Call to Action in Writing: 5 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When you start to writing your blog, do you start by thinking about your call-to-action (CTA), or is it an afterthought when you get to the end? Do you even remember to include a call to action in writing your blog?
A compelling CTA can be the difference between a passive reader and an engaged subscriber, customer, or client. CTAs guide your audience to take the next step with you, which helps them know, like, and trust you.
However, crafting an effective CTA is an art that many bloggers struggle with.
In this blog post, you’ll learn about the five most common CTA mistakes that may keep your blog from adding to your business. More importantly, you’ll get actionable tips on how to avoid these pitfalls, ensuring your CTAs are clear, compelling, and conversion-ready. You’ll transform your blog’s calls-to-action from mediocre to magnetic, driving better engagement and achieving your blogging goals.
What is a Call To Action?
A call to action (CTA) in writing a blog is like a friendly nudge, urging your readers to take the next step—whether it’s subscribing to your newsletter, downloading a resource, leaving a comment, or sharing your post. When someone finishes reading your blog, they’re looking for you to tell them what to do next.
CTAs in blogs can take many forms. You might find them as bold buttons at the end of a post, hyperlinked text within the content, or even pop-up prompts that catch the reader’s attention. Whether it’s a clickable link saying “Read more” or a button inviting readers to “Join our community,” the goal is to turn passive readers into active participants, guiding them along their journey and helping you achieve your blog’s objectives.
CTAs also help keep people on your website longer, which is great for your website traffic!
Mistake 1: Vague CTAs
A CTA that is vague leaves your readers confused and uncertain about the next steps they should take. When CTAs use ambiguous language like “Click here” or “Learn more,” they don’t convey the specific action you want your readers to do and the benefit they get from it.
An unclear CTA doesn’t motivate your reader to engage with you and your content further.
What to do instead: Be specific and direct in your CTAs. Clearly state what you want your readers to do and what they get from it.
For instance, instead of saying, “Click here,” you could use “Download your free eBook now” or “Sign up for our newsletter for weekly tips like what you’ve read.” These tell the reader exactly what to do and set clear expectations. You’re making it easy for them to decide to follow through.
Mistake 2: Overwhelming the Reader With Multiple Ctas
Imagine this: you’re at a bustling buffet. There are so many delicious dishes you can’t decide what to eat first. You feel overwhelmed, so you walk away with an empty plate.
The same thing can happen to your blog readers if you overwhelm them with too many CTAs in your blog post.
When faced with multiple CTAs, readers might experience decision paralysis and end up taking no action at all or even clicking away.
What to do instead: Focus on one primary CTA per blog post. Think of it as the star of the show—give it the spotlight it deserves.
If your main goal is getting readers to sign up for your newsletter, highlight that CTA. You could mention your newsletter a couple of times in the blog to prime your readers, then have a full CTA at the end for the newsletter sign-up.
If you want to have multiple CTAs, focus on the primary one – the star of the show. You can still include secondary CTAs, but they should play supporting roles. Place them in less prominent positions so they complement rather than compete with the primary action you want your readers to take.
You can use a clear visual hierarchy to differentiate primary and secondary CTAs. Design elements like size, color, and placement can also differentiate the primary CTA from the secondary ones.
A big, bold button saying “Subscribe Now” will naturally draw more attention than a smaller link inviting readers to “Follow us on social media.”
Mistake 3: Failing to Convey Value
Your readers always ask, “What’s in it for me?” Being direct and clear, especially about the benefit of following through with the CTA, significantly increases its effectiveness.
Readers are more likely to engage when they understand what’s in it for them.
What to do instead: Always highlight the benefit your readers will receive when they take action. Clearly state what they get.
Instead of a vague “Subscribe now,” try something like “Subscribe now to get exclusive tips on boosting your nutrition business!” This way, readers immediately understand the value of subscribing, making it more enticing to take the plunge.
Using strong, action-oriented language can also help convey value. Phrases like “Unlock,” “Discover,” or “Get your free” are powerful because they promise a benefit. For example, “Get your free meal planning guide” sounds more appealing than just “Download now.”
By clearly communicating the benefits and using engaging language, your CTAs will be irresistible, turning curious readers into enthusiastic participants.
Mistake 4: Ignoring the User Journey
Imagine planning a trip with friends where some are just dreaming about destinations, others are comparing flight deals, and a few are ready to book hotels. If you suggest booking hotels to everyone, you’ll lose those still figuring out where they want to go.
The same goes for your blog readers. Ignoring where they are in their customer journey (which goes from learning about to working with you) and offering the same call-to-action (CTA) to everyone can lead to missed opportunities and frustrated readers.
What to do instead: Tailor your CTAs to align with the different stages of the user journey: awareness, consideration, and decision.
New readers, in the awareness stage, respond well to a gentle call-to-action of “Learn more about us.”
For readers weighing their options (consideration stage), a “Download our detailed comparison guide” CTA can provide the needed information.
For readers ready to commit (decision stage), a direct “Sign up for our service today” CTA is perfect. Matching your CTA to the reader’s stage ensures it feels relevant and actionable.
Which CTA should you choose? Consider if the blog post is introductory or advanced. If it’s one for newbies, then try a basic CTA that doesn’t ask too much.
If the post is advanced, ask for them to download an ebook or schedule a call.
If you’re not sure, you could include a main and secondary CTA. Then, watch your analytics and see what happens.
Mistake 5: Not Aligning CTAs with Content
Picture reading a mouthwatering chocolate cake recipe, only to suddenly be interrupted with a request to sign up for car insurance. Confusing, right?
When your call-to-action (CTA) doesn’t align with the content, it can feel just as jarring to your readers. A CTA that doesn’t match the blog post disrupts the flow and leaves readers scratching their heads, wondering how they got from point A to point Z.
Instead: Make sure your CTAs flow naturally from your content. If you’re writing a post about effective meal planning, a CTA like “Download our free meal planning template” fits seamlessly and offers additional value to the reader.
On the other hand, inserting a CTA about an unrelated topic can feel disjointed and may cause readers to lose interest or trust in your content.
When your CTAs align with your content, you create a cohesive and engaging journey for your readers, effortlessly leading them to take the next step with you.
What’s the CTA?
In a blog post about CTAs, I’ve got to have one, too. Right?
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