20 Effective Call to Action (CTA) Phrases

A good call to action accomplishes two things:

1) it tells the subscriber or visitor exactly what they’re getting when they click on something; and
2) it gives them a sense of urgency and immediacy.

Use a command that clearly states what action you want them to take.  Which are you more likely to click on: “Click Here” or “Get it Now!”?  Would you be more enticed by “Download” or “Download Now, Free!”?  Creating a sense of urgency entices your readers to act quickly.  Of course, when the action is less urgent, you’ll want to us use a call to action that works better in your overall site design or email (e.g., “Learn More,” “See How It Works,” etc.).  Ideally, you want to start your CTA with a verb.

Here are 20 direct action-oriented call to action (CTA) examples:

1. Download Now, Free (Download Our Free eBook Now!).  People like free downloads and respond to immediacy. These deliver on both.
2. Save 20%.  You’ve enticed your subscriber with a discount.
3. Join Now.  Great for membership and social network sites.
4. Talk to an Expert.  This is a great CTA, if you have any kind of authority site on a subject in which people would want to talk to an “expert.”  Also provides more credibility.
5. Call for a Free Quote.  This is great for anyone that provides pricing quotes. Combine it with useful information about your services.
6. Start Your Trial.  Let users experience what they’re buying before they buy it. Trial periods are a great way to lure prospects. It’s not too committal and people can form their own opinions by trying your product or service.
7. Sign Up Today. This can move the reader to subscribe immediately rather than waiting.
8. Get a Free Quote.  It’s straightforward and open ended. Offering a free quote is non-committal and one of the best ways to motivate your audience to take action.
9. Get It Now!  An exclamation point grabs their attention and provides immediacy.
10. Get Started Today.  If they can get started immediately, you’re catching them when their interest is at an all-time high.
11. Act Quickly.  Combine this with a time sensitive call to action (offer ends…).
12. Reply Today.  This can move the reader to take action rather than sitting on it.
13. Buy Now. This works great on a big colorful button and you can vary the size, color, font, etc. to really make it stand out.
14. Offer Expires.  By providing a date in which your offer expires, people are incentivized to act now and ASAP.
15. Add to Cart.  “Add to Cart” encourages shopping on your site.
16. Tell Us What You Think.  People like it when companies value their opinions and want to hear from them.
17. Tell Us How We’re Doing.  You can catch a lot of people’s attention by asking your customers what they think about you.
18. Reserve Now.  Whenever someone sees the word “reserve,” it implies that there’s a chance there are limited tickets, or there is limited seating, etc.
19. Watch This Video Now.  A free informational video is on-demand and ready for viewing right now.
20. Reserve a Spot Now, Limited Number of Spaces Available.  This works very well for GoToMeeting type webinars which have limited virtual seating.