How to blog for SEO purposes – The Ultimate Guide
What Is a Call-To-Action (CTA)?
A call-to-action (CTA) is a prompt; it tells someone what you need them to do when they visit your website. It might ask them to book a call, buy a product, download a guide, join your mailing list or contact you.
If you’ve ever visited a website and felt unsure about what to do next, you’re not alone. That moment of hesitation usually means one thing is missing or not working well enough: a clear call to action.
A good CTA removes the guesswork for your visitors.
I've been building and supporting business websites for more than a decade. One of the most common problems I see is unclear or missing calls-to-action. You can have a beautiful website, but if visitors don't know what to do next, it's unlikely you'll get any business from them.
Remember, on your website, every visitor needs direction.
What is a Call-To-Action Button?
A CTA doesn't necessarily have to be a button. It could also be a text link, form, banner, pop-up or even a sentence at the end of a blog post. However, buttons are particularly effective on websites because they're easy to spot and make the next action obvious.
A call-to-action button is a clickable element on your website that tells visitors what step to take next.
It’s usually a button with simple, direct text like:
- “Buy Now”
- “Sign Up”
- “Get Started”
- “Learn More”
Think of it as a signpost. Without it, your visitors are left to figure things out on their own, and most won’t stick around long enough to do that.
Examples of Good Clickable CTAs
The call-to-action examples above are basic, everyday ones. However, for stronger SEO, you could try the following:
| If you want visitors to… | Instead of… | Try… |
|---|---|---|
| Arrange a call | Contact Me | Book Your Discovery Call |
| Download a freebie | Submit | Get My Free Guide |
| Join your email list | Sign Up | Send Me the Weekly Tips |
| Ask about a service | Learn More | See How I Can Help |
| Request a quote | Contact | Get a Quote |
| Buy something | Click Here | Buy Now |
| Join a course | Sign Up | Join the Course |
| Book an appointment | Book | Book Your Appointment |
My top tip: Don't try to be clever for the sake of it. Your visitor should understand what will happen when they click the button. Clarity beats creativity when it comes to CTAs.
What Makes a Call-To-Action Button GOOD?
If you’re just starting out, don’t worry; creating an effective CTA is simpler than it sounds. Focus on these basics:
1. Make the action clear.
Your button should say exactly what will happen when someone clicks it.
For example: “Start Free Trial” is better than something vague like “Click Here.”
2. Tell them what they'll get
There's a subtle difference between:
Download
and:
Get My Free Website Checklist
The second tells me why clicking is worthwhile.
3. Make it stand out
Clickable CTAs should stand out from the rest of your page. This usually means using a contrasting colour and enough spacing around it.
4. Keep the wording short
A few words are enough. Long sentences on buttons can feel overwhelming and unclear.
5. Make sure the next step matches where they are in their journey
Someone reading their first blog post may not be ready for:
BUY MY £2,000 SERVICE
They might be ready for:
Get My Free Guide
Someone on a service page who's already decided they need help may be ready for:
Book a Call
That's valuable information and demonstrates that you're thinking about the customer journey, rather than just button colours.
Where Should I Put My CTA Buttons on the Website?
Placement matters more than most beginners realise.
Here are a few simple guidelines:
- At the top of your page (above the fold): For visitors ready to act quickly
- After explaining something: Once someone understands your offer
- At the end of a page or section: When they’re ready to decide
The key is to place your CTA where it naturally fits into the user’s journey.
Here are some examples:
Homepage: one clear primary CTA near the top, then repeat it naturally further down.
Service page: after you've explained the service and again after trust-building content/testimonials.
About page: once the visitor understands who you are and why you're the right person.
Blog: once you've answered their question, offer a relevant next step.
Contact page: make the desired method of contact extremely obvious.
You may also find the information on this blog post useful: Expert Website Help for Growth: What Works and What Doesn’t.
How Many CTA'S Should You Have on a Webpage?
It's a great question.
There really is no magic number of CTA buttons a webpage should have. What does matter is that the page has one clear primary action.
You can repeat the same CTA several times on a longer page so visitors don't have to scroll back to find it. Problems can arise if you give people too many competing choices at the same time.
For example, if one button says "Book a Call", another says "Join My Mailing List", another says "Buy My Course", and yet another says "Download My Guide", your visitor won't know which one to choose first!
Therefore, decide what the main job of that page is and make it the primary CTA
Decide what the main job of that page is and make the primary CTA support to support it.
What Should A CTA Button Look Like?
You don’t need to be a designer to create a strong CTA. Start with these easy wins:
- Use a colour that contrasts with your website background
- Make the button large enough to click easily (especially on mobile)
- Add space around it so it doesn’t feel crowded
- Stick to one main CTA per section to avoid confusion
How do I know whether my CTA is working?
Your first CTA doesn’t have to be perfect.
Try different:
- Button text
- Colours
- Placements
Naturally, don't judge clickable CTAs simply by whether you like them. Look at what visitors actually do.
If 100 people visit your service page and five book a call, that's a 5% conversion rate for that action.
Depending on your setup, you can use tools such as GA4 (Google Analytics 4) to measure clicks, form completions, bookings or purchases.
Try changing one thing at a time, such as the wording or position, so you have a better idea of what is making a positive difference.
Recap - 7 Common CTA Mistakes to Avoid
- Using vague wording like "Click Here"
- Giving visitors too many choices
- Hiding the CTA
- Using tiny buttons on mobile
- Asking for too much too soon
- Using the same CTA regardless of the page
- Forgetting to test that the button actually works
Number 7 sounds laughably obvious, I know, but it's amazing how many people can make this mistake!
You may also find this blog: 5 Signs Your Website is Losing You Clients.
Ready to Add Your Call-to-Action Button?
CTA buttons might seem like a small part of your website, but they play a huge role in how people interact with it.
If your visitors don’t know what to do next, they’ll leave. If you guide them clearly, they’re far more likely to take action.
So as you build or improve your site at Wonderful World of Websites, keep asking yourself one simple question:
“Is it obvious what my visitor should do next?”
If the answer is yes, you’re already on the right track.
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