What is a “call to action” on a site?

Call to action in web design — and in user experience (UX) in particular — is a term used for elements in a web page that solicit an action from the user. The most popular manifestation of call to action in web interfaces comes in the form of clickable buttons that when clicked, perform an action (e.g. “Buy this now!”) or lead to a web page with additional information (e.g. “Learn more…”) that asks the user to take action.
Call to Action Buttons: Examples and Best Practices by Smashing Magazine

It is literally a visual hint (or shout) that encourages a user to click or take some form of action.

Calls to action are used to:

• Direct a visitor’s eyes to a specific area of the web page.
• Encourage the visitor to click.
• Encourage the visitor to respond (comment, contact, submit, interact).
• Showcase information the visitor needs to know.
• Motivates action (promotes features, reasons to trust or purchase).

Examples of calls to action include images, links, and visual guides to:

• The contact form
• A survey
• Subscription
• Comment
• Join (membership)
• Sign up/Register
• Switch to a page with more information
• Watch a demo
• Purchase
• Alert or Warn
• Download
• Submit
• Save money (deals, coupons, etc.)
• Phone number, location, email, maps
• Words, not images, that instruct or pitch

Successful calls to action are measurable. Using web analytics, the site administrator can measure the clicks and responses to see if the call to action is working. If not, changes can be quickly made to improve it, testing as you go.

The following are articles to help you learn more about website and web design calls to action.

• Call to Action Buttons: Examples and Best Practices by Smashing Magazine
• Everything You Need to Know About the Psychology of the Call to Action – Kissmetrics
• How to Master the Design of Compelling Calls-to-Action
• How to Write Call-to-Action Copy That Gets Visitors Clicking
• The Marketer’s Ultimate Guide to Using Dynamic, Personalized CTAs
• 20 Critical Do’s and Don’ts for Clickable Calls-to-Action [SlideShare]
• 7 Tips for Effective Calls to Action
• Everything Marketers Should Know About Secondary CTAs
• What Is a Call-to-Action? [FAQs]
• 6 Tips for Creating a Good Call To Action – Blogging with Amy
• 10 techniques for an effective ‘call to action’
• 6 Proven Ways to Boost the Conversion Rates of Your Call-to-Action Buttons
• 20 Mistakes that Will Undermine Your Call to Action and Cost You Sales – Copyblogger
• How to Be a Copywriting Genius: The Brilliantly Sneaky Trick You Must Learn
• Google Analytics Event Tracking – Measure Calls to Action – Eugen Oprea
• The Four Elements Of Any Action, And How To Use Them In Your Online Marketing Initiative
• “Call to Action” Buttons: Guidelines, Best Practices and Examples
• The Definitive Guide to Crafting Winning Calls to Action in Your Content | Jayson DeMers
• 15 Great Examples of Calls-to-Action for Lead Generation
• Blogosphere Trends + Effective Calls to Action : @ProBlogger
• Call to Action Buttons: Examples and Best Practices by Smashing Magazine
• About Call-to-Action overlays – YouTube Help
• 60 Effective Examples of Call to Action Buttons – DesignModo
• How to Create a Blog Sidebar That Converts Visitors Into Revenue