It’s hard to pinpoint the moment that websites transitioned from being digital repositories of mostly text into hubs of multimedia content, including high-definition images, video and audio, even though most of us don’t miss the “glory days” when websites were technically limited and lacking aesthetically. However, the same technological freedom that allows us as consumers to enjoy the speed, aesthetics, and enriched experience provided by the modern World Wide Web (WWW) also allow you, as the owner or manager of your business, to customize the content and layout of certain sections of your website in order to maximize its effectiveness in visitor conversion. In short, you can utilize these customizations, formally known as Calls-To-Action, to convert more visitors into clients or customers!

A Map Instead Of A Sign

A call-to-action is formally defined as a “piece of content intended to induce a viewer, reader, or listener to peform a specific act, typically taking the form of an instruction or directive.” In its most simplified form, a call-to-action with a webpage can be a simple as a simple line of text (“Sign In Here”) or it can be as complex as an integrated video or animation directing a visitor to click through to another page. While the concept may appear to be simple, the proper execution of an effective call-to-action can be much more complex, requiring a deep understanding of how the majority of users interact with websites and a deeper understanding of the roll of calls-to-action in the overall conversion process.

Many web designers consider calls-to-action to be signs, the same way that a physical storefront may place signs to direct the actions of customers. While this is not necessarily wrong, it can limit the effectiveness of the call-to-action and your website in successfully completing the conversion process. Instead of thinking of your website’s calls-to-actions as signs, think of them instead as components of a map. Your calls-to-action shouldn’t be designed individually, with singular objectives, but should be the final components of an extended process of funneling and ultimately converting readers into customers.

You May Not Need a New Website!

If your current website doesn’t include an effective series of calls-to-action, you may not necessarily have to commission an entirely new website for your business or organization! If your website is supported by a modern Content Management System (CMS) and doesn’t include an overwhelming number of technical customizations, it’s possible to integrate a modern system of effective calls-to-action without having to create an entirely new website.

Maximize It’s Effectiveness

As we mentioned earlier in this blog post, a system of calls-to-action within your website isn’t a standalone entity. To maximize its effectiveness, your system should be the final component of a digital marketing system that includes a robust online presence that includes your website, blog, and social media accounts, a steady stream of high-quality content marketing and an effective marketing funnel designed to “funnel” your social media followers and blog readers back to your website. Without a comprehensive online presence and system such as this, you’re investments in your website and other online properties may be significantly less effective than they should be.