Many companies are still designing their ad campaigns to target desktop audiences with an effective mobile marketing call-to-action as an afterthought, at best.
And yet, consumer use of mobile devices surpassed desktops and laptops toward the end of 2016. Google certainly took notice, and most professional marketers did as well. This phenomenon brought about the rapid and continuing development of mobile apps. It also brought about a new type of marketing content specifically suited to mobile device users.
Consumers are now shopping on small screens.
Your customers are also busy and on the go with these portable devices. What they don't want are walls of small text, exactly the sort of content that marketers use in website and blog post content. They want information, entertainment, and inspiration in digestible doses. This situation calls for visual content that viewers can absorb quickly and easily with as little text as possible.
In the world of marketing, some of that text will be presented in the form of a call-to-action (CTA) that drives conversions. So what does a successful CTA look like, and how are they targeted to reach the right audiences?
Each CTA should have one conversion goal only. And the operative word here is “action.” Whether you want a viewer to visit your website or a specific landing page, download your app, or purchase something, you want the user to do something by clicking the CTA button. A strong CTA with a single purpose helps guide the user on their buying journey.
You probably already have a buyer persona. But how long has it been since it's been updated? Data science can now provide plenty of detailed information, as can social listening tools. The more you listen to what your target audience is saying, the better you understand their “pain points.” Pain points can be used in your content but also in your CTA. For example, “Find Your Perfect Shoe” is a CTA that provides a solution to a pain point. Executed well, it drives the customer to a landing page on your website where that solution can be found.
Always use an action verb in the imperative form. These include terms like subscribe, buy now, sign up, check out your options, etc. The user knows exactly what he or she needs to do to get to a solution.
The user needs to feel that you have his interests at heart. If you can use the pronoun “you” or “your” in your calls to action, the message is more personalized. Instead of “check out our options,” say “check out your options.”
You can create a sense of urgency just as you do with any other CTA, but remember they must be short. “Check out your options and get today’s 25% discount” or “Get your 25% in the next 12 hours.” Scarcity and urgency do sell. It’s a psychological strategy called “fear of missing out" (FOMO), and consumers don’t want to miss a bargain.
Your customers have a problem to solve. Whether they want a new pair of shoes or a new microwave, your product or service must offer a solution. The call to action can include the benefit or value you provide. “Find your perfect microwave right here” would be such a CTA. You are offering a solution and telling them that there are several options from which to choose.
Human brains process visuals much faster, and using them on mobile devices is a critical piece of marketing. Any time visuals can be used instead of text, the more likely it is that visitors on mobile devices will stay with you. You can even use a visual with a CTA embedded within or under a photo of a product.
An explainer video can do a great deal to capture your audience’s attention. And it’s a perfect venue for consumers on mobile devices. You can provide all of your value propositions if you have the right visuals/actors and the right script. In today's digital landscape, a video marketing strategy can be very powerful. Your script will be critical in this event.
If you do not have the creative juices that might be required for an engaging and compelling script, consider hiring a creative writing team for help. There are many organizations that employ an entire department of creatives who produce scripts all the time. One of the great things about using a video is that you can embed a call to action, complete with a button, at the end of your video. Catch them while they are engaged.
While your CTA may be clear, simple, and compelling, be certain that the link you take your user to provides exactly the content that is promised. And that content must be clear, simple, and compelling too. Do not confuse or even anger users by presenting content, products, and services that are not specifically related to your CTA.
Even presenting more CTAs to other pages is not a good idea. Audiences expect to get exactly what is promised and nothing more. Mobile users want to access the information quickly; confusing them with other “stuff” will not be welcome and is likely to cause them to bounce. Worse, a customer might be angry enough to block future messages and/or delete your app entirely.
It’s hard to know which types of mobile marketing content might resonate and which will totally “flop." This is why savvy marketers conduct A/B testing. That testing should include smaller content, such as headlines, email subject lines, photos, and even font sizes. The benefits of A/B testing are well-known, but just to quickly recap:
Consumers on their mobile devices are demanding. They want speed, efficiency, and results. They want information delivered in ways that require the least amount of effort. Scrolling through a website is not their idea of a good time. Crafting an effective mobile marketing call-to-action acknowledges these user preferences and serves up information accordingly. If potential customers search for a product or service and your business pops up, you'd better be prepared to quickly show value and benefit. Quickly direct them to what they want via a compelling CTA.
Take these 9 tips for crafting those CTAs, and you are likely to get more click-throughs. More click-throughs mean more of the conversions you are trying to achieve.
