A call to action is used to do exactly what its name implies – to compel your reader to take immediate action. Words that drive the reader of a promotion, lead magnet or even your blog or book to do something are invaluable but often overlooked, by most bloggers.
Whether you’re the author of a book, blog, article or website, we all have one thing in common. Every writer wants more readers, more sales, and more profits. A call to action is a smart way to get all three.
While you want your writing to speak for itself, you also want it to spur your reader to action. A good idea is to treat the call to action component of your writing as you’d treat your SEO keywords. Sprinkle it at the beginning, in the body, and at the end of your writing. In other words, tell people what you want them to do, why you want them to do it, and then remind them to do it.
Ask yourself the following questions to help craft a powerful call to action. Why am I creating and publishing this piece? What do I want readers to do when they’ve finished reading it?
Test one of these sample calls to action:
- Add your comments below
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Use different calls to action in different areas and track the results. The tracking process will help you determine which ones to keep using and which ones to discard. Be careful, though, not to overwhelm your readers with too many calls to action. That can be redundant and can also be a turnoff.
Your social media channels are perfect outlets for your calls to action as well. They’re a great way to use shorts bursts of words and attention-grabbing photos to get responses and reactions from your readers. Using calls to action in a meaningful way is a smart way to grow your readership and grow awareness of your blog.
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