How to Create a Clear Call-to-Action: Must-See Video Marketing Tips and Examples

The Call-To-Action (CTA) is often overlooked by video content marketers who don’t realize how vital this element is in their marketing strategy.

Think of the call-to-action as your “big red button,” where you win every time someone hits it. This is your video trigger – it encourages viewers to take a specific action with your video. CTA’s have been shown to increase conversions by as much as 380%!

CTA’s should be the ultimate goal of your video – they’re the natural next step that we want people to take after consuming content. While it may be fun to watch your view count increase, if the audience watching your content doesn’t take action or do something after enjoying your content, you’re missing the point.

In this blog, we touch on why calls-to-action are so meaningful, tips that make a clear CTA, and discuss some of the most common examples of video content marketing calls-to-action that have been proven to work. 

So Why Include a CTA?

Without a clear call-to-action, your video essentially has no purpose. If viewers don’t know what to do after watching, they’re likely to lose interest and disappear immediately. Having a clear CTA has the power to convince people to take action and defines the goals of your content.

• CTA’s Drive Conversions – They are the means through which viewers move to your website, subscribe, or make a purchase. Essentially, this is the route which converts the viewer into a customer.

• People Love to Share – this will also allow people to share your content with others. Besides allowing the viewer to take action, they can be used as an extra marketing tool, encouraging or incentivizing audiences to spread your message.

• Search Engines Love Them – Part of good SEO is ensuring that every ranking factor is taken care of. Google keeps tabs on video viewer behaviour, and a good one that drives conversions and organic actions will rank even better.

• We’re Lazy – Nobody wants to write down an email address, open Outlook, type a message and then send. No, people want to click once to sign up, buy or share and a clear one allows them to do that. 

• CTA’s Are Multidimensional – You can do almost anything with it. You can ask your audience to sign up for your newsletter, subscribe to your channel, share, make a purchase or simply navigate to your website, product, or landing page. The possibilities are endless, so get creative!

Need all the ranking factors to get more views and subscribers on YouTube? Download the full guide below.

Tips in Creating Clear CTA’s

CTA’s can be tricky. In a quick-fire statement, you need to send a clear message while encouraging the viewer to click. While creating an easy-to-understand call-to-action is vital in ensuring people take action, there are a couple of tips and non-negotiables to stick to when writing a strong and concise one.

• Add visual Cues – Using images, animations, and bright colours will help your audience spot and click on your CTA, no matter where it appears in or around the video content. You don’t need to be a designer, but a little creativity in your CTA goes a long way. 

• Put it Inside your Video – Not next to it. It can be set within a video can generate up to four times as many clicks as one placed in a sidebar. You can include your call-to-action at the beginning, in the middle or the end, or keep it visible throughout!

• Be Obvious – Don’t be vague. Audiences want to know exactly what clicking on certain button will do, or they’ll be too weary to click. Make clear, strong statements.

• Be Specific – If you’re unsure what you want to do, think about the goal of your content. Extract the essence of that goal and use words that will communicate this. 

• Use the Right Language – Remember who you’re talking to. Tailor your wording, tone and language to speak to your audience on their terms. 

Types of Common CTA’s

While the CTA can come in many different forms, a few tried-and-tested calls-to-action that most audiences respond to well.

• Visit your Website – Directs people to visit either your homepage or a specific webpage on your site. This is one of the most common option in video content.

• Contact Us – Tried and tested, the “contact us now” button is still a powerful driver of people into the funnel. You can list an email address, social media link or even a telephone number for audiences to click on.

• Sign Up – Another effective way to get people to take action is to ensure they remember you after clicking on that option. You can do this by inviting them to sign up for something, whether it be a newsletter, blog or subscription. The ‘Sign Up’ button is a powerful, flexible tool.

• Find Out / Learn more – This one is effective in video marketing where, even after watching your content, the buyer may still be hesitant to take action. The ‘Find Out / Learn More’ button allows audiences to take the next step without committing to anything.

CTA’s drive conversions and spark action. They are the door that sends people down the funnel and gives them a way to do what we want them to. In our last blog, ‘Keeping your Production In-Line,’ we discussed how important it is to set goals for your video before publishing.

Your main goal when creating your call-to-action should focus on what you want it to achieve. Do you want people to sign up, share, visit your website or make a purchase? Remember, CTA’s need to be unambiguous. They need to be easy to spot, and they should compel the reader to take the action they are suggesting.

Need all the ranking factors to get more views and subscribers on YouTube? Download the full guide below.