CTA
/ˌsiː tiː ˈeɪ/
Definition
A phrase or button that prompts the user to take a specific action — like "Sign up now" or "Start free" — clearly telling them what to do next on a website, ad, or email.
Examples
- • Changing the landing page CTA from 'Learn more' to 'Start free' boosted the click-through rate.
- • A clear CTA button at the bottom of an email raises the conversion rate.
Origin
A long-standing marketing and advertising concept that became essential vocabulary as website and landing-page optimization grew central to online marketing.
Description
A CTA is a phrase or button that spells out, in a concrete verb, exactly what a user should do next — so they never have to guess. "Start free for 30 days" tends to outperform generic wording like "Submit" because it lets the user picture the outcome.
How to use it
- Highlight only one CTA per screen. Multiple competing CTAs make users hesitate and often leave without clicking either.
- Start with a verb and pair it with the payoff — "Start your free 30-day trial" beats plain "Subscribe."
- Place at least one CTA above the fold, so it's visible without scrolling.
- A/B test the wording, color, and placement — it's the most common way teams improve click-through rate in practice.
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