Every brand needs a website – that’s a given. But what if it’s not converting visitors into customers? What could be the problem?
There could be a hundred answers to this question, so I’m going to focus on just one copy-related topic today: You need ONE clear CTA.
Here’s the question you need to consider: What specific action do we want visitors to take after spending 30 seconds on the homepage?
Many websites fail to perform as a valuable marketing asset because they’re trying to do everything at once.
They’re digital Swiss Army knives, frantically attempting to get every single visitor to do every single possible action: “Sign up for our email newsletter!” “Check out our new product!” “Book a consultation!” “Read 22 employee bios!” “Watch this video!” “Download this freebie!” “Call our office!” etc. etc. etc.
It’s overwhelming, isn’t it? When everything is important, nothing is important.
And yes, I’m exaggerating a bit with that example, but you’d be surprised at how many calls-to-action some brands try to pack onto their homepages. This problem leads to a confusing visitor experience, especially if they’re looking for something specific and can’t easily find it.
What happens? They go to your competitor’s website, which is more focused and easier to navigate. And instead of getting them to take ALL your calls-to-action, they’ve taken action on ZERO of them.
That leads us to…
What is the Ideal Call to Action for Your Website Homepage?
Let’s frame this as a quiz! As you’re narrowing down which CTA should be your primary on the website homepage, ask yourself these three questions:
1. What is your main growth goal right now?
a. Build brand awareness
b. Generate leads
c. Directly drive sales or donations
2. How do your best customers typically prefer to engage with you?
a. Read/research first
b. Talk to someone or try something out
c. Jump right into purchasing/donating
3. How long is your typical sales cycle from first contact to commitment?
a. Several weeks to months (they need time to research and decide)
b. A few days to a couple weeks (they want to take their time and get to know you)
c. Same day (quick decision-makers)
As you jot down your answers to each question, your CTAs will become obvious. Here’s a general overview of how this exercise will play out:
Mostly As: Your main CTA should ask people to watch a brand video, read your “about us” page, or peruse your long-form thought leadership content (blog, podcast, YouTube channel, etc.).
Mostly Bs: Your main CTA should ask people to fill out a form, such as a free valuable resource, a contact request / quote request form, or the email newsletter (or texting) list.
Mostly Cs: Your main CTA should be the next buying step. What does someone need to DO if they’re ready to take action? Nonprofits will choose “Donate Now” or “Sign Up to Volunteer”; service-based businesses will usually want “Book a Consultation” or “Request a Quote”; membership models will use “Join Now”; and product-based businesses will have a variation of “Buy Now” or “Shop Now.”
Does One CTA Limit Your Brand?
“But Emily, there are so many great things about our business/nonprofit – we don’t want anyone to miss out! What if we want multiple things from them?”
You can still accomplish multiple goals throughout your website!!
For example, if you’re really trying to grow your team, you can put together a strong landing page for careers. The only CTAs on that page relate to applicants: “Apply Now,” “Explore Job Openings,” etc. Promote that landing page (by itself) heavily in ads and on social media.
Or, if you have multiple products and/or services that are equally important to your brand, design a section near the top of your homepage that anchor links further down on the webpage. You could also use this section to redirect to separate interior pages for each product/service.
But the bottom line is that choosing a primary CTA forces you to get crystal clear on your website’s primary purpose. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, you’re choosing the single most important conversion goal for your brand!
It fundamentally shifts your perspective from “What do we want to say about ourselves?” to “What do we want people to do?”
This philosophy coincides with the StoryBrand approach to marketing, which is when we shift our approach from making our brand the hero of the story to positioning our customer as the hero.
Lastly, winnowing down your CTAs also acknowledges a crucial reality about online behavior: People make quick decisions. Within seconds of landing on your site, visitors are subconsciously asking, “Is this relevant to me? Can they solve my problem? What should I do next?”
If your homepage can’t answer these questions quickly and clearly, people leave. But when you design around a single, specific action, you create a clear path that guides visitors naturally toward entering your world!
Can There Be More Than One CTA on the Homepage?
Yes, absolutely! You can have multiple CTAs, but the key is understanding hierarchy and remembering not to overwhelm your visitors.
Your primary CTA should be the most prominent, visually, and appear multiple times. However, you can use secondary CTAs to support your main goal without competing with it. Secondary CTAs are stepping stones that move people closer to your ultimate conversion goal.
Here are a few examples:
- If your primary CTA is “Book a Consultation,” a secondary CTA might be “Download Our Free Guide” for visitors who aren’t ready for that bigger commitment.
- If you want people to request a quote from your service-based business, but they might be hesitant about handing over their contact information, point them to your blog or podcast, where they can get to know your brand and your specialized expertise.
- If you’re trying to encourage donations or recruit volunteers for your nonprofit, not everyone will make that commitment right away. You can still nudge them along that journey by showcasing your brand video so they can better understand your mission.
- If your brand is a church that wants people to attend a worship service, that can be your main CTA – but make sure you include secondary CTAs such as “Watch an Online Service” or “Learn What We Believe.” Both of these actions are easier for someone to take, especially if they’re feeling hesitant about attending a service in person.
- Many retail brands try to capture email addresses by promising a coupon code. So if you sell products, your main CTA can still be “Buy Now,” but consider adding a pop-up that entices people to join your newsletter or texting list.
- Any brand that is trying to add employees can add an “Explore Careers” or “Join Our Team” CTA on their homepage – as long as it’s not the primary focus, which could be confusing to potential customers.
See how that works? You can still provide a positive user experience by prioritizing one CTA, while capturing other visitors with your secondary CTA.
By the way, if you need help clarifying your messaging and creating content that guides website visitors toward taking action, let’s talk! I partner with independent web designers and website design agencies for a seamless website-building experience. Request services right here.
Here’s my secondary CTA 😉
Download my free resource, “99 Snappy CTAs to Drive Website Conversions,” to get your creative juices flowing!
What to read next: