A "Call to Action" (CTA) in mobile marketing is a concise, compelling directive placed within an ad, webpage, or app interface, designed to prompt an immediate response from the user. On mobile devices, where screen real estate is limited, a CTA must be clear, concise, and easily tap-able, guiding users towards a desired action such as making a purchase, signing up for a service, or downloading an app.
According to internal research by Airbridge, web campaign is really important even for app developers. Therefore, finding a way to boost web-to-app conversion is a must for marketers if they are to maximize the marketing budget and efforts. CTAs prove to be one of the compelling and action-oriented ways to guide users through the marketing funnel, from initial engagement on the web to taking action within an app. Together with deep link, it is a perfect bridge helping the user journey to be smoother without being disrupted by cross-device usage.
Besides CTA, there are also many other methods that you can use to drive more conversions. Website Optimization for Speed, Email Marketing, A/B Testing, Video Marketing and Social Media Engagement are a few among many other tactics that can bring your conversion rate to a next level.
Having a good CTA means you can convince lots of people to perform intended actions. Here are the things that can help you ensure the quality of a CTA.
Simplicity: Keep the message short and to the point, as mobile screens offer limited space. Besides, lengthy CTA wears users’ patience down.
Visibility: Use contrasting colors and legible font sizes to ensure the CTA button stands out on small screens. You really should not expect users to actively look for the CTA button
Thumb-Friendly Design: Place the CTA button where it's easily reachable with a thumb, typically in the center or bottom of the screen.
Urgency and Incentive: Incorporate words that create a sense of urgency ("Now", "Today") or offer an incentive ("Free", "Discount") to encourage immediate clicks.
Testing and Optimization: Regularly test different versions of your CTA (A/B testing) to identify which designs, placements, and messages generate the best conversion rates on mobile devices.
Below are some of the CTAs that you might have come across:
E-commerce: "Buy Now" button at the bottom of the product description page for easy thumb access.
Subscription Services: "Subscribe for Updates" with a simple form field for email entry, optimized for mobile keyboards.
App Downloads: "Download Now" prominently displayed on mobile landing pages, linking directly to the app store.
Social Media Engagement: "Swipe Up" for more details in Stories ads, a natural action for mobile users.
Event Registration: "Sign Up Today" placed within easy reach, accompanied by a countdown timer to add urgency.
Moreover, advertisers can also freely use thought-provoking, creative words in a CTA like this:
Dive In! — Perfect for inviting users to explore a new feature or content.
Let's Get Started! — A friendly nudge towards beginning a process, such as a course signup or app tutorial.
Whisk Away! — For travel services, suggesting a quick escape or adventure awaits.
Claim Your Treasure! — For promotions or sales, suggesting users can find valuable deals or products.
Seize the Day! - A motivational push for time-sensitive offers or opportunities that shouldn't be missed.
Taste the Thrill! - For food and beverage apps, or experiences promising excitement and pleasure.
An MMP like Airbridge is a wonderful assistant, helping advertisers better their CTAs at ease. Advertisers can measure Click-through rate (CTR), Conversion rate and other related metrics, all within Airbridge’s dashboard, to gauge the effectiveness of the CTAs. A/B Testing with Airbridge also helps advertisers figure out which kinds of texts, styles, languages and placements can bring their CTAs to a next level.
Essentially, while a button is a tool that users interact with, a CTA is the message that tells them why they should interact and what they'll get from doing so. In practice, a button can contain a CTA, making it both a functional and a strategic component of an advertisement.
In CTAs, 'please' can be used to add a polite tone to your request. However, it's important to use it sparingly and in the right context. For example, instead of saying “Please click here”, you could say “Click here, please”. This makes your CTA sound less demanding and more respectful.
A strong CTA will grab customers' attention and incentivize them to take the decisive steps necessary to achieve their goals.
