and borders to match your internal company branding. Or use one of PoliteMail’s predesigned templates that include CTAs to get you started. And when you are done designing and send your message PoliteMail provides you with in-depth engagement metrics including click rate. With PoliteMail, you have data you need to know your employees are getting and engaging with the information you want them to see.
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