In the new world of Inbound Marketing you may be hearing the acronym CTA a lot. A CTA is a call to action, which alerts readers that they are to take a certain course of action. For instance, if you put up a job posting, there very well maybe a button at the bottom of the listing stating APPLY NOW!
CTAs are very effective ways to get potential candidates to apply and therefore to improve your recruitment marketing strategy at large.
According to Hubspot, CTAs should be:
- Attractive and include wording that entices candidates to click
- Short and to the point, no more than five words is ideal
- Use an action verb (see Swap the Wording below for examples)
- Easily visible following the flow of the overall website
- Utilizing a contrasting color from the rest of the page (while still in line with brand standards)
- Big enough to be seen from a distance, but not too big so that they take reader attention away from the actual content
- Transparent/easy to understand (people should know what they get if they click)
You probably already have some on your recruitment microsite or general website, but here are some great ways to improve your CTAs to make sure you are making the most out of them.
1. Round it Out!
Round edged CTAs just test better! According to Vital Design, the science behind it is that as a people, we are naturally more inclined to respond to circular objects and what is contained within, making the CTAs easier to digest overall.
2. Change the Color
Typically, brands will go exclusively with their primary color palette for branding purposes, but if your color is navy blue, consider making the button more visible by trying a brighter shade of blue or even green! ContentVerve found a 35.81% increase in conversion by changing a button color. Color is a big deal!
3. Swap the Wording
Simple switches like changing wording can make all the difference. Action verbs like "get" and "download" prompt the reader to act now! "Now" is also a great way to motivate potential candidates.
4. Move It, Move It!
Some designers will tell you that the most important information needs to be placed above the fold, but sometimes that isn’t the case. You should place your CTA where it makes the most sense. Job description CTAs for certain positions might work best at the bottom, while others might work better on the site next to a submission form. You’ll need to test both methods to find out what works best for your company.
Are you interested in seeing how you CTAs or your recruitment marketing can be improved? We can answer your questions.
