Buttons vs. Forms: Choosing the Right CTA for Your Website

What type of Call to Actions Should You Have on Your Website?

If you are selling products, offering a service, or simply trying to grow your email list, Call to Actions (CTAs) are the heartbeat of your website's conversion strategy. In this post, we'll look at the different types of CTAs, what they mean, when to use a button vs. a form, and how to design them for maximum impact.

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1. What is a Call to Action?

A Call to Action is a prompt that encourages your website visitors to take a specific action. It could be anything from clicking a button to filling out a form. CTAs guide users toward your business goals, whether that's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting a call back.

2. Types of CTAs and What They Mean

There are many different type of CTAs, below are the common types and what they're designed to do:

CTA Text	Purpose	Best Format	Ideal Placement
Buy Now	Drive sales	Button	Product pages
Get a Free Quote	Generate leads	Form	Service Landing pages
Subscribe Now	Grow email list	Form	Blog footer/sidebar
Download eBook	Offer value	Button	Blog post
Start Free Trial	Encourage sign-ups	Button	Homepage
Contact Us	Open communication	Form	Contact page
Read More	Increase engagement	Button	Blog summaries
Share This Post	Boost visibility	Button	End of blog posts

3. Buttons vs. Forms: Which Should You Use?

Choosing between a button and a form depends on the action you want the user to take:

Use Buttons for simple and immediate actions like navigating to another page, downloading a file, or starting a trial.

Example: "Download Now" - Button

Use Forms when you need user information such as collecting emails, booking/requesting appointments, or requesting a quote.

Example: "Request a Call Back" - Form

4. CTA Design Best Practices

Below are a few ideas for irresistible CTAs:

Use action-oriented language like: "Get", "Start", "Join", "Try", "Download".

Keep it short and clear: Aim for 2-5 words.

Use contrasting colours: Make your CTA stand out visually.

Place the CTAs strategically: Above the next section, below columns, at the end of blog posts or in the header.

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5. Testing and Optimising Your CTAs

After you have set out your CTAs, don't forget to test them and make sure they work. Try different texts, colours and placements to find the right fit for your CTAs. Monitor click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates and bounce rates. Tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar or Optimizely are useful tools testing and optimising your CTAs.

Final thoughts

Your website's CTAs are more than just buttons and forms, they're the bridge between your visitors and your goals. By understanding the types of CTA's, choosing the right format, and designing them effectively, you'll be well on your way to turning clicks into customers.

Choosing the right web design company to help achieve these goals is a big decision, but it’s worth taking time to find the right fit. Your website is a key part of your business, and working with a team to create a site that looks good and helps your business grow is essential.

By considering things like industry experience, SEO knowledge, mobile optimisation, communication, and customer support, you’ll be able to find a web design company that can build a website that works for your business.

If you’re ready to get started or just want to chat about how we can help, contact us today for a free consultation. We’re here to help small businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent create websites that work hard for them!