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16 call to action examples (and how to write a CTA)

What comes to mind when I try to think of a powerful CTA (call to action) is the one my dad expertly executed daily by bellowing at me to get a job . Fresh from a college experience that promised the world but mainly delivered a mountain of student debt, I was under the assumption that adulthood was supposed to be full of quirky adventures and unexpected meet-cutes, not unsolicited career advice from a man who still struggles to connect to Bluetooth.

Eventually, his CTA successfully motivated me to become a productive member of society. And  that's the magic of a compelling CTA—it jolts you out of your passiveness and into action. In my case, I got a job despite a lifelong belief that work is something to avoid unless absolutely necessary. (Look at me now, Dad!) 

Just as personal CTAs can lead to transformative life decisions, marketing CTAs have the potential to significantly impact user engagement and conversion. Want to craft your own magnetic calls to action? Keep reading for tips and examples of what makes great CTAs, well, great.

Table of contents:

Why calls to action work

How to write a call to action, how to design a call to action, call to action testing and iteration, 16 call to action examples (and why they work), what is a call to action.

A call to action is a prompt or message, usually formatted as a button or link, that encourages the audience to take a specific action. 

CTAs are commonly used in marketing and sales contexts to guide users toward the next step in their journey, whether that's purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or forwarding that chain email to all of their friends to avoid eight years of bad luck.

I know what you're thinking: "I'm a human adult with a brain. I'm not going to let a shiny button on the internet tell me what to do." But the reality is that the psychology behind CTAs taps into our innate desires and instincts, making us more inclined to follow through. Remember that one time you got lost down a YouTube rabbit hole, and six hours later, you're watching a documentary on bioluminescence in deep sea creatures? You have a few "Watch next" or "Smash that like button!" CTAs to thank.

Types of CTAs

You should calibrate your call to action with the relevant stage of a customer's journey. From the curious browser lured in by a "Learn more" button, to the nearly convinced shopper beckoned with a "Why choose us?" link, and finally to the ready-to-purchase consumer presented with a decisive "Buy now" directive—you want to ensure the user is always met with a suitable and enticing invitation, guiding them seamlessly down the funnel. Here's a primer on some of the most common types of CTAs.

The effectiveness of a CTA depends on its copy, design, placement, and relevance to the user. The choice of words can significantly impact user engagement, as phrases like "Snag your copy" might resonate more than a generic "Download now," depending on your audience. Identify which action(s) will bring the most value to your business, then use your CTA to steer users in the right direction.

As a user of the beloved internet, you've absolutely seen calls to action that were pushy or patronizing, begging the question: "do I really need someone to tell me where to click?" But just like the difference between an aggressive sales rep and a sales rep that actually listens, a CTA that's written with care can get you a conversion without the negative connotations. 

Why? Because having a strong CTA in your online sales pitch fits the psychology of your visitors. 

For starters, having a clickable link or button coincides with the Action > Reward system our brains love so much. It's the extension of the childlike joy in pressing an elevator button: humans crave interaction, and our curiosity alone is often enough for us to push and click things. 

But more than that, a call to action—like any good sales closer—acts as a climax to the pitch. It serves the same function as a joke's punchline, and without a CTA, the visitor is left in a sort of directionless limbo. 

A good CTA not only signals that the pitch is over; it also recommends the next course of action. One core tenet of digital design is Steve Krug's rule : don't make the user think. By providing a suggestive call to action, the user doesn't have to wonder what to do next. They see the next step in front of them, and all they have to do is take it. 

All in all, the call to action is the best online equivalent we can get to a personalized, face-to-face sales closer. We may not be able to tailor our final pitch to a particular customer, but we can use the same techniques and strategies on a broader, more inclusive scale. And therein lies the art of writing a CTA. 

Your calls to action should be unique, specific to where it's featured as well as your particular audience and targets. That said, the best CTAs do share some characteristics that you can apply wherever they may be. 

If you're looking for one secret to effective CTAs, here it is: give them a reason to click, share, or hand over their email address . More important than the wording, placement, or color of your CTA is the underlying incentive a person has to follow it. How will answering your call to action help them? 

A good call to action restates its benefit bluntly and succinctly. 

If you're offering a discount, remind them what percentage. 

If they're getting a free PDF, mention the words "free" and "PDF." 

Here's where you can borrow from traditional sales techniques, such as adding urgency with a time limit or bringing up the pain point they're trying to avoid. Just remember the CTA shouldn't be too wordy, so stick to the highlights and keep it brief. 

If you're using a standard link, typically you write the incentive in your CTA's anchor text (the clickable text). In the case of social media posts and ads, you should reserve the last line in your message for your call to action, so mention any benefits there.

If you're using a button CTA, you have to limit the number of characters you use, so it's better to add secondary text. While the button can say something basic like "buy now," nearby you should include a line or two to remind visitors about the advantages to clicking. 

Transparency

One of the biggest reasons CTAs fail is because people don't trust them. Most web users have a healthy suspicion when clicking links online, especially on new or unfamiliar sites. You can mitigate this fear, and increase conversions, by being open and honest. 

For starters, say exactly what will happen when you click. Remove all mystery with specifics. For example, saying "start your download automatically" is more descriptive than "click here to download." (For button CTAs, with limited space, you can include secondary text nearby.)

You want to acknowledge any user doubts and assuage their fears. If visitors are worried about security, they're not going to click, so reassure them that you understand their concerns. One of the big fears, in the case of email signups, is spam. You might want to gently remind visitors that you won't share their information and that you'll only email them once a week, twice a month, or whatever the case is, to keep their imagination in check.  

You can build trust just by being upfront about everything from the beginning. You'll find people are more receptive to your CTA pitches when they know precisely what to expect. 

Command and wording

Don't be shy about calls to action! Some people soften their language to avoid being pushy, but CTAs should be strong and unapologetic. After all, if you followed rule #1 (incentive), then what you're offering is beneficial to the visitor. 

That's not to say you should be rude or demanding (please don't); there's a perfect balance somewhere in there between a strong suggestion and a forceful command. Above all, the reader must always feel they have a choice; your call to action is there to convince them of the choice you think they should make. 

In practical terms, calls to action should be imperative sentences , which is the grammatical term for commands. A best practice is to start CTAs with an actionable verb :

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This makes the statement sound stronger, and at the same time, clearly communicates what the user should do. 

Likewise, avoid wording that weakens your call to action, including "please" (no matter what Grammarly tells you) and modifiers like "could" and "would." There's a time and place for gentle language, but calls to action are not one of them.

Word choice is important to CTAs, not only for making a persuasive argument, but also for fitting the space allotted.

So which words should you choose? The consensus among professional copywriters is that certain words work better than others for sales and persuasive writing. And while there's no official collection, the words below generally end up on most copywriters' lists: 

They're not foolproof, but in my experience, these words tend to improve CTA performance and the effectiveness of most sales copy. And because most of them are short, you should have no problem fitting them into your CTA space. 

Now that we've covered the writing, let's talk about how your CTA should look. The design, layout, and typography of your call to action all play major roles in its success. 

CTA design best practices

If you're placing your call to action on a web page or other content you design yourself, you want to place it at the top of your visual hierarchy. Your CTA should be the most noticeable element on the page. To achieve this, you want to pull out all your design tricks:

Contrasting colors: CTAs should generally contrast with the rest of the page's design. Visitors shouldn't have to work to find what to do next. Use a vibrant color for your CTA, especially against a dull background. Can you spot it from six feet away? Good.

Optimal size: Make the button and text larger than the surrounding elements but not so large that it overwhelms other content. It should also be easily clickable, especially on mobile devices.

Clear typography: Use a legible font that complements your brand. Ensure the text is large enough to read but doesn't crowd the button. You can play with typography to emphasize key words. Commonly, operative words like "free" are set in a different color or sometimes even a different font to attract more attention.

Negative space: Surround your call to action with plenty of negative, or empty, space. Setting your CTA apart from the other elements makes it more noticeable and gives it more importance in the eyes of your visitors.

Emoji use: Some brands find success with emojis, but if you choose that approach, remember that a little goes a long way.

Consistent styling: While CTAs should stand out, they should still align with your brand's overall design aesthetic. Consistency in design builds trust.

Last but not least, you should evaluate how successful your final call to action is and identify room for improvement. Creating your CTA may feel like a lot of guesswork and shooting in the dark—because it is. Testing it is much more clear cut. 

To get a basic idea of your CTA's performance, take a look at your analytics. Compare the page traffic to the number of conversions, and see what percentage of your total visitors clicked. 

Don't be alarmed if your conversion rate percentage feels low. Although there's no universal figure that applies to everyone in every industry, a reliable general metric is around 4% . If your conversion rate is higher than 4% but you're still not hitting your goals, try focusing on improving traffic to the site or page rather than tweaking the call to action. 

If your conversion rate is significantly lower, it's worth doing an A/B test on your design and copy. Try two different versions of your call to action, experimenting with different phrasing, colors, or fonts, and see which one performs better with your target audience. It's the most efficient way to reveal what works and what doesn't with concrete, empirical data, ensuring your CTA resonates with the target audience and drives the desired action.

Let's dissect some real-life CTA examples to learn how to use strategic copy, design, and placement to transform an ordinary CTA into a magnetic, can't-resist-clicking force.

1. JD + Kate Industries

CTA placement: Exit intent popup

CTA type: Lead to purchase

What it does right: Attention-grabbing, offers a valuable incentive, humorous and lighthearted

The brazen use of "WAIT" isn't a gentle suggestion; it's a command. Like someone grabbing your elbow just as you're about to duck out without a goodbye. It's intrusive, but in a way that makes you think, "Alright, what did I miss?"

Combine that with the sheer audacity of telling someone they've forgotten to buy not just one candle but HUNDREDS of candles. It's dramatic, it's over-the-top, and frankly, it's memorable. With copy like that, it's hard to resist giving away your email address because one can only wonder what their emails would be like.

2. Giftwrap.ai

CTA placement: Display ad

CTA type: Lead generation

What it does right: Engaging, personalized, visually appealing

It's refreshing to see something that doesn't pretend to know you better than you know yourself. Instead of telling you what your significant other might want, it's asking you to fill in the blanks. A little bit of personalization without the personal touch. Clever, really.

As for the CTA button, the emoji is a nice touch. Plus, the use of "show" rather than "buy" or "see" is like a little magic trick. "Voila! Here are your gift options."

3. Who Gives A Crap

CTA placement: Facebook ad

What it does right: Benefit-oriented language makes the CTA more appealing to users and encourages them to take action 

By comparing "Us" and "Them," they're not only offering a quantitative argument (385 sheets versus a paltry 299), but they're also injecting a bit of humor. And while I've never been one to count sheets, if you're telling me I get more for my money and it'll look cute next to my collection of HUNDREDS of candles, I'm sold. Also, describing the competitor as "objectively very boring" is a sentiment I've often used to describe my social life, but to see it on toilet paper? Well, that's something.

"28% cheaper than Charmin," followed by a "Shop Now" button isn't just a call to action; it's a call to revolution! A revolution of, well, saving on toilet paper and perhaps bringing a touch of flair to a decidedly unglamorous aspect of life.

CTA placement: Homepage header

What it does right: Creates curiosity, addresses pain points, social proof

There's something oddly reassuring about a direct, no-nonsense headline promising exactly what every website on this overcrowded internet wants: visibility.

The name-dropping of heavy-hitter customers serves as a strong endorsement. It's not saying, "Look who trusts us," but rather, "Look who you'd be in company with." And that "17,961 users joined Ahrefs in the last 7 days" is a nice touch. It's not boastful, but it's certainly not modest. It's a subtle prod to the undecided that says, "While you're contemplating, thousands have already decided."

This CTA is a perfect blend of self-assuredness, social proof, and just the right amount of peer pressure.

5. Ruggable

CTA placement: eCommerce email

CTA type: Limited-time offer

What it does right: Straightforward, creates a sense of urgency, sparks curiosity

There's something unapologetically direct about this ad. "Final hours to save until next week Black Friday"—it's not asking you, it's telling you. Time's running out, and if you're the type who thrives on the thrill of a last-minute decision, this is your moment.

The CTA is a master class in suspense. That "% OFF" lurking behind the button is like when someone says they've got news, but they'll tell you later—except instead of being left alone with your intrusive thoughts, conjuring up worst-case scenarios, you get a sweet discount on a cute, machine-washable rug.

CTA type: Product demo

What it does right: Solution-oriented, benefit-driven, relatable

"Email sucked for years. Not anymore—we fixed it." You mean that thing everyone's been complaining about since the dawn of the internet? It's about time, and I'm all ears.

The rest of the copy succinctly addresses customer pain points and aspirational desires. It paints a picture of a world where checking your email might feel more like reading a postcard from a friend rather than sifting through a pile of bills.

The CTA button, "See how HEY works," is straightforward. No flowery language, no over-the-top promises. Just a simple invitation.

7. Big Blanket Co

What it does right: Creates a sense of urgency, visually appealing, reassuring

The urgency of "limited quantities available...Reserve yours now before it's too late" is classic retail psychology. It's both an announcement and a challenge, like when a kid hears the whistle signaling the end of adult swim and races to be the first one to cannonball into the pool.

The "Limited Restock [Massive 10'x10' Blankets] 100 Night Guarantee + Free Shipping" is the clincher. It promises a combination of rarity, quality, reliability, and convenience, like a call to action Megazord.

What it does right: Addresses pain points, benefit-oriented, actionable

The genius of this homepage lies not just in its promises but in its initial question—a direct prod at the pain point of its target audience that immediately evokes a visceral response. Most, if not all, travelers will mentally answer "yes" to this, recalling their own airport nightmares. It's a calculated reminder of a situation everyone wants to avoid, making the solution they offer even more enticing.

"Get up to $700 compensation per passenger, no matter the ticket price." The clarity here is commendable. They're not promising the world, but a very tangible, specific amount. And the Trustpilot rating is a nod to credibility. It's like a friend vouching for a restaurant they swear by, but in this case, it's 157,892 friends.

The two fields for the departure and destination airports are a clever touch. It's interactive, pulling me in, like when a quiz promises to tell me which '90s sitcom character I am based on my questionable life choices. (I'm George Costanza.) The button, with its sharp contrast to the rest of the page, effectively captures attention while still aligning with the brand's colors and aesthetic. "Check compensation" offers an inviting, low-effort action, subtly guiding users toward their potential relief without overwhelming them.

In a world where we're constantly sold solutions to problems we didn't know we had, this CTA addresses a very real grievance with a straightforward promise. And in the often convoluted world of travel woes, that's a breath of fresh, cabin-pressurized air.

9. Crazy Egg

What it does right: Actionable, benefit-oriented, simple

Crazy Egg's CTA isn't trying too hard to impress. It's just good—well thought out, concise, and to the point.

First, the headline: "Make your website better. Instantly." A rather bold proclamation but commendably straightforward. Its use of the word "instantly" suggests that Crazy Egg has the answers, and they're not going to waste your time.

The "Show me my Heatmap" CTA button is, once again, admirably direct. It's not pleading for a click or asking for a moment of your time. It's telling you, in no uncertain terms, what's on the other side of that click.

What it does right: Clear and concise, visually appealing, strong call to action verb

First off, big ups to Zappos for not making me do math. Half off? I'm already intrigued and haven't even seen the shoes yet.

"Reveal today's deals" feels like a game show moment. What's behind door number one? A pair of boots? New house slippers? It's that momentary thrill, like unwrapping a gift—even if you end up paying for it yourself.

In an endless sea of emails screaming for attention, this one from Zappos does what it needs to do: it grabs you, shakes you gently by the shoulders, and says, "Hey, want something good for half off?" And in this economy, who can say no?

CTA placement: Landing page header

What it does right: Interactive and dynamic, personalized, sparks curiosity

By providing three clear choices (drive or deliver, eat, and ride), Uber shows that they understand and cater to the diverse needs of their users. This personalized approach instantly makes the user feel valued and attended to, whether they need a ride to the airport or just want to stuff their face.

The interactive nature of this dynamic content creates a sense of empowerment and involvement for the user. Even the tens of people unfamiliar with all of Uber's offerings will be intrigued by the distinct options, sparking curiosity and potentially leading them to explore other services beyond their original intention.

12. CareerBuilder

What it does right: Clear and concise, click-worthy secondary CTA

"Find your next job…fast!" Who are you, my dad? Although I suppose if someone's clicking their way onto a job-finding website, they're there for one reason: to snag a job, and preferably one that doesn't make them want to put a campfire out with their face.

CareerBuilder doesn't dilly-dally—they allow you to type in your wildly specific and/or desperate job requirements. And who's going to turn down the resume help offered in the secondary CTA? Talk about a lead magnet.

13. Airtable

CTA type: Gated content

What it does right: Social proof, sneak preview, clear and concise

You may be wondering why I included a very basic "submit" button in a CTA showcase, but pairing a straightforward button with great supporting elements like the headline, social proof, and sneak preview, is like sipping top-shelf wine from an old jelly jar. Sometimes, the simple stuff just ties everything together.

The large headline is as direct as my comments on whether a hotdog is a sandwich. (It's not.) Aimed at the so-called professionals in campaign planning, it speaks to a certain crowd, much like literally anything speaks to Swifties looking for Taylor's latest Easter egg.

The mention of leading companies like Shopify, Time magazine, Spotify, and Hearst adds credibility and trustworthiness. It's basically saying, "If these giants trust us, maybe you, in your comparatively minuscule existence, should, too."

The bullet list detailing what's inside the eBook provides clarity on the content, letting users know exactly what to expect, including insider tidbits from recognized brands. So, not only do you get smarter, but you also get to casually name-drop at the next girls' night. "I've been implementing campaign planning strategies inspired by Equinox and Taylor Guitars. NBD."

CTA type: Closing the sale

What it does right: Showcases diverse selection, clear and concise, highlights affordability

Max presents an impactful CTA through the Neapolitan ice cream of hero images, featuring Anderson Cooper, Ketel Marte, and Margot Robbie with Ryan Gosling. Collectively, these three flavors depict a panoramic view of Max's offerings, emphasizing a wide variety of choices only rivaled by the Cheesecake Factory menu. 

In a world drowning in content, they've managed, quite succinctly, to sum it all up with "It's all here. Plans start at $9.99/month." The ensuing "Sign up now" button invites visitors to subscribe, anchoring the CTA by providing a straightforward pathway to accessing all the consumable content your heart desires.

15. Adobe Stock

CTA placement: Google Search ad

CTA type: Free trial

What it does right: Benefit-oriented, actionable, relevant to the target audience

This paid search ad nails the CTA with a clear and easy-to-understand message. The headline "Free trial - Find the right image faster" immediately grabs attention by offering a low-risk way to experience the service. It also addresses a common pain point for users, highlighting the platform's efficiency. 

In very few words, Adobe found a way to combine attention-grabbing language, address user concerns, highlight the platform's strengths, and offer a valuable deal, making for a cleverly crafted CTA. If I were into such things, I might even click on it. But I have people for that.

CTA placement: Email

CTA type: Event promotion

What it does right: Multiple engagement opportunities, attention-grabbing, personalized

Much like the free sample stations at Costco, the strategic placement of three CTA buttons ensures the reader has multiple opportunities to engage, regardless of how far they wander (or scroll).

The header image immediately grabs attention with its vibrant graphic detailing key event highlights. This provides a quick snapshot of what to expect and builds anticipation.

Personalizing the body of the email to address readers by name creates a sense of intimacy. Instantly, they're all ears and feeling special.

Improve your CTAs now, free! 

While my dad's approach might have lacked the finesse of a well-designed button or the allure of clever copy, the sentiment was clear. And that's the heart of every good CTA. Whether you're nudging a visitor to make a purchase or nudging your offspring out of the nest, the principle remains the same. CTAs are about engaging your audience, prompting action, and, occasionally, a very pointed reminder to update your LinkedIn profile.

Now it's our turn to practice what we preach— try Zapier for free !

Related reading:

How to write great copy

eCommerce email marketing: A beginner's guide

How to write better

How to treat and prevent common marketing copy maladies

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Allisa Boulette

Based in New England, Allisa is a content marketer and small business owner who hopes to make the internet a more interesting place than she found it. When she’s not working, you can find her lying very still not doing anything.

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5 Steps To Writing an Effective Call to Action (With Examples)

Table of contents

Laura Jane Bradbury

An effective call to action (CTA) encourages content engagement, converts visitors into leads, and helps people discover your business. It should offer value to the reader and explain what to expect from taking action. 

If a CTA doesn't have a clear message, feels too generic, or isn’t aligned with your audience’s concerns, readers won't act. This could cost you potential customers and income. 

As a professional copywriter with six years of experience, I’ve helped many small businesses reach their goals through calls to action. Here, I'll share the best practices for writing persuasive CTAs.

Key Takeaways

•  A call to action encourages readers to engage with your content, purchase a product, and learn more about your brand.
• It should be short, direct, and enticing. Use action verbs to motivate people to act.
• Ensure you clearly explain the value your audience will get from following your CTA.

Examples of great CTAs and why they work

Below are five CTA examples from high-profile businesses. We'll look at why they work, and what techniques you can apply.

Semrush: Use persuasive language

Cta: “get a free trial” .

Blog posts are a great place to put a CTA, as readers are already interested in the topic and more likely to respond to your suggested action. Engaging and relevant content can also lead to higher clickthrough rates, helping more readers learn about and interact with your business.

Semrush provides a great example of how to write a good call to action in a blog post. After sharing a detailed guide on search engine optimization (SEO) for blogs, they suggest readers sign up for a free trial to begin implementing SEO. Putting the CTA at the end of the post lets readers consume valuable information before discovering how to apply it.

The CTA works because:

• It includes the action verb “Get” — grabbing the reader's attention.
• The CTA is clear and eye-catching: The yellow box separates it from the post's content, while the purple highlights the specific action to take.
• The CTA text highlights the value for the reader immediately : The trial is "free" and Semrush conveniently provides "everything" in "one" place, so busy entrepreneurs and marketers don't need to jump from tool to tool.

Here are some action words and phrases (in bold) to consider for your own CTA. Play around with them and see what works best: 

LOOKFANTASTIC: Create urgency

Cta: “hurry, this offer is for today only”.

There are many CTAs you can use on social media . If you want to increase engagement, for example, you can ask people to comment on, like, or share a post. In this case, LOOKFANTASTIC wants to encourage its followers to shop a specific brand on its site.

• It offers an incentive — 25% off. 
• The use of "Hurry" and “TODAY only” creates urgency : This motivates customers to take advantage of the offer before it's too late.
• LookFantastic addresses the concerns of its customers : The text highlights that the products are "skin-loving."

Career Contessa: Offer an incentive 

Cta: “i’m so in”.

Email newsletters can build customer relationships, drive sales, and be an effective digital marketing channel. However, people are increasingly less willing to share their email addresses.

To encourage people to subscribe, Career Contessa has created a signup form in the middle of its homepage. This gives readers a chance to see what the newsletter is about and what type of content they can expect.

Notice how the CTA banner is clear and concise, explaining what people will receive by signing up.

• It uses language that's relatable to its audience: The site’s young, female readers will identify "Level up" as advancing their careers.
• It makes people feel included : "I'm so in" creates the feeling of joining an exclusive group or club.
• There’s an incentive to join : The text offers readers "a shortcut to success." 

Uniqlo: Consider the buying stages

Cta: “learn more” .

Customers want to know what they’re signing up for before downloading an app. Uniqlo knows this and tells their customers exactly what to expect from their new app. So, rather than telling people to “Download now,” the CTA suggests readers “LEARN MORE.” 

• It’s short and direct , making it easy to understand and follow.
• Customers understand the value — the accompanying illustrations and copy convey the benefits of the app.
• There’s lots of action verbs — “Get”, “Download”, “Sign up”, “Scan + Shop”.

Tip: Before adding a CTA, consider where your customers are in the buying stages. While a regular buyer may instantly click to “shop now,” a new customer may need more information. New products might also require additional context in order to help customers understand their value.

New York Magazine: Use bold visuals

Cta: “subscribe now” .

Most consumers prefer a brand to contact them via email . New York Magazine is a great example of how to write a call to action for email,. You’re immediately drawn in by the newsletter’s image emphasizing that it’s the “LAST CHANCE” to take advantage of its offer. 

This encourages readers to take action by triggering the fear of missing out. The publication then describes all the benefits of joining — including its free tote bag — to entice users to click the “SUBSCRIBE NOW” button.

• It creates urgency: “SUBSCRIBE NOW” emphasizes that you should take action immediately.
• The accompanying text is descriptive: “award-winning,” “exciting,” “fresh,” “sharp.” These adjectives suggest the content is unique and high quality, helping convince readers that the magazine is worth investing in. ‍
• The CTA is visually bold: The black button stands out against the white background and contrasts with the colorful main image.

5 key elements to include in your CTA:

Based on the above examples, here are five critical aspects of a great CTA to include in your own:

1. Use simple and direct language

‍ This ensures people understand the desired action. For example, “Subscribe now” is easier to follow than “You can subscribe now by clicking this link.” Make sure the accompanying text promoting your CTA is clear and easy to read .

2. Provide value to your readers

‍ Who is your target audience and how can your CTA solve their concerns? Will a discount code save them money, or can you offer useful expertise and advice? Demonstrate exactly what your CTA will deliver and how.

3. Create a sense of urgency

‍ Include phrases like “limited time offer” and “for today only” to motivate users to act. Pair these with action-oriented words like “subscribe” and “download” to encourage a particular action.

4. Consider your target audience

‍ While “Visit this link” may suit a formal, professional audience, “Check out this link” works for a younger demographic. Be sure to use language and a tone of voice that your customers will understand and relate to.

5. Make your CTA stand out

‍ Your CTA should be eye-catching and easily noticeable so your audience doesn't scroll past it. Use contrasting colors, emojis, bold fonts, and buttons to draw people in.

How AI can help you write better CTAs

Now you know how to write a great call to action, let’s look at how Wordtune’s AI tools  can speed up the process.

Shorten text without losing the meaning

A call to action needs to be short and direct, succinctly telling the reader what action to take. Many CTAs are also written on a button, meaning you can only use a few words.

Using the Shorten button in Wordtune Editor can help you create a punchy CTA.

Get Wordtune for Free > Get Wordtune for Free >

Click on the sentence you would like to edit, and press Shorten . The Editor instantly generates alternatives. Notice how Wordtune’s suggestions are more direct, making them easier to understand. 

Find alternative words

Whether you’re stuck on which action verb to use or you want to make your CTA’s benefits more descriptive, Wordtune can provide suggestions. 

To find alternative synonyms, highlight a particular word and click Rewrite , Casual , or Formal . In this example, I wanted a casual tone for social media, so clicked Casual to generate a list of alternative, informal words.

Use prompts to generate text

Wordtune's Create tool can help you brainstorm and plan your CTA copy.

To generate text, click Create and type in your prompt — no more than 1,000 characters.

AI Prompt: Create persuasive copy to entice customers to download our app to receive 10% off, with a direct call to action.

Using this prompt, Wordtune quickly created an enticing paragraph for me: 

Wordtune can generate a specific CTA — “Download our app now” — which can be made into a CTA button. It can also create accompanying text to entice readers. Using the AI-generated copy, you can choose individual sentences to include such as, “With just a few clicks, you can browse our wide selection of products.”

Adjust tone of voice

In addition to suggesting synonyms, Wordtune’s Casual and Formal buttons can alter sentences to match your desired tone.

Here, I clicked the Formal button. In response, Wordtune removed the contraction “you’ll” and made its suggestions more direct, precise, and easy for readers to consume. 

Conclusion:

A powerful call to action encourages readers to act, whether that’s by engaging with your content, buying your products, or learning more about your services. This can increase website views, sales, and bookings.

Keep your CTA short and direct, explaining in simple language how it will provide value. Ensure the tone aligns with your target audience, and create a sense of urgency to motivate readers to act quickly. Help your CTA stand out against your text by using contrasting colors, emojis, and bold fonts. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be writing eye-catching CTAs in no time.  

Want to learn more? Check out our guides on how to create an effective tone of voice to reach your target audience and how to boost readability to write clear, succinct CTAs.  

What type of content should include a call to action?

Any content can be an ideal opportunity for a CTA. From social media and blog posts to landing pages, ads, emails and videos. 

Where should you place a call to action?

Calls to action are typically placed at the top, bottom, or side of a webpage. Take into account what your readers need to know before acting to find the best placement. For example, place a discount code at the top of your homepage. Or, if you want readers to share your content, it’s best at the end of the page. 

Can you use multiple calls to action on a webpage?

With care, multiple calls to action can be used on the same webpage. For example, ask people to subscribe to your email list via a button while also adding a link to download an ebook. The key is to ensure your calls to action are spread out and organized in a way that doesn't overload the reader. 

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7 Call to Action Examples You Have Never Seen Before

At great risk to my sanity, I went online with the intention of finding as much advertising as I could.

The goal: to find call to action examples (CTAs) that were fresh, original, unique, and compelling.

My discovery: Almost everyone is using generic CTAs. Safe, boring, and forgettable. The 7 innovative call to action examples I found made those brands stand out immediately.

Your opportunity: By changing 2-3 words of a call to action, brands can stand out in a small way from the hopelessly ordinary competition.

Less than 0.00001% of CTAs Are Unique

This is not a scientific number. I came up with it out of spite after an exhausting search.

Refresh the examples in a listicle about calls to action, my editor said. 

I thought this was going to be easy.

It was a nightmare. 

Websites for brands large and small were universally boring in terms of calls to action. The most tantalizing offer I could find was usually “Free Trial”, which brought me to a page with miles of fine print. 

I thought maybe the aggressive pay-per-click advertisers would put together some compelling calls to action. Nope. The name of the game there is using every conversion hack at once. 

Here’s a typically boring call to action example that most people are using :

I think this offer hits every cliche tactic: the ticking clock, a warning emoji about sell-out risk, money-back guarantee, a steep discount, etc.

Then I tried social media, which was even worse. Facebook gave me nothing in the way of an inventive CTA. Absolutely nothing.

I checked Reddit–as always, a wonderful place, just not for buying things.

On X (fka: Twitter), I was hoping to find some good scammy infoproducts, maybe some clever hardsells. But I was disappointed. I could have made a full quilt that spelled out “unoriginal” with all the thread emojis inviting me to click and read a tweet-storm. Here’s why that trend is played out: 🧵/23

My wife told me that TikTok has been ruined by advertisers and influencers–so I was really excited about that. This is where the real ingenuity must be. 

Nope. It’s a simple SHOP button that overlays influencer videos. That’s it.

But in the end, I prevailed. I found 7 examples of brands actually trying something new with their call to action. They used this small detail to support their brand image or speak to their audience.

7 Truly Unique Call to Action Examples

1. cloudflare.

“Under attack?”

That is a viable button you can click on Cloudflare’s site. 

I love it. 

Cloudflare has positioned themselves as a cybersecurity version of calling 911 when there’s an intruder in your house. And they did it using two words, a question mark, and a construction-zone orange button in the navbar.

I assume the majority of people who click that button are like me: not currently under attack, but curious about what the next steps would be if they were.

I wanted to learn more because of the clever call to action. If the button had said Learn More, I never would have clicked it.

2. Backcountry

The online outdoor retailer Backcountry hires the people who stay up around the fire fighting about which hiking stove weighs less. You know the type: Gearheads.

This is a huge selling point for Backcountry. When people buy kayaks, avalanche beacons, and so on, they really want to know that this gear works.

Call a Gearhead. Text a Gearhead. These are creative, on-brand calls to action nested in a familiar dropdown menu.

You have a question about climbing rope? Now you are talking with a woman who climbs 3 times a week. 

3. LINGs CARS.com

This is actually a fairly tame example of the calls to action on LINGsCARS.com , one of the most successful car leasing services in the UK. 

Ling broke every rule of web design to bring us this masterpiece. I know neons are in right now, but most people aren’t using all of the neons, at once, with a paisley background. 

CrazyEgg will lock me out of WordPress if I actually recommend a call to action that includes three Order Now buttons that blink at random intervals. So I am not going to do that.

I will say with 100% certainty, however, that I have never seen call to action examples quite like this ever before. 

4. Niki Whittle

Niki Whittle is an online personal stylist who has helped thousands of clients find joy instead of anxiety at the prospect of getting dressed and going out into the world.

The text of her CTA button speaks directly to that goal: Help me enjoy getting dressed!

If you swapped out Niki’s personalized text for a basic “Find Out More” button, I think the call to action would suffer. 

Her choice of text is intimate. No adult is going to ask for help getting dressed unless they fully trust the other party to understand where they are coming from. The way that Niki has framed the call to action shows that she understands. 

Due to California regulations, the beverage brand Ceria couldn’t exactly say what their new product was. With the help of the marketing agency Mother, Ceria found a clever way to get their audience to connect.

The call to action they used was a Spotify playlist people could download by scanning a barcode styled like the familiar Spotify audio waveform.

There’s a cool story behind this ad campaign, which appeared online and in-print in California. 

I’m not going to rehash it here because you should go visit the site of the people who did the work , not hear about it third-hand, looking at screenshots I took while I was way behind schedule writing this post.

6. AllTrails

Have you ever seen a limited time offer that isn’t pushy?

AllTrails nails it with this email they sent me. If I go outside, this weekend only , they’ll plant a tree on my behalf.

It’s a positive push, encouraging me to do something for my health, and it won’t cost me a dime. Until AllTrails called me to action, I just had weekend plans. Now I am saving the forest. 

The invitation to “Join In” isn’t super original, I know, even with those cute little tree icons.

But the call to action is social. It’s not “Register” or “Find out more”, it’s about connecting with other people. AllTrails has 50 million users. This is a real community, and AllTrails is smart to frame it that way. 

7. Avocado Green Mattress

Avocado Green Mattress has upcycled bedroom furniture people can buy to complement their organic mattresses.

The call to action is “Shop Zero Waste” is a clear call to the type of buyer who is willing to pay a premium to minimize their impact on the environment. “Shop” would work, but it doesn’t highlight the key selling point of their furniture.

It’s a small detail, but most people buying online have 5-7 tabs open. I know I do. With buyers scanning all these different sites, I think it makes sense to foreground your unique features in the button text.

More Call To Action Examples

Here are some twists on classic calls to action. I can’t say I’d never seen these types of tactics before, but the following examples are well done.

The call to action text speaks to the audience, aligns with the brand image, or is simply more inviting than a generic “Try Now” button.

Kati Curtis Design

Kati Curtis Design opted for a slight variation on the Get In Touch call to action by including her name. 

I’m not going to belabor the point about what’s going on here, but this slight personalization will absolutely stand out.

I think this is a good idea if you are the face of your business as opposed to a brand. “Get In Touch With The Owner” could work, too.

Havenly is an online interior design service company. I liked the invitation for customers to “Find Their Style.” 

They could have stuck with “Learn More” or “Book a Consultation,” but those aren’t personal at all. Those are also fairly passive calls to action, versus “Find Your Style,” which is much more active.

Birchbox , the popular cosmetics subscription box opted to use an invitation style call to action:

“Build Your Box”

It’s intuitive, on-brand, and crisp. 

One issue people have with subscription services is that they get products they don’t want. With this short call to action, Birchbox is countering that objection by offering their customers an active role in building their own box. 

Art & Logic

Art & Logic is a software development company with an approachable call to action.

Yes, they decided to go with “Let’s talk about your project” instead of something sterile or gimmicky.

Building custom business software is insanely complex, but Art & Logic makes the next steps as easy as possible.

Make your website better. Instantly.

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What Is a Call to Action in Writing?

Written by Rebecca Turley

How do you inspire readers to take action?

A Call to Action (CTA) in writing is your opportunity to motivate readers to take some type of action. Can your writing and accompanying CTA be compelling enough to motivate your readers to take the next step, make the next move?

That’s the million-dollar question.

Call to Action: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and How to Successfully Use It in Your Writing

So, what exactly is a Call to Action and how can you best utilize it as a writer?

A CTA in writing is a clear and direct message that should elicit a strong response from readers to do something . In marketing lingo, this something is called a “conversion” – turning observers into doers.

Think of it as a “hook, line, and sinker” moment – you want to inspire the reader to do what you want them to do. Maybe it’s subscribe to your online newsletter, book a service, or buy a product—a CTA is a one-liner that gets the job done. It can be an outstanding marketing tool that keeps your reader engaged and ready to act.

It may be a small, two-word phrase or as long as a sentence, but its goal remains the same: to provide your reader with direction on what to do next. You provided them with compelling, interesting text; now’s not the time to leave them hanging! Finish it off with a great CTA and you’ve accomplished your goal.

CTAs are most often used to make a sale by providing a direct path to the product or service you want them to buy. But they can also be helpful for building your customer base and generating leads for future sales. Most CTAs are used as hyperlinks that take the reader where you want them to go, but they can also motivate the reader to make a phone call, download a brochure, or complete a similar activity.

Creating an Effective Call to Action

Once you understand the goal of the CTA, it becomes rather easy to write one yourself. But there are some tried-and-true rules to follow to ensure your CTA is everything it can be.

A CTA is NOT:

• Overly wordy

Start your CTA with a strong action verb .

A CTA doesn’t take time to get to the point. It accomplishes its goal by telling the reader exactly what to do.

Think “authoritative” when choosing your words for a CTA. Those action verbs should inspire and convince the reader to do something, so now’s not the time to underwhelm them. When choosing that action verb, think about how best to direct your reader:

Use words that excite and motivate the reader.

Get them motivated and curious to make the move. Think about persuasive language here, about intriguing your reader to want to know more or make a move. Persuasive language speaks to saving them money, saving them time, or improving their lives in some way:

• Sign up to join the millions of others who are taking steps to save the planet!
• Click here to start saving money today!
• Call today to book your dream vacation!

Create a sense of urgency.

You can create a sense of urgency in a number of ways. Add an adjective, make a promise, or elicit FOMO.

• Order yours today, while supplies last!
• Get free shipping for a limited time!
• Lose weight in just 4 weeks!
• Call today and enjoy 50% off your purchase!

Eliminate wordiness.

You have one opportunity to capture their attention and motivate them to click. Don’t waste it by overloading your CTA with unnecessary words or confusing text. Think straightforward, clear, concise, and to the point.

If you aren’t getting the response you hoped for, switch it up.

You never really know if your CTA is going to be effective unless you give it a whirl. If you aren’t getting the response you hoped for, it never hurts to try another tactic. Remember that CTAs are not a one-size-fits-all approach, so you may need to experiment to find one that works best for your audience.

Need a little inspiration to create the perfect CTA? Here are popular CTA phrases designed to boost your conversion efforts.

Do you want customers to sign up or subscribe to something?

• Subscribe now
• Don’t miss out
• Get started now
• Stay up-to-date
• Remain in the know

Do you want customers to keep reading your content?

• Find out more
• Discover more
• Become part of our community

Do you want customers to take advantage of a deal or discount?

• Claim your offer
• Claim your discount
• Redeem your discount
• Start your free trial now
• Start shopping now
• Claim our limited time offer

Adding a Secondary Call to Action: Another Tool in the Writer’s Toolkit 

A secondary CTA is not simply reciting the primary CTA twice or rewording the primary CTA. It serves as another option for the reader.

Here’s a good example:

Primary CTA: Donate now to help save endangered white rhinos!

Secondary CTA: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter to stay up-to-date on conservation efforts for the endangered white rhino.

The primary CTA is a great example of providing the reader with an immediate opportunity to act. But not all readers may be ready to pull out their wallets and make a donation. That’s there the secondary CTA comes in. You’ve captured the interest of the reader enough to inspire them to sign up for your weekly e-newsletter, which could translate into a donation somewhere down the road. Secondary CTAs provide the reader with another opportunity to take action, thereby allowing you to boost your conversion rate.

The secondary CTA should be featured less prominently than the primary CTA because you ultimately want the reader to click on the primary CTA. Remember: The primary CTA should be the most desired action you want your reader to take. A secondary CTA shouldn’t compete with the primary CTA; it should complement it.

But the secondary CTA is certainly an excellent option for those who don’t find the primary CTA appealing. The secondary CTA captures that reader who may have moved on from your website or blog without taking any action at all (i.e., lost conversions). By keeping your reader engaged and returning to your site with the secondary CTA, you’re naturally increasing your chances of enticing the reader to act on the primary CTA in the future.

Secondary CTAs may also be used to simply grow your social reach. A great example of a secondary CTA in this case is to simply encourage the reader to follow you on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. You can also encourage the reader to share your article or blog on their social media platform of choice. Either way, it’s a great way to boost your social media presence.

• How to Write ____

How to Write a Great Call to Action

Table of Contents

Persuasive content writing—website pages, blogs, marketing campaigns, newsletters, and digital ad copy—all have one thing in common. They demand the perfect call to action. If you need more subscribers, sales, or a jumpstart to your leads-to-conversion rates, then it’s time to use a great call to action! And learning how to write a call to action is easier than you might think. Let’s get started.

What Is a Call to Action?

A killer call to action does two things: It tells the reader what you want them to do, and it provides the motivation to do so. It is basically a few words or a phrase that you use to convince the reader to take action and do it now!

Use Action Words

Your goal is to motivate the reader to DO something, to take action. Think of the CTA as a verbal command—you are telling them what to do next and why it is essential. Therefore, you will need to use action words to do the job. Check out these CTA examples that start with an action verb:

• Get It Today
• Join For Free
• Buy It Here
• Watch It Now
• Send Me Specials

Convey a Sense of Urgency

Knowing how to write a compelling call to action is one thing. Knowing how to add a sense of urgency to it is taking it to the next level. When something is time-sensitive, we tend to pay more attention to it. We reread it because we don’t want to miss out by being late. A call to action that employs urgent words or a reminder that time is running out is an excellent way to get the reader to click on the CTA button quickly.

Here are some examples of CTAs that suggest a feeling of urgency:

• Save 15% Today!
• Time Is Limited
• Claim Your Free Trial
• We Need Your Help!
• Limited Edition
• First Order Free—Shop Today!

Short and Sweet

Keeping the call to action short and sweet is the key. Strive to be concise, not too wordy. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with having a call to action that is a full sentence. Or maybe even two. But, in most cases, a shorter, direct CTA is the best bet. Focus on what is most important in your message. Keep it brief and straightforward. Too many words, too many options may spell too many chances for the reader to get distracted and leave the page. So, opt for a succinct, easily identifiable call to action. For example, try these CTAs:

• Sign Up Free
• Get Started

Use a CTA Button

A clickable call to action button is simple to use. It clearly stands out on the page, and the reader knows exactly what to do. Keep it to less than five words. Otherwise, it just looks crowded and messy on the button. Use a contrasting color to grab attention. And avoid using “Click Here” for a CTA button. It’s outdated and will make your marketing look amateurish. Instead, opt for a simple CTA button like these:

• Discover More
• Sign Up and Save 20%
• Start Your Free Trial Today
• Donate Here

Use Hyperlink Text in a Long Form CTA

A call to action can also effectively be used in anchor text—the blue, underlined clickable text in a sentence containing a hyperlink. You may need to offer more incentives or reasons behind why you want the reader to take action. Offer a little backstory. Present an example. Explain how you can help. Check out these examples:

• Ready to build your new home? Let’s start this journey together. Give us a call today .
• When you’re ready to start the application process , we will walk you through it line by line.
• Want to provide food and shelter to an animal in need? Donations to our shelter can save a life. We appreciate your support!

Find Out What Works

It’s important to find out what works… and what doesn’t . Just because you’ve come up with a great call to action doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right call to action for your ad campaign. Some CTAs rank lower than others in terms of conversion rates. Marketing campaigns often run experiments to see which types of CTAs are more successful than others. For instance, “Sign Up” doesn’t do as well as “Learn More” in some settings. Apparently, users associate “Sign Up” with entering their credit card or ending up on a mailing list. In comparison, “Learn More” doesn’t carry the connotation of commitment.

Therefore, you may have to experiment with a few different CTAs until you find the one that gets you the most clicks.

Writing a great call to action is easy once you understand the basics. Aim to create a CTA that is strong, well-crafted, and geared to your specific audience.

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15 Great Call to Action Examples That Simply Work

May 18, 2021

by Nathan Ojaokomo

In this post

• Why create a call to action?

Best practices for creating CTAs that work

• 15 call-to-action examples to draw inspiration from

Your ability to write ads, landing pages, or emails that make readers take action – whether it’s to buy something, download an eBook, join your email list, or something else – is one of the keys to becoming a successful marketer. 

While it’s one thing to write headlines or introductions that hook a reader, it’s an entirely different ball game to make these readers take action after reading your copy. To make your audience or readers take action, you need to pay more than the usual attention to creating a compelling call to action (CTA) . 

We’re going to share real-life examples of CTAs you can use to improve your conversions and grow your business. You’ll also learn why you need a strong call to action and how to write CTAs that work.

A call to action is used to prompt an audience to take a specific action. 

When you think about the last time you downloaded an eBook, enrolled for an email course, or signed up for a software’s free trial, you will discover that a CTA was the final nudge that made you take action. 

Common examples of CTAs you can find on websites, landing pages, emails, and ads are “Buy now,” “Subscribe,” “Sign Up,” and “Learn More”. These CTAs serve as a bridge between your audience and conversion.

Why should you create a strong call to action?

Many marketers make the mistake of thinking that CTAs are not necessary, especially since a call to action only takes up a small part of their website, email, or landing page. They also imagine that slapping common CTA examples like “Buy Now” or “Subscribe” on their copy would convert well for them. 

But the truth is that your conversions would tank if you don’t create strong CTAs. Why? The average daily time spent on social media in 2020 was 145 minutes compared to only 111 minutes in 2015 – meaning people now consume more content than ever before. As a marketer, this means you’re literally in direct competition for people’s attention against Zoom calls, TikTok, Netflix, Instagram, and other social platforms. 

In a world where attention spans are lower because of the many content and information channels available today, you’d be doing a disservice to your readers if you don’t use strong CTAs. A good CTA should grab people’s attention , make them notice what they stand to gain, and prompt them to take action. 

So how can you create a strong call to action? First, you need to set the right foundation.

Before you write a CTA

No builder sets out to build a house without having a plan or laying the foundation. Similarly, you need to set the foundation for your CTAs before you begin writing.

Here are two questions that can help you lay the groundwork: 

• What is your goal? 
• Who is your audience? 

What is your goal?

When writing CTAs, start with an end goal in mind. What action do you want your audience to take? Do you want them to sign up for your newsletter? Book a demo? Buy your products?

Whatever the goal is, it should be specific and straightforward. Don’t bombard your audience with too many options at once. Offering several choices confuses the audience and hurts your conversion rate opportunity. 

Who is your audience?

Knowing your audience goes deeper than creating a random “Marketing Mary” persona. You need to understand your audience’s fears and desires well. Once you’ve identified who your audience is and what you want them to do, it’s time to start writing your CTA.

While there are no set or rigid rules when creating CTAs, a few principles can help you write strong CTAs. These principles work whether you’re writing a call to action for your websites, ads, social media captions, or emails. 

Keep your CTA above the fold

A fold is the part of your website that visitors see before they start scrolling. 

It’d be a waste of website real estate to hide your call to action in a place other than the first part of your website that visitors see. You can still use images, logos, and other graphics along with your CTA above the fold.

Don’t just tell people to do something

In 1978, Harvard professor Ellen Langer carried out a study that showed the power of using the word “because” . The study was conducted in front of a busy copy machine on the Harvard College campus. 

Participants were asked to try to skip the queue using three different pitches: 

• “Excuse me. I have five pages. May I use the xerox machine?”
• “Excuse me. I have five pages. May I use the xerox machine because I’m in a rush?”
• “Excuse me. I have five pages. May I use the xerox machine because I have to make copies?”

The results?

The first statement without “because” got a 60% favorable response. But that response was dwarfed by the 94% and 93% favorable responses from the other two pitches that used “because”.

Instead of just telling people to do something, tell them why they should do it. 

Use a call to value instead of a call to action

Like telling your audience why they should do something, a call to value helps hammer on the benefits your audience can get from taking a particular action. Don’t say “Shop now” when you could say “Shop now and get 30% off of your order.”

Create a sense of urgency

Remember how you always rushed your assignment the night before you had to submit it? Without a submission deadline, you probably wouldn’t have completed as many assignments as you did in high school. The same thing happens with your marketing messages.

Without a sense of urgency, your audience would most likely not take any form of action. To create a sense of urgency, you can use phrases like “limited offer,” “now,” “XXX seats left” in your CTAs.

Your CTA should also make your audience fear that they’ll miss out on something if they don’t act quickly.

Strike a balance between creativity and simplicity 

Don’t try to be too smart or witty by using phrases or words your audience doesn’t know. Nobody is going to hand you a medal for lacing your call to action and messaging with big words. Instead, use words, phrases, and terms that your audience uses in their daily conversations.

Use power words and phrases 

A compelling call to action uses powerful words and phrases. Here’s a list of powerful words and phrases you can use in your CTA: 

• Deadline 
• Freebie 
• On-demand 
• Seize 
• Try for free
• Start your free trial

Adjust CTAs to different devices

The way your call to action appears on a mobile phone differs from how it appears on a desktop. Make sure you optimize your CTA buttons to match the different devices your audience uses.

Employ social proof

Social proof, no matter how small, goes a long way into making your CTAs work. In a world where everyone claims to be the best, social proof helps your audience see that you’re not the one tooting your horn.

Social proof could be in the form of big company or client logos, star ratings from review sites, testimonials from customers, or some stats like the number of email subscribers you have.

Consider your CTA length

No rule book says that your CTA needs to be a specific length. The length of your call to action often depends on your offer and understanding of your audience. So don’t sweat it. Besides, you can always test which length works best for you. 

Always keep testing

One exciting thing about CTAs is that you can test almost everything about them to see what works. You can test your call to action’s copy, button, button size, placement, and even the colors using an effective CTA conversion strategy . 

15 call-to-action examples to draw inspiration from 

You don’t always have to start from scratch or reinvent the wheel when creating a call to action. Here are some CTA examples that can inspire you, spanning across website, email, landing page, and ad CTA examples. 

1. Get a free savings assessment

Even though G2’s homepage has a couple of good CTAs, the one on the header navigation bar stands out for many reasons. 

First, it catches the eye immediately because its color scheme contrasts with the background and the rest of the page. It also contains the word “Free,” a word everyone loves to hear. 

The use of figures and a clear benefit in the “Reduce your software costs by 18% overnight” line also makes clicking the CTA a no-brainer. 

2. Start a 7-day trial for $7

Customers want to know what they’ll be getting before they click anything on your site. Ahrefs could have conveniently made their CTA read “Start a 7-day trial” without mentioning the $7 part. 

While this can cause more visitors to click on the CTA, only a small percentage of them would proceed after hitting a paywall. If your audience has to pay before using your tool, clarify it in the call to action.

3. Learn more

“Learn more” is one of the most common CTAs on websites. While it may not work for everyone, it works well for Apple...well, because they’re Apple. Since they’re already on top of their audiences’ minds, Apple doesn’t need to say much to move people to action. 

You’d also notice that although the call to action isn’t a button, it’s still easily identifiable because its color differs from the rest of the text.

4. Plant now

Click A Tree’s website design looks clean and on-brand. The image choice clearly shows what the organization is all about. The use of brown (earth) and green (leaves) as their colors also points to the organization’s mission to plant more trees. 

All these elements combine to make the “Plant now” CTA work. “Now” also creates a sense of urgency.

5. Get started – it’s free

Many company websites, especially SaaS companies, use the “Get started” CTA. However, Webflow takes it a step further by adding “ it’s free” at the end of their CTA. 

This little addition helps resolve some objections around pricing that may come up in a visitor’s mind.

6. See how addictive email can be

Over the years, Tarzan Kay has built a successful business through email marketing. And with her website headline, she shows visitors what they would get when they click the CTA button. 

Yes, that giant CTA button. Although the button is hard to miss, it’s not pushy or salesy. Instead, it gives visitors the feeling that they would be gaining front seat rows to see how email marketing can work for them.

7. Get 30 days free

Want to know what’s better than getting a week-long free trial? Getting 30 days free. 

Peloton uses the “Get 30 days free” CTA to attract and convert visitors who want to get fit. This CTA is excellent because 30 days is more than enough time for a person to tell whether Peleton’s program is working for them or not. 

8. Start winning more

It’s not only in your homepage headline that you can highlight your products or services’ most significant benefits. You can and should use these benefits in your call-to-action copy too. Winning is something anyone who plays games wants to achieve. And Metafy here brilliantly highlights this with their “Start winning more” CTA. 

9. Schedule your free strategy session

Like we mentioned earlier, knowing your audience is vital to writing strong CTAs. Here, Pedro clearly defines that he serves SaaS companies that have trouble converting visitors into customers. 

SaaS business owners know that a small percentage change (say 5% uptick) in their conversions can blow their revenue out of the water. Pedro knows this too, and that’s why his CTA offering a free strategy session (emphasis on free) looks like a steal.

10. Subscribe to our newsletter

Let’s start with the classic “Subscribe to our newsletter”.

Although many companies have email sign-up boxes that use this CTA, these companies often offer zero motivation to make their audience actually subscribe. Really Good Emails gives their visitors compelling reasons why they should subscribe to their email list. 

11. Start saving

Black Friday deals come and go every year, and almost everyone with an email gets bombarded by deals from different companies. 

To help their customers make the most of these deals, Bluehost uses a simple “Start saving” CTA. This call to action works because it offers a clear benefit. Thanks to the button’s deep blue color on a lighter background, it’s also hard to miss. 

12. Go pro yearly and save 45%

Many customers would rather pay $10 monthly instead of $100 per year, even though the yearly subscription cost less in the long run. 

In this email CTA example, Bannersnack not only highlights that customers would be saving 45% if they move to a yearly subscription. But they also mention other benefits like “No more missed payment” and “no more worries”. 

13. Start streaming

HBOmax is a video streaming platform . And it’s only right that they use a “Start streaming” CTA in their emails. 

While the CTA is not super creative, they did make it stand out by using different colors for the CTA button and the background.

14. Get more time

ClickUp is a time and project management tool for big and small businesses. 

Their email pop-up box decided to ditch the traditional “join our newsletter” and use “Get more time” instead.

Why does this work? Anyone interested in gaining back more time would be interested in the “Get more time” CTA. Besides bringing their value upfront, ClickUp also uses social proof (by displaying company logos) and a cheeky “No, I want to waste one day per week” line beside their call to action. 

15. Start creating

In this email, Vimeo announces its new features that allow users to create and showcase videos online. 

Instead of focusing on themselves, Vimeo used a CTA that focuses on the reason why people use Vimeo in the first place: to create.

It’s time to get to work, now that you’ve seen CTA examples that can inspire you to create a call to action that converts more of your audience into leads and customers. 

Before you write, keep in mind to know your audience well and the specific action you want them to take. Your CTAs should be above the fold, start with powerful words, create a sense of urgency, have some form of social proof, and tell people why they need to take action.

Extend your reach

Use marketing software to help elevate your call to action game, acquire more leads, and close more sales.

Nathan is a B2B SaaS content writer . When he’s not helping software brands build more authority, generate better traffic, or convert more leads, you’ll find him binging on Marvel’s latest movies.

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• 17 Call To Action Examples (+ How to Write the Perfect Social CTA)

October 21, 2022 46 Comments Mark Quadros

A call to action can make or break the success of your social media campaign. If you use the right words, your CTA will inspire your audience to take action — click on your ad, download your ebook, add an item to cart… you name it. On the other hand, if your CTA isn’t catchy and persuasive, your audience will simply scroll past without noticing it.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about social media calls to action : what they are, what makes a CTA successful, and how to craft a persuasive CTA for your next campaign. We’ve also included 17 call to action examples (from social media and beyond) to get you inspired. That’s right: we’ve also included great examples from email campaigns and landing pages — because a good CTA is a good CTA, regardless of where it’s placed.

Let’s jump in!

What is a call to action (CTA)?

A call to action (or CTA) is a text prompt designed to inspire the target audience of a marketing campaign to take a desired action. For example, a call to action can encourage people to click on a link, leave a social media comment, visit an online store, make a purchase, etc.

A call to action can take up different forms:

• Plain text with no link

“Buy Now” or “Download Now” are typical examples of simple calls to action.

But a CTA can run longer, too, such as “Subscribe today so you’ll never miss a post.” The possibilities are endless.

Call to action examples from AdEspresso

A good CTA can help with decision fatigue and give meaning to your content. Even if it’s just a two-word phrase, users need some direction to know what to do next.

CTAs that create a sense of urgency will also help increase conversions .

As long as it encourages potential customers to stay engaged on your site, then your call to action has done its job.

Note that having one CTA highlighted is the most common way. At the same time, some marketers use both primary and secondary call to actions in their marketing. We’ll review some best practices of this later on.

How to write an effective CTA for social media (and beyond)

Social media is all about getting users to click on your posts and ads and engage. However, it’s no longer as easy as it sounds. 22.3% of people using ad blockers say there are “too many ads.”

It’s tough out there.

To combat this, increase your conversions and engagement with a compelling call to action on your ads and elsewhere on the web. Let’s see how you can achieve this.

Use strong action words

Writing short and strong CTAs is not only more persuasive, but it’s also necessary due to the character limits on ads. Start with a verb (“buy”) and follow with an adverb (“now”) or a subject (“ebook”) or both.

Here are two call to action examples to the above statement: “Buy Now” or “Download this ebook now.”

Below are some of the most common call to action verbs broken down by intention. Simply pair them with the offering of your business.

Tip: check your call to action against the LIFT Model (see below).

If we took our example from above, it would look something like this:

Download = relevance

this ebook = clarity

now = urgency

Download this ebook = value proposition

Use the text surrounding your call to action to:

• Reduce distractions (i.e., remove unnecessary links, images, etc.)
• Ease anxiety (e.g., add the disclaimer “no credit card required”)

Provoke emotion or enthusiasm

If you want to evoke an emotional response in your users, opt for a longer CTA. You’ll need to incorporate more modifiers in this case to get the desired effect.

Here are some examples:

• Add numbers: “Buy now and get 50% off!”
• Add adjectives: “Find your dream home with us!”
• Make a promise: “Lose weight in just 6 weeks!”
• Influence their FOMO: “Limited time offer. Get free shipping!”
• Play up your USP: “Order a hand-made soap now!”

Think up your own

You don’t need to stick to the good old examples, though. Get creative and make up your own call to actions.

First, verbalize to yourself what your company does for its customers (or simply look at your mission statement). For example, I run a spa where people get facial treatments.

Next, transform the verbs and modifiers into a 2-5 word call to action. Add relevant information where necessary → “ Get a free mud mask” or “ Treat yourself today!”

“Period better” – Thinx opted for the unique use of the word “period” as a verb in their CTA.

Tip: nobody gets their CTAs right the first time. Run at least one A/B test (but preferably more) on your ad to evaluate the strength of your call to action.

13 of the Best Call to Action Examples for 2022

In the following section, you’ll see what the techniques mentioned above look like in practice. Steal and customize the best CTA examples for your campaigns!

Facebook Ad CTAs

We’ll examine some Facebook ads with classic call to action examples. They may seem simple at first, but there’s more to uncover than what you see on the surface.

This ad from ClickUp is likely part of a retargeting campaign . Even if you don’t watch the video, the ad copy offers plenty of calls to action on its own.

Why it works

• Same CTA in the headline and the first sentence of the ad = the offer is clear (“Get 15% off”)
• The CTA is supported by objection-handling statements, such as “save 1 day a week”, “guaranteed,” and a list of features
• The “Learn More” call to action button assures the audience that they’ll get more info before committing

2. Shaw Academy

Can you spot all the call to actions in this Facebook ad? Hint: there are at least seven. Every element is coordinated here to instill a sense of urgency in the audience. Take note of the exploding colors, the alarm emoji, the many exclamation marks, and the multiple CTAs.

• Beautiful, contrasting colors with a CTA that stands out
• Multiple call to actions
• Sense of urgency to take action

Babbel is a language learning app that comes at you strong with various CTAs for their Facebook offer. It works because even if you don’t know this app, it quickly establishes a trust factor (“over 500,000 5-star reviews”). The post then draws you in with an attractive offer.

• The primary call to action is clear and direct: “Get up to 60% off!”
• They use the “Get Offer” CTA button to instill a sense of gratification in the audience
• Including the action word “join” + the number of reviews in the same sentence is a way to evoke the feeling of belonging to a community

4. Hootsuite

Hootsuite keeps it brief and concise with a few very targeted CTAs.

• All the call to actions are focused at the bottom while benefits are at the top of the post
• The “Learn More” CTA button leaves any extra info for the landing page

Instagram Ad CTAs

Sure, “swipe up” is available on Instagram ads, but you can get more clever than that. Below are some creative call to action examples for your Insta campaigns.

5. Headspace

Headspace’s Instagram ad is the perfect example of a custom-made call to action. “Snuggle up to Headspace” evokes a cozy feeling in users and personalizes the brand. Words like “snuggle” fit into the category of sensory words .

• They (smartly) opt to draw attention to the custom-made CTA and leave the “Get 30% off” as a secondary CTA
• They use the CTA button “Subscribe” after that to make it clear how that snuggling up will happen
• Coupled with a sweet, serene image, the whole CTA experience feels more like a gentle nudge for meditation and less like an ad

6. Elementor

As an event-type ad, Elementor gets it right. It displays all the key information regarding the event (name, speakers, date, and time).

Why it works:

• The two most eye-catching elements on the ad are the headline and the call to action button. They both have the same contrasting colors that stand out against the dark background.
• Both call to action buttons (‘Save Your Seat’ and ‘Book now’) are very concise and direct
• The old-school flair of the ‘save’ icon next to the CTA button works well with the target audience (likely consisting of more technical people)

7. Nøie Skincare

You have probably seen call to action examples like this in the advertising strategy of ecommerce brands. The main goal is to sell. At the same time, the ad focuses on the experience instead of rushing to take the user to a web page. In this case, “Shop Now” is the type of CTA that is direct, yet, the ad copy does most of the selling.

• The emphasis is on the product experience, which makes having just one call to action sufficient
• “Shop Now” is direct and to the point. The prospective customers know where they will be taken from the post

8. VAI Course

Esther Inman’s VAI Course ad keeps it fresh with the colors and a simple call to action button.

• The CTA text on the ad itself boasts about its main USP: the user gets a remote job pack every Friday
• The “See More” call to action button leaves the audience at ease knowing that they can still learn more about the product before signing up

Email conversion rates can soar as high as 15% . Take a look at the following email call to action examples from some brands who are doing it right.

9. Black Illustrations

Design agency, Black Illustrations prefers to use multiple CTAs in their email marketing. You can run your own test on this strategy, but it makes sense to include a few secondary call to action buttons if you have a relatively long email. Black Illustrations also adds a hyperlinked CTA to further help guide users to take action.

• Multiple CTA buttons (and hyperlinks) in a long email can increase your conversion rates.
• “Free with a subscription” stands out and keeps the main message clear for the user
• The color choice for the button works well with the brand yet still stands out

10. Audiense

The audience analysis tool, Audiense, prefers the long CTA route in their email marketing. Phrases like “show me…” or “take me to…” create a clear value proposition and helps the user feel in control.

• Using multiple words and first-person phrasing in your call to action could increase your relatability and CTR
• Users get a better sense of the type of page that awaits them after clicking
• When using a long-form CTA, you get to test a wider variety of versions

Landing page CTAs

Landing pages are great subjects to run a CTA test or two on. Below are some great call to action examples for your next campaign.

11. Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss’s email sign-up landing page is as minimalistic as it gets. No top menu, no links, or other distracting web components.

• The distraction-free page keeps the focus on the main CTA: to sign up for the newsletter
• The black headline and black CTA button provide a striking contrast to the white background
• “Get access” is a great call to action to use if you want to establish the feeling of receiving exclusive content in the user

Joy is a Canadian company that offers a razor subscription service for women. Their landing page is concise and fits all information to the visible area. The CTA button stands out as it’s the darkest element on the page.

• The contrasting color of the button helps users easily navigate to the next step
• The CTA copy itself follows ecommerce best practices: “add to cart” is an easy-to-recognize button in the industry
• The small-cap lettering (which fits the brand) lends a unique look to an otherwise highly used CTA

13. Leadfeeder

Leadfeeder’s own lead-generation landing page is simple with a clear value proposition. On the left, you get a summary of the ebook. On the right, you will need to provide some basic info and then click “Get the Guide” to submit your request.

• The CTA button is the only green item on the page
• “Get the Guide” engages the users with a clear offer

Website CTAs

Your landing pages may be the focus of your ad strategy. Still, it’s necessary to create a homepage with just as much converting power. Meet a few thought-out CTA examples below for your website!

14. Touchland

Touchland is here to sanitize your hands without making a mess. The “checklist” on the left (keys, wallet, phone, touchland) is cheeky. It’s a clever storytelling technique to place visitors into a familiar scenario while introducing the product.

• “Get yours” implies that a lot of people already have one – you will only fit in if you get yours
• The transparent call to action button gives the website an airy feel to it, which is on track for a business that sells a mist

With COVID-19 restrictions coming and going, travel sites like Airbnb have to develop ways to stay top of mind. They achieve this by featuring a wishlist of outdoor spaces and a dreamy illustration on their website.

• “Get inspired” is a soft CTA that invites the user to explore ideas for future travel (and remarketing)
• The call to action button itself stands out against the pastel-colored background

16. Smartlook

Smartlook is a user behavior analysis tool. They closely follow website best practices by placing a “hero” section above the fold (tagline+description+CTA). The main goal of the site is to prompt visitors to sign up for a free trial.

• The colorful call to action button provides a stark contrast against the grey and blue background – an immediate eye-catcher
• Using red and yellow colors on the button evokes a mixture of excitement and optimism in hesitant visitors
• The copy on the button says “Create free account” and the supporting text underneath is “No credit card required.” Both copies aim to overcome the subconscious objections of prospective users (Will it cost me anything? Will they charge my credit card?)

17. Ecom World

Ecom World is the website for “The World’s Largest Ecommerce Event.” They placed all of the most important info above the fold: what+when+where+the CTA.

• The call to action button coordinates well with the rest of the design elements. Throughout the site, the most crucial info tends to be highlighted in black.
• Multiple CTAs could increase conversions . Here, the “Buy Tickets” CTA appears three times above the fold alone (main navigation, in the hero, and in the sticky nanobar)

CTA buttons: Why they matter & how to use them

You can — and should — use CTAs on all types of marketing materials and on every platform you’re marketing on. This includes PPC ads of course, but it also includes landing pages, websites, blogs, newsletters, emails, and more. Sometimes, this means that you just need to stick to a plain-text CTA that’s possibly hyperlinked.

In plenty of cases, though, there’s a good chance that you would benefit significantly from clickable CTA buttons.

That’s why even Facebook has short, clickable CTA buttons that you can add to every ad campaign, and why you’ll see so many landing pages with bright “Sign Up Now!” text in a big yellow button. Clickable CTA buttons specifically have been proven many times over to increase conversion rates significantly. One study found that adding a CTA button to their article templates increased conversions by 83%, and it boosted ecommerce conversions by 22%.  Copyblogger found something similar; when their CTAs looked like buttons instead of plain text, they saw a conversion rate increase of 45% .

Let’s take a look at a few best practices for CTA buttons and how to use them in ads and on your site (including site pages, landing pages, and even your blog.

Facebook Ads

You know we had to start with Facebook Ads!

For a few years now, Facebook has had clickable CTA buttons built into the native interface. Button options include “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” “Download,” “Send Message,” and more. The idea is that you can use these CTA buttons to reinforce your ads, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

You should absolutely always include a CTA button on your ad campaigns in addition to using a CTA in the headline and/or description copy, too. Users intuitively are more likely to click when they see that button prompting them to take action without even realizing it.

Remember to tailor your CTA based on the ad that you’re running and the stage of the funnel that you’re targeting. Opting for “learn more” for users earlier in the funnel can feel lower-risk and less pressure than starting with a “Shop Now,” but this depends on the ad and the audience.

And if you’re wondering if these CTAs matter, know that they most definitely do. AdEspresso recently ran a $1000 experiment testing different types of CTA buttons on Facebook Ads to see what was most successful – and the result was astounding.

Overall, the top performer (Download) gained 49 conversions for $5.10 each, while the worst performing CTA (no button at all) achieved only 20 conversions at $12.50.

This means that you can end up paying more than twice as much for a conversion depending on the CTA you choose – something we would have never figured out without split testing.

We recommend testing out your CTA buttons using our internal split test engine to see which your audience responds to. This will allow you to test every possible combination of CTAs, and allow you to easily determine which is giving you the most conversions for the cheapest price.

 AdEspresso can even automatically pause your underperforming combinations using our Automatic Optimization feature , taking the guesswork out of campaign management altogether.

Your Website & Landing Pages

It’s always a good idea to use clickable CTA buttons to help users navigate through your site and to take certain actions. This is important both for your general website and your landing pages, too.

You can use these buttons to prioritize certain actions or to take users through typical paths that users follow when they’re most likely to convert. (On my site, for example, Google Analytics has shown that people who visit my portfolio page first are 6x more likely to get in touch with me than those who just view my contact page first.)

On landing pages and the home page of your website, you’ll want to make sure that the CTA button meets the following criteria:

• It uses contrasting colors to jump out at the user.
• It’s clearly a clickable button designed to improve navigation.
• It utilizes brief copy on the button itself but is often surrounded by copy that adds context and makes it more persuasive (like the example above).
• It should appear above the fold on the page, meaning that users can see at least one CTA button before they’d need to scroll down to see more information on the page. Make sure you take this into account on both desktop and mobile sites.

When you’re creating landing pages and site pages, remember to test them. Most people don’t realize that you can test site pages just like you would PPC campaigns when you’re using tools like Unbounce . Test different types of CTA copy, different placements, or even different colored buttons. Look for what works best, and optimize your pages accordingly. You can learn more about how to do this by checking out our $1000 case study here .

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You may also like reading:

• Social Commerce 101: How to Make Money Selling on Social
• 63 Instagram Caption Examples for 2023 (And How to Write Your Own)
• 15 Fresh Facebook Ad Examples to Inspire Your Next Campaign [2022]
• How to Create a Facebook Business Page (The Easy Way)

February 21, 2018 at 9:03 pm

March 14, 2018 at 1:14 am

What a list! Huge! Thanks for sharing such an incredible list. Either way, keep doing good work!

July 10, 2018 at 2:14 pm

My name is Kevin and I am a Senior Project Manager at IdeaPros, a company that turns ideas into real life businesses – similar to an incubator. Our team consists of experienced professionals, which have the capacity to turn any idea into a successful business. There is one aspect that we are lacking, which is the copywriting and compelling call to actions for landing pages/websites. We need someone that has experience in creating compelling call to actions and copywriting in order to intrigue customers/visitors to purchase a product.

Our company has over 120 clients, which is growing everyday. We are a high-caliber company with constantly growing client list.

We are looking for a marketing professional to refine the copy and call to actions on the websites that we make. From describing the product to creating simple sentences, we need someone to produce this content. There will be numerous projects a week and the work will never end, hence we will negotiate a price that is fair for the long run. Please let me know.

Warm Regards, Kevin Nguyen IdeaPros | Senior Project Manager [email protected]

July 11, 2018 at 11:18 am

Hey Kevin, I think this FREE webinar can be very helpful More Than Words: How To Write the Perfect Facebook Ads Copy It will go live on Tuesday, July 17th, at 10 am (PST). Mark it on your calendar and reserve your spot now by clicking here !

August 9, 2018 at 9:38 pm

Great!! nice to read!! thanks for sharing it Dth Button Bits Exporters

September 15, 2018 at 4:01 am

The information you’ve got shared is extremely attention-grabbing. this may extremely useful for users. Thanks for sharing such a meaty weblog

November 15, 2018 at 9:33 am

Very informative article with good reference. Very useful and informative for front end designers. Keep up the good work.

October 10, 2021 at 2:53 am

Can we have updated version of this article. Web has changed a lot since this was published first. Thanks

November 29, 2018 at 10:44 am

Thanks much, practical suggestions.

December 15, 2018 at 10:28 am

Thanks for the nice article, Ana. Just wondering whether the rules are sort of persisting or a fashion thing. If everyone is doing it the same way, won’t readers get fed up with it and resist the CTA? By the way, Happy New Year!

December 29, 2018 at 3:42 pm

Excellent article! Thanks for sharing exceptional value-added content.

January 8, 2019 at 1:33 am

thanks to sharing this very good article about call to action good examples ..good job

January 8, 2019 at 1:35 am

the wonderful information call to action thank you so much great job thank you

January 16, 2019 at 8:01 am

Thanks for sharing!

January 17, 2019 at 7:29 am

Hi Buddy, thanks for the nice and informational post… Loved it!

February 3, 2019 at 7:29 am

Thank you for sharing this valuable information which is easy to implement.

March 2, 2019 at 4:17 am

Excellent information

April 9, 2019 at 11:45 pm

great post on CTA

April 11, 2019 at 11:53 pm

These CTA examples are very useful.

April 15, 2019 at 10:45 am

Very informative & keep sharing, You are a student and don’t know how to earn? So don’t worry Now, you can Make Money As A Student easily.

April 17, 2019 at 10:09 am

Loved your article!!! Very detail explanation, thanks for sharing the information! I need to try it now 🙂

April 20, 2019 at 4:31 am

I am continually browsing online for ideas that can help me. Thank you! http://rahuldigital.org

April 21, 2019 at 10:48 pm

Nice information. Thanks

April 30, 2019 at 4:41 am

Amazing article – it is good to know, that other websites also name small details as the most crucial ones. We can see, that every step requires personalization, that is the reason why we created unique CTA phrases generator – http://www.ctagenerator.com

July 4, 2019 at 1:36 am

Hey Ana, I want to thank you for shariing your knowledge with us. I really appreciate you for such a great post. You have provided lots of information in an easy and understandable way.

September 20, 2019 at 10:33 am

Thanks for sharing such awesome call to action examples just loved it. definitely going to try these example in our next campagin.

November 9, 2019 at 4:10 am

A call to action is an invitation for a user to take some desired action. You often see call to action examples in persuasive writing. Once a brand has made its case in a blog post or video, for instance, they’ll often include a call to action at the end.

November 30, 2019 at 6:53 am

One of the best uses of FOMO in your CTA is to mention a sale or promotion that your company is holding, and which won’t last forever. You probably get emails with this sort of messaging all the time, I know I sure do. I’m talking about messaging like “Shop today! Sale ends on Monday,” perhaps during a three-day weekend. Or even “buy now while supplies last!” during the holiday season. It’s tough to ignore a prompt like that, especially during a time-sensitive, under-the-gun type of situation (e.g. the Christmas season). Similar to provoking enthusiasm as we discussed earlier, provoking fear of missing out in your CTA is sure to get you some additional clicks.

December 21, 2019 at 2:00 am

Getting the balance of ‘you’ and ‘us’ is important everywhere else in your website (and emails!). (Re #37 above)

January 24, 2020 at 3:14 am

Great post always testing different CTA on both Facebook and Adwords to see what can improve CTR and Conversions. The examples above are highly useful to get me thinking more creatively.

March 7, 2020 at 12:53 pm

Do you have a preferred call-to-action, or perhaps one that surprised you with how well it did? What about one that you were hoping would perform well but ended up bombing? I’d love to hear about it, so feel free to sound off below!

May 20, 2020 at 6:02 pm

I used CRO based CTR label variations with button colors and it helped me to improve leads.

June 7, 2020 at 11:31 am

informative article, thanks for sharing this article.

June 11, 2020 at 10:02 pm

Nice post I learned a lot here thanks.

June 19, 2020 at 2:20 am

Thanks for sharing such awesome call to action examples. you have explained it very will. i have also written on same you can visit my website: Hestabit

July 24, 2020 at 9:01 pm

This list is just what I was looking for. I was in need of a CTA for my ad I was doing so this was timely. Thanks!

January 26, 2021 at 10:38 pm

Absolutely useful article, I’m crafting my first landing page and I so need it.

February 13, 2021 at 2:42 am

You have a very good list of CTA examples here. Thank for working hard to provide these example with great explanations.

May 16, 2021 at 12:51 am

Very much useful article, I have been using this, But in different industries it’s very much useful.

Thanks again.

May 18, 2021 at 6:36 am

Having the right CTA can make all the difference to your business’s bottom line.

May 18, 2021 at 8:23 am

CTAs have always been a weak spot, but this is super helpful. Thanks!

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5 Keys to End Your Speech with a Great Call-to-Action

Yet many speakers miss a fantastic opportunity with a call-to-action that is wishy-washy, hypothetical, or ill-constructed. Even worse, some speakers omit the call-to-action entirely.

A poor call-to-action undermines the effectiveness of your speech; a great call-to-action stirs your audience to act enthusiastically.

In this article, we reveal the qualities of a strong speech call-to-action which will lead your audience to act.

What is a Speech Call-To-Action?

A speech call-to-action is an explicit appeal to your audience to take a specific action following your speech. A call-to-action is most often made at the conclusion of a persuasive speech.

“ If you have been persuasive and your audience is emotionally invested, the best time for action is now. ”

For example, you might call on your audience to…

• … adopt a new business process
• … sponsor an event
• … attend an event
• … fund a research initiative
• … register to vote
• … join a club
• … train for a marathon
• … read out loud to their children
• … donate money to a charity
• … travel to Saskatchewan
• … buy a fire extinguisher
• … eat more vegetables
• … use public transit

Guidelines for a Strong Speech Call-to-Action

Your call-to-action and your approach to delivering it may vary according to your audience and your speaking style. While there is no rigid formula, there are a number of  guidelines which will improve the effectiveness of your call-to-action.

• Make your call-to-action clear and direct.
• Have your audience act quickly.
• Lower barriers to action.
• Focus on benefits for your audience.
• Customize your call-to-action for each person.

1. Make your call-to-action clear and direct.

Don’t hint. Don’t imply. Don’t suggest.

It’s not a whisper-to-think-about- action; it’s a call-to -action.

Use direct language, and eliminate wishy-washy phrases.

• Instead of “Maybe you could think about joining…”, say “Join…”
• Instead of “It would be good to train for…”, say “Train for… “

Don’t assume that your audience will “figure out” what needs to be done. (I have made this mistake in the past and regretted it.) If members of your audience walk out of the room thinking “Wow, this sounds great, but I’m just not sure what to do…”, your call-to-action was not clear enough.

2. Have your audience act quickly.

If you have been persuasive and your audience is emotionally invested, the best time for action is now. The longer it takes to initiate the action, the more likely that your audience will lose motivation.

So, an ideal call-to-action is one which your audience can act on immediately, perhaps even before they leave the room. If this isn’t feasible, then aim for actions which can reasonably be completed (or at least started) within hours or a day or two.

3. Lower barriers to action.

To help your audience act quickly, eliminate as many (trivial or non-trivial) barriers as you can.

For example, ask the following questions about your audience.

• Do they need to sign up? Bring forms and pens and pass them out.
• Do they need to read additional information? Bring handouts, or copies of books, or website references.
• Do they need approval before they can act? Make the first call-to-action to organize the meeting with stakeholders.
• Do they need to pay? Accept as many forms of payment as possible.

A common psychological barrier is the perception that the suggested action is too big or too risky. This is a legitimate concern, and is often best handled by dividing the call-to-action into several small (less risky) actions.

For example, “train for a marathon” may be too large of a call-to-action for a non-runner. A better call-to-action would be to join a running club or train for a shorter race.

4. Focus on benefits for your audience.

“ A poor call-to-action undermines the effectiveness of your speech; a great call-to-action stirs your audience to act enthusiastically. ”

Always frame your call-to-action in the audience’s best interest.

For example, don’t say this:

• What I’d really like you to do is…
• It would make me so happy if you…
• My foundation has set a target of X that we can reach with your help…

Making you (the speaker) happy is (probably) not highly motivating for your audience.

Instead, say this:

• Build your financial wealth by…
• Make your community a safer place to live for yourself and your children by…
• When you volunteer, you build your skills and gain valuable experience…

Surround the call-to-action with a description of how their lives will be improved when they act. Paint a prosperous vision.

5. Customize your call-to-action for each person.

Audiences don’t act; individuals act. Rather than addressing the group as a whole, focus your call-to-action on each individual in your audience.

Suppose your goal is to have a new business process adopted. Each individual in the room may play a different role in accomplishing this.

• For the person who controls the budget, the call-to-action is to allocate the necessary funds.
• For the personnel manager, the call-to-action is to delegate staff to work on the initiative.
• For others, the call-to-action may be to attend in-depth training about the new process.

Audience analysis is critical . If you know who is in your audience, and understand their motivations and capabilities, you will be able to personalize the call-to-action for them.

Put it into Practice

By working on the planning and execution of the call-to-action in your speeches, you’ll become a more persuasive and effective speaker.

Look back to your last persuasive speech.

• Did you make a clear and direct call-to-action?
• Was your audience able to act quickly on it?
• Did you make an extra effort to lower barriers to action?
• Did you highlight the benefits for your audience?
• Did you address individuals rather than the group with a personal call-to-action?

If the answer to any of the above questions was “no”, then how could your call-to-action have been improved?

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11 comments.

This is a great article. I found in it very useful tactics. thanks a lot.

Brilliant!… can’t wait to put into action. thank you

I really like your tips #3 & 4 about focusing on audience benefits and lowering barriers to action.

Not sure how the tip about personalising the call-to-action should work though. Might you have (say) 3 calls to action if there are 3 decision-makers in the audience?

Very useful to my line of work. Thanks. Keep it up

What would be a good call to action for drug abuse?

Thank you, I found this very helpful in some situations. I definitely recommend this.

My teacher sent me here It really helped. Thank you for taking your precious time to make something to help others even though you didn’t have to. It is very much appreciated

Thank you soooo much it really helped me on my essay for school thank you so much .😊😊😊

I am working on reframing a call to action for a speech THANK YOU for the help ahead of time

How do you write a call-to-action about global warming?

I appreciate your six minute articles Thank you

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20 Call to Action Examples + How To Write a CTA That Converts

Are you looking for the best call to action examples that will inspire your customers to take action?

Ecommerce businesses often struggle to get their site visitors to take action without being too pushy. The good news is, it’s easier than it may seem.

In many cases, all it takes is a minor tweak to your call to action (CTA) to see conversions increase.

In today’s post, we will show you 20 perfect call to action examples. Our examples include both call to action buttons and worded call to action phrases.

What Is a Call to Action?

The importance of a good call to action, how to write a call to action that converts, 10 perfect button call to action examples, 10 well-worded call to action examples.

Let’s start with the call to action meaning, its importance, and how you can write one.

Call to action definition : A Call to Action (CTA) is a prompt or instruction to encourage the target audience to take a specific action and typically involves getting your audience to click on a link.

The purpose of a CTA is to persuade the audience to take the desired action, which could be anything from purchasing a product or signing up for a service to downloading an eBook or filling out a survey. CTAs are typically designed to be attention-grabbing and prominently displayed to maximize effectiveness.

CTAs can be delivered through various mediums, including websites, social media posts, email marketing campaigns, and advertisements.

Common call to action example includes “Buy Now,” “Learn More,” “Subscribe Today,” “Download Your Free Trial,” “Register for Our Webinar,” “Join Our Mailing List,” and “Contact Us Today.”

These are all common types of CTAs that you’ve likely run into before and generally come in two types, both related to links.

You can have CTA as a button or a link with anchor text; the latter is more common in social media posts, blog posts, or other text-based content.

So what is a CTA? Again, it’s simply any direct command that encourages your audience to take action.

And the surprising truth about CTAs? They’re crucial for increasing your conversions and sales.

You may not believe it, but your call to action is essential for your bottom line. A well-worded call to action may be the difference between your business thriving and tanking.

And no, that’s not an exaggeration. Protocol 80 sourced the following statistics to show the value of CTAs:

This small aspect of your marketing strategy can lead to some significant changes. That’s why you must be extra particular about presenting your call to action to your customer.

Otherwise, you risk leaving unnecessary conversions and profits on the table. So let’s check out some best practices and call to action examples for creating highly clickable CTAs.

Creating the perfect call to action can be tricky. The goal is to ask your audience to do something without coming off too pushy, which can be a tricky line to walk.

Plus, your language to craft your call to action changes depending on your audience. That means there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution to creating a solid call to action. However, some general guidelines are always true.

OptinMonster has written an extensive article on creating the perfect call to action . If you haven’t read that yet, you definitely should.

Here are a few of the most important tips in that article, along with a few new ideas to make your CTA extra clickable.

These include:

Let’s take a look at each point in more detail.

Tailor Your Call to Action to the Platform

Your call to action button changes depending on where you deliver it to your audience. On your website, you’re bound to have a call to action button encouraging people to use your product or service.

The button’s CTA is probably short, and something like “ Get Started Today! ”

However, you may write posts on social media with a longer, more in-depth call to action that asks users to click a subsequent link.

These may read something like, “Take advantage of our 15% off discount by clicking the link and start shopping today! ”

The length and copy of your call to action must be appropriate for your platform. For example, CTA buttons are typically shorter (3-7 words), and text-based CTAs can be longer. But a good rule is to make them as concise as possible.

That said, we’ll see some call to action phrases later that you can use as templates for your blog or social media posts.

Begin Your CTA With a Strong Command Verb

Believe it or not, people like to be told what to do. However, it would be best to strive for conciseness and clarity when telling customers what to do. After all, humans have so much going on in their everyday lives that it’s better to have a straightforward, specific task to follow.

So your call to action isn’t the time to dance around what you want. Instead, be straightforward and begin your CTA with a command verb.

For example, which of these calls to action is more likely to get clicks:

• Signup now for your free eBook
• Why not join today?

While neither should be the golden standard for a CTA, the first is the clear winner. It shows you a benefit for taking action (which we’ll discuss later) and does all the thinking for you by starting with a command verb.

However, the second one poses a question and gets you thinking about why you can’t join today.

Remember, a good call to action takes as much thinking out of the equation as possible.

Use Power Words

Related to using a command verb to start, you should be using power words to enhance the copy of your CTA. Power words trigger a psychological or emotional response from the reader.

While readers understand a regular CTA, readers feel a great one. Power words get your audience feeling something that encourages them to take action.

So rather than “ Take advantage of our offer to increase your sales today ,” you may write, “ Take advantage of our once-in-a-lifetime offer to skyrocket your sales now! ”

Small additions of power words like “once-in-a-lifetime,” “skyrocket,” and “now” make the second option a much more clickable call to action. And if you need some help with power words, you’re in luck.

Need more wildly successful power words to revolutionize how you write your CTAs? Check out OptinMonster’s comprehensive list .

(☝️See what we did with the power words there?)

Foster Curiosity and Anticipation

One strategy for creating a killer call to action is to foster curiosity and anticipation.

Building curiosity would be like, “ Learn how this former pizza delivery guy started a 7-figure online business at home .”

To effectively build curiosity, you reveal the result of whatever story you’re telling in your content without showing how you’ll get there. The goal is to connect your audience with something they want (the result) and get them curious about how to achieve it.

Anticipation is another strategy that works better for selling products. Again, you’re selling someone the result that your product brings and getting them excited for their new life change.

For example, an online fitness coach may make a call to action such as “ Transform into your sexiest self today! ”

This paints an image of the customer’s desired result and excites them about that dream becoming a reality. This anticipation drives them to take action.

Show Benefits and Use Social Proof

Another excellent method for spicing up your call to action is showing a tangible benefit or relying on social proof . Showing your audience a real benefit for your call to action usually (but not always) involves offering a discount or promotion.

These calls to action usually start with the command verb “save” or “redeem” and read something like “ Save 25% by joining today!” or “ Redeem your 2-for-1 coupon right now! ”

Writing your CTA with a benefit adds an extra incentive (a value proposition ) to the equation that boosts your conversion rate. But you also have another trick up your sleeve: Social proof.

The most common type of social proof for CTAs is leveraging fear of missing out (FOMO). Fear of missing out is a phenomenon that occurs in most consumers and is super powerful.

Many infomercials saw huge sales increases when their call to action changed from “ Call now, operators are standing by “to “ If lines are busy, please call again! ”

When listeners heard the first CTA, they thought, “If operators are standing by, it must not be a popular product.” But when they heard the second CTA, the opposite occurred. They thought, “If lines are busy, this product must be top-rated . I should call.”

FOMO is an incredibly powerful tool that you can start using to craft stronger CTAs that lead to much higher click-through rates (CTRs).

If you want to start using social proof, we recommend trying TrustPulse .

TrustPulse specializes in positive action notification popups. You’ve likely seen these before, probably even while reading this article:

These small popups leverage social proof to increase conversions by up to 15% . Adding this type of social proof is an absolute no-brainer for such a small change to your site to have such a massive impact on your sales.

It helps you drive business and improves the user experience by adding credibility to your product.

And while we’d love for you to go with TrustPulse, we know other options exist.

That’s why we remind users never to use software that encourages or allows fake social proof .

If users learn that your positive action notifications are fabricated or fraudulent, you’ll have an uphill battle earning back their trust.

This a small disclaimer, but very important to keep in mind as you build your site or brand’s authenticity . This is crucial as you strive to maintain your company’s online reputation .

Boost your sales by up to 15% by joining TrustPulse today !

Get Creative to Catch Your Audience’s Attention

One of the hardest things to do in the digital world is to separate yourself from the noise. The only way to truly stand out is to get creative. The Harmon Brothers are incredible at this.

They’ve made such viral ads as the Squatty Potty, Poo Pourri, and Goldilocks & the Purple Mattress:

These ads did exceptionally well and got many viewers to take action.

Why? Because they stand out in a world of boring advertising. And you can do the same.

You don’t need to create mythical creatures or spend millions on video production. You need to get creative in connecting with your audience. Use language that stands out from the standard messaging and grabs the eye.

Plus, you can use various visual creation tools to make stunning images and videos without breaking the bank.

For example, the company Manpacks used a call to action that hit home with its audience:

Build a manpack.

It’s strong, simple, and built curiosity in men who wondered, “What is a manpack, and why do I suddenly feel like I need one?”

If you’re confident in your marketing skills , try to break free from the mold and experiment with a creative copy .

Okay, now that we have some tips on writing a clickable call to action, let’s see how some of the best companies in the world do it. We’ll be splitting our call to action examples into two sections:

• Call to action buttons
• Text-based calls to actions

Let’s get started.

On most websites, you’ll see calls to action in the form of a button. Again, the text is usually concise (3-7 words) and clearly expresses what the company wants the user to do.

Let’s see some call to action examples from the biggest businesses in the world and how they craft their own CTAs.

Netflix has a straightforward, clear call to action. Their easy-to-spot “Try it now” button stands apart from the rest of the page with its bold color scheme.

Plus, the copy implies that you can try the software before committing.

You don’t need to get too creative when your brand is as famous as Netflix. This simple call to action example is all it takes for hundreds of new subscribers each month.

2. HelloFresh

This is just one of HelloFresh’s call to action examples. The fun little “Get Cooking” button is authentic to their brand. Plus, it makes people imagine themselves already in the kitchen preparing tasty meals for the family.

A lot is going in this call to action example: imagery, the testimonial by HuffPost, and the call to action. They don’t give too many details on the software, so the phrase “See how it works” is terrific at building curiosity and anticipation.

Nike has never been one to use two words when one will do. Their world-famous slogan, “Just do it,” is as straightforward as it gets. We shouldn’t expect anything else from their call to action.

The one word “Shop” is all they need to tell customers what to do. And if Nike is doing it, there must be something to the short-and-sweet approach.

5. Basecamp

The creators over at Basecamp are known for keeping things casual and never overthinking a decision. Their call to action fits their laidback style and welcomes people to test the software.

6. Sendinblue

Sendinblue’s CTA is a refreshing change from the usual “Try Now.” The phrase “Take a free test drive” reminds users to try the software risk-free. This phrase also adds playful color to the animated image of the car on the righthand side.

7. Bluehost

Bluehost’s call to action example is a friendly reminder that people don’t want the ½ inch drill; they want the ½ inch hole. When most people think of site builders, they think of platforms like WordPress.

The last thing they want to think about? Finding the right host.

Bluehost plays on this emotion by avoiding phrases about site hosting and dives straight into site creation. After all, that’s what their visitors hope to accomplish from Bluehost.

8. LiveChat Inc

LiveChat Inc ‘s CTA is short, to the point, and adds the value proposition. It stands out because of its bold red coloring (like we saw with Netflix) and reminds users to give the software a test spin free.

AWeber flirts with the CTA word-length limit, but they manage to pull it off. Their bold orange button color directly draws the reader’s eye to the message. They add the ” free ” value proposition to entice users to click through.

10. Spotify

Here’s one last call to action example by one of the world’s most famous brands, Spotify. They use a green button on an orange background showing a well-placed contrast to draw your attention.

Like many other call to action examples, Spotify highlights that you can sign up and use their service at no cost or risk.

Let’s shift gears and look at longer, text-based forms call to action examples.

The following call to action examples come from blogs or social media. They are longer phrases that encourage users to click a link and redirect their attention to another page.

11. OptinMonster

We couldn’t write this blog post on calls to action without referring to our parent company, OptinMonster . If you follow their blog (which you really should if you want to master lead generation tactics), you’ll notice they end their posts with a consistent call to action.

And this is standard practice for most blogs.

This small phrase asks people to share the post (if they enjoyed it) on various social media platforms. Examples like this are an important reminder that not all CTAs need to be sales-driven.

12. Neil Patel

Neil Patel is one of the world’s most famous marketing “gurus.” At the end of one of his posts, you’ll see he adds a call to action for people to sign up for his small course. Though the second CTA (“Start by clicking here”) is where users take action, it’s his first step that draws you in.

The bold “ Do This Now “ message is impossible to ignore and gets readers to follow to the next step.

13. The Art of Manliness

Though most people wouldn’t think the copy “Join the Strenuous Life” is catchy, it’s perfectly suited to their target audience. They are constantly writing about self-discipline, getting more “tough,” and putting yourself in difficult situations to grow as a person.

As such, this is the perfect call to action to tempt their user base.

14. Fitness Machine

A subtle call to action from personal trainer Jarryd Smith, this Facebook post asks users to engage. For example, they want to participate in a 5-day body transformation challenge. In that case, they need to leave a comment as indicated.

This is one great way of getting free traffic from Facebook.

15. WordStream

WordStream has some good calls to action across their site, but this one comes from a Facebook post. They do a great job of building your anticipation and curiosity by offering a free Google Ad cost report.

This is a super enticing offer for any marketers who run paid ads.

16. LinkedIn

Besides the fantastic imagery below this post, notice how LinkedIn uses some power words to spice up its CTA. In this case, the two most effective words are “secret” and “successful.”

Everything about this call to action indicates something you don’t know hinders your success with LinkedIn ads. And if you click through, they’ll be happy to show you.

Talk about leveraging FOMO.

This post on Twitter is more fun than the standard call to action. They take an old saying, “Everyone wants to eat, but few are willing to hunt,” to set up their CTA:

“Bring out the big guns.”

This goes a long way in building anticipation.

18. Grammarly

Grammarly does an excellent job with its calls to action. First, they have a killer service, so they never need to try too hard to attract customers. But they do well at getting writers excited to write.

Here, Grammarly encourages its users to “Tap into their creativity,” which is speaking their audience’s language.

19. Backlinko

Returning to blogs, we have another call to action example from the famous digital marketer Brian Dean. On his site, Backlinko, he uses a subtle call to action to encourage users to engage with his post.

Here, he isn’t redirecting his readers anywhere else and wants them to focus on leaving a comment.

20. Amy Porterfield

Our last call to action example is from Amy Porterfield, a marketing coach with loads of courses, podcasts, blogs, and just about any other kind of content you can imagine.

As she finishes one blog post, she adds a well-written call to action, “Click here to change your life with B-School!” If powerful language like that doesn’t build curiosity and anticipation, we don’t know what will.

Putting it All Together

We’ve covered a whole lot of ground today. Before wrapping up, we wanted to remind you that a perfect call to action is only part of the equation. In other words, no call to action will ever work if it’s the only thing people see.

So, to have the whole package, you need to work on a few different aspects of your site:

• Your web design
• Your site’s overall copy
• Create alluring content
• and any other strategy to get users to sign up for your services

So as we finish this post, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is and give you a few calls to action of our own.

If you enjoyed this article, share it with your friends and colleagues on Facebook or Twitter . You can also let us know if you’ve seen or made an awesome example of a call to action.

Finally, are you 100% positive that you’re optimizing your site for the most sales possible? If you don’t have positive action notification software on your site, the answer is a firm “no.”

Ready to get started with the world’s best social proof software? Sign up for your risk-free TrustPulse account today !

Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that we believe will add value to our readers.

Thanks for finally talking about > How to Write a Killer Call to Action (With 20 Perfect Examples) Christie]

You’re very welcome! We hope you enjoyed the post.

Thank you for this post, Deana. Picked up a few things from the 10-worded-CTAs section.

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14 Tips for Writing the Best Call to Action (With Examples)

You could write the most effective, emotional, efficient copy for your printed marketing media, and it wouldn’t amount to anything if a call to action wasn’t clearly defined.

In written advertising, a call to action (by definition) is an imperative sentence that instructs the reader to perform a task. They’re absolutely crucial because once you’ve hooked your audience on your brand, they need to know what steps to take in order to obtain your product or service. Good call to action phrases act like a trail of breadcrumbs leading potential customers directly to your business.

Know your audience’s needs

Before you can begin writing your call to action, you have to understand what you can offer your audience and more importantly, why they need it in the first place. The best practices for accomplishing this are to identify a problem your audience can relate to and position your brand as a solution to that problem. This makes the call to action more enticing to the audience because it gives them a reason to follow your instructions.

This flyer begins by offering a benefit (a happy reaction from your mother) and follows up with a call to action: “Send us her photo.” Photo Credit: LeighAnn Loftus

Use actionable verbs and phrases

Almost every call to action includes a verb–but some verbs are stronger than others. Action words and phrases compel the reader to perform a task, which is the entire point of a call to action to begin with. Actionable verbs are ones that can actually be carried out by a person in a literal sense.

For example:

Good: “Call us today for a free sample” – this is actionable because “call” is a verb that can be carried out by a person.

Bad: “Give us a call for a free sample” – although “give” would normally be actionable, in this case what you’re giving is not a tangible object. You can’t literally hand someone a phone call.

Clarity is crucial

A call to action is only effective if it’s clearly understood by the audience. For starters, the font should be bold and easy to read, so avoid small or overly fancy fonts.

More importantly, the message itself should be easily understood. A clear message spells out exactly what the audience should do and how it will benefit them. Write your call to action using simple language-avoid jargon or confusing terms.

Here’s an example:

Good: “Visit our website! “

Bad: “Point your web browser towards our home page.”

The call to action here is quick and to the point: “ENTER NOW” and a corresponding URL. Photo Credit: Jennie Myers

Make the action as easy as possible

The reader should be able to go directly from the call to action to performing the task itself, so make sure he has everything he need to follow up. For example, if you want them to call, provide a phone number.

However, you also have to consider what kind of phone number you use and if it presents any other problems to your customer. For example, a customer is more willing to call a local number or a toll-free number than a long-distance number.

If you want your customer to visit your website, provide an address. However, if you also provide a QR code, then customers with smart phones or tablet devices can immediately visit your site without having to type an address.

If your goal is for your audience to visit your website, make sure to include a clear and noticeable URL, such as the one on this flyer. Photo Credit: Veronica Varetsa

Writing a call to action is more effective when the audience is only being asked to complete one task. Multiple phrases asking the audience to perform different tasks can be confusing and audiences can loose interest when they think there is a lot of work involved.

However, if you have to have multiple calls to action, make sure one is clearly dominant while the others are just there to work towards the main goal.

This flyer has multiple examples of calls to action, but one dominates the others: “Buy at Fine Retail Stores.” Photo Credit: Fran Linden

For example, the end goal may be to have customers sign up for a free consultation, but they might have multiple options for doing so. By using both “Call us to sign up for a free consultation” and “Visit our website and sign up for a free consultation” in your copy it makes it clear to the audience that signing up is the most important action.

A better way to achieve this would be to eliminate the other calls to action altogether. “Sign up for a free consultation by phone or on our website” is much clearer.

Create a sense of urgency

A time limitation makes your calls to action a bit stronger because it adds a sense of urgency. However this doesn’t have to be a strict measurement of time, just a general feeling of importance.

Good: “Call us today” – This call to action gives the audience a firm measurement of time to work with and creates a sense of importance.

Good: “Call now” – This is even more urgent and implies the offer may not last forever (even if that’s not the case.) The audience understands the importance of calling soon.

Bad: “Call anytime” – This implies that the offer is always available and that there’s no need to call immediately, which makes it more likely that the audience will forget to call completely.

A sense of urgency helps to make your call to action (such as the one on this flyer) more persuasive. Photo Credit: Darren @ Mass Appeal Designs

Answer the reader’s questions

Customers want to know what will happen if they follow your call to action and how doing so will benefit them. Many people in your audience will be skeptical to follow your instructions unless they’re given more information on what happens after doing so.

Quell your reader’s fears

Call to action phrases can be used to help your audience get over any opposition they may have. Identify and demolish any misgivings your audience may feel towards your brand and add statements that provide reassurance.

For example, a reader may not want to call because they’re afraid of being sucked into a long sales pitch. Therefore, you might say something like “Call now and in less than five minutes you can get a great deal on your insurance.”

Make an offer they can’t refuse

Sometimes a special offer can go a long way towards convincing skeptical audience members to follow your call to action. This might be a free gift, guarantee , special discount or other incentives to sweeten the deal.

“Order today and get half-off the cost of shipping.” “Call now and ask about our buy-one, get one offer.” “Sign up for our mailing list to receive special member coupons.”

Be upfront in your call to action if there are any limitations to your offer, such as a time limit or per-customer limit.

The fact that buyers can ‘save over $700’ makes the call to action on this flyer especially persuasive. Photo Credit: Mike Greenwald

Use repetition

Just like any message you want to drive home, repetition makes your call to action more effective. Repeat your call to action several different ways and in different areas to make sure the message is clear.

Take a look at these examples:

“Visit us at the corner of Main and Maple to receive a free quote” “Come to our downtown location for your free quote” “Ask for your free quote at our Main and Maple location.” “Drive downtown today for your free quote.”

Use colors and graphics

A call to action is more effective when it stands out from the rest of your design. Try using a contrasting font color to make the call to action pop. Red is an effective call to action color because it’s bright and creates a sense of urgency, but you can use any distinctive color that matches your design.

The bright red color helps this mailer’s call to action really stand out. Photo Credit: Burton Creative

Leave white space

Size matters.

A call to action should usually be sightly larger than the surrounding paragraph text so that readers recognize it as something separate. This also makes it easier to scan and read. People don’t always take action right away; a large call to action ensures that they will find it easily if they look at the ad later.

Follow through

When the customer actually does follow through on your call to action, what happens next? It’s your responsibility to make sure that when they follow your instructions, it’s easy for them to follow the next step towards a sale or conversion.

And the next step.

For example, if you ask them to call your office, make sure someone is on the other end waiting to take their call and to explain the next step of the process. If the office is closed, there should be an automated message that explains the process and gives the customer instructions on when to call back.

Practice makes perfect, and your best call to action ideas will likely come to you after you’ve become more familiar with the process. Take the time to perform writing exercises, coming up with different ways to instruct your audience and drive them towards your brand’s end goal.

What sort of calls to action do you find to be effective in your printed material? What calls to action have you yourself acted upon in the past? Here’s a call to action for you: share your responses, tips and examples in the comments!

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4 Responses to “14 Tips for Writing the Best Call to Action (With Examples)”

I found your examples and suggestion to be very helpful , I intend to apply this information as I work on my call to action. I truly thank you.

Thank you for taking the time to share this information, I plan on applying it today in marketing my new sculpture, “Turn Two – Double Play

Some good tips there. I think however that a few of these flyers are even still a little too busy in design. I am forever trying to encourage my clients to create simple punchy ads so that the message is to the point. Product – Call to action – URL and finished.

Great call to action content

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How to Write a Great Social Media Call to Action

If you want your audience to do something, you can’t just hope and hint. You need a good social media call to action.

Table of Contents

When you work in marketing, you’re always trying to convince your audience of something. Maybe you want your followers to sign up for a free trial, download a PDF, visit your landing page, or pick up the phone and call. But getting people to take action, especially on social media, is tricky… unless you use a clear call to action.

If there’s something you want your audience to do, you can’t just hope and hint (this same advice holds true for most things in life, actually). You need a compelling call to action, or CTA, to draw people in and point them in the right direction.

In this post, we’ll teach you what a good social CTA is and share tips and examples from brands that are nailing it. By the end, you should have everything you need to write a social media call to action that gets results.

OwlyWriter AI instantly generates captions and content ideas for every social media network. It’s seriously easy.

What is a call to action (CTA)?

A call to action (or CTA) is a text prompt that encourages your reader to take a specific action . On social media, a call to action might direct your followers to leave a comment, buy a product or subscribe to your newsletter, but there are many options.

Social media CTAs can appear on both organic posts and ads. The actual call to action will appear as text on the image, in the caption, or on a CTA button.

In ads, like this one from Loop Earplugs, you’ll often find CTAs in all three places.

Source: Loop on Facebook

A CTA can be as simple as a single word, like “Buy!” or “Subscribe,” but effective CTAs are usually a little longer and more specific. They tell the reader what they’re going to get by taking the desired action, and they often include a sense of urgency. The best CTAs are also highly relevant to the specific audience they’re targeting.

A great CTA will make it easy and enticing for your target audience to take the action you want them to take.

How to write a call to action for social media

Before you can start writing, you need to know what you want your audience to do. Do you want them to make a purchase, visit your landing page, create an account, enter a contest, or like your latest selfie? (Kidding. Mostly.)

Your desired action should also fit within your overall social media marketing strategy . Think about how your CTA will serve your social media goals.

Here are some simple tips to keep in mind while you write.

Keep it conversational

There’s no need to be formal. You and your ideal customer are already best friends*, right?

Encourage a connection by using “you” and “your” in your copy. It’s an easy way to make your message feel more personal and less like a sales pitch.

*If you are not, in fact, best friends with your ideal customer, check out our guide to creating buyer personas .

Use action words

You want to inspire your audience to take action — this is no time to play coy.

CTAs that use powerful, clear, instructive verbs (aka command words) can help cut down on decision fatigue.

Try phrases like:

• “Sign up for your free trial”
• “Download my guide”
• “Get your free instant quote”
• “Shop dog hammocks”
• “Post jobs for free”

Simple and direct is usually best, but avoid phrases like “Click here,” which can sound spammy or off-putting.

Be specific

The more specific your CTA is, the better. Instead of saying, “Sign up for our newsletter,” try, “Sign up for our weekly travel newsletter to get the latest flight deals.”

It’s also a good idea to stick to one CTA per post. Otherwise, you risk overwhelming your reader with too much information and losing them completely.

Create a sense of urgency

As any impulse shopper can tell you, nothing is more tempting than a limited-time offer. The clock is ticking!

Lean on FOMO and use words like “now,” “today,” or “this week only” in your CTA to encourage people to take action right away.

Vessi has limited edition fall sneakers? Better snap those up now!

Source: Vessi on Instagram

Focus on benefits

Features are what your product or service does, but benefits are what your customer gains from those features.

For example, instead of saying, “Sign up for my 6-week course on social marketing,” you could try something more like, “Learn how to make six figures by selling on Instagram!”

The first example tells your audience exactly what they’re signing up for, while the second tells them what they’ll gain by signing up.

Ultimately, both CTAs might drive readers to the same destination, but one is a whole lot more intriguing than the other.

Offer something valuable

Need a little extra oomph? Go beyond benefits and give your readers an unbeatable reason to take the desired action.

Free delivery is often a major motivator. In fact, almost 50% of internet users are motivated to complete an online purchase if they’re offered free shipping.

Source: Digital 2022

Discounts are always compelling, especially when combined with the urgency of a limited-time offer, like Gap does here:

Source: Gap on Instagram

You can also try offering access to exclusive content. See, we’re even doing it right here:

Bonus: Unlock 28 inspiring social media bio templates to create your own in seconds and stand out from the crowd.

Your offer should be valuable, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Just make sure there’s something in it for your audience.

Stay true to your brand

Consistency is important on social media. Once you’ve established a brand, you want to stick with it. Believe us, your followers will notice if you slip up.

LensCrafters, for example, leans into its polished brand voice on social. This LensCrafters post uses words like “discover,” “premium,” and “high quality” in its CTA to build trust and convey their professional expertise.

But can you imagine if this post ended with “Hey Four Eyes, get your goggles here!”? An unusual CTA might earn a second-look, but it will also cause confusion.

Choose clear over clever

You only have a few seconds to make an impact, so save the jargon and wordplay for another time. Your CTA should be brief, clear and to the point.

Source: Digital Trends 2022

The average person spends almost 2.5 hours on social media platforms every day, and in that time, they’re bombarded with ads. If you manage to grab their attention, make sure they know what they’re getting and how to get it.

Keep experimenting

If your first campaign falls flat, pick yourself back up. Experimentation will serve you well.

Try switching up the words, the colors, the placement, the images, or even the font to see what drives traffic best.

A/B testing can help you measure what works best and then tweak, polish and try again.

Even a simple change from “Start your free trial” to “Start my free trial” can make a world of difference.

Where to put your social media CTA

Every ad you post should have a call to action, but organic social media content can also include CTAs. Here are a few places you can sneak in a CTA:

In your bio

This is a great place to include a CTA that’s relevant to all of your followers, such as “Check out our website for more info!”

Instagram still doesn’t allow links in captions, so The New Yorker uses its bio to point followers to a landing page with links to more information on each post.

In your posts

You can include CTAs in individual social media posts, depending on what you’re promoting.

You can place your CTA pretty much anywhere in your post:

• At the top , if you want to grab attention right away
• In the middle , separated by a few line breaks, if you want to mix it up
• At the end , if you want to establish some context

For example, if you want people to visit your new blog post, you might want to share a few highlights before including an end-of-post CTA like “Check out the link to learn more!”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Tower 28 Beauty (@tower28beauty)

When Sephora starts carrying your products, it’s kind of a big deal. Beauty brand Tower 28 pointed followers to the nearest Sephora location with this Instagram post.

In your Stories

CTA stickers are a great way to encourage your audience to take action. You can use link stickers to promote things like contests, new products, or blog posts.

Link stickers can be placed anywhere on your Story. Just make sure to keep them away from the edges of your post, so they aren’t difficult to read (or tap!).

Source: Erie Basin on Instagram

Vintage jewelry dealer Erie Basin shares the newest additions to their shop with a simple product shot and CTA link sticker.

10 smart social media call to action examples

If you’re almost ready to get writing but still need a little inspiration, check out these examples of great social media CTAs.

1. Sign up for our newsletter

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Dorie Greenspan (@doriegreenspan)

Cookbook author Dorie Greenspan is famous for her sweet treats. When she tells followers that they can get free recipes just by signing up for her free newsletter, you better believe they come stampeding.

2. Don’t miss this sale

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Kosas (@kosas)

Makeup brand Kosas knows just how to speak to their target audience. This post advertising their Friends and Family sale is specific, urgent and personal.

Who doesn’t want to be friends with Kosas?

3. Like, tag, and follow to win

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by HelloFresh Canada (@hellofreshca)

HelloFresh Canada offers a major incentive to enter their contest that also happens to benefit the brand.

Followers have to like, tag, and follow to enter their contest, boosting HelloFresh’s reach and engagement.

4. Go minimal

/heyNetflix @discord pic.twitter.com/yPSQ3WiY3v — Netflix (@netflix) October 27, 2022

Netflix promotes their new Discord bot with a tweet that will likely confuse anyone who isn’t part of their target audience — and that’s the point.

The minimal slash command will be familiar to any Discord user, though.

5. Sneak peek

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Morgan Harper Nichols (@morganharpernichols)

Poet-artist Morgan Harper Nichols offers a long preview of exclusive content from her (paid) app to encourage her followers to download.

By the time you make it to the end, you just want to keep going.

6. Register now

P99 CONF is the event for developers who care about P99 percentiles and high-performance, low-latency applications. It is not about products but about technology, so open source solutions are preferred. Highly technical audience only. Your boss is not invited. — P99CONF (@P99CONF) July 12, 2022

The CTAs on the image and headline are both simple, driving followers toward a registration link, but the body of the tweet is doing the heavy lifting here.

My boss isn’t invited? How exclusive!

7. Take the quiz

What's your role? Tag yourself or comment with your own role and why. Everyone's got a critical role to play in Dungeons & Dragons. Take the quiz on our website if you need help deciding your role: https://t.co/cfW8uJHC5G pic.twitter.com/iG50mR9ZGm — Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) September 27, 2022

This is a great example of a low-cost, high-value CTA. The official Dungeons & Dragons account encourages engagement by sharing a graphic and asking followers to tag themselves.

But if you’re still deciding if you’re a Wizard or a Rogue, you can take their free quiz to find out.

8. Find a store near you

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by LE LABO Fragrances (@lelabofragrances)

Le Labo’s Reel shows behind-the-scenes footage of their in-house perfume lab and then casually reminds followers that it’s easy to find refills.

9. Focus on values

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Aesop (@aesopskincare)

Instead of going right for the hard sell, Aesop uses this post to focus on the principles behind its brand. This softer approach uses a “Learn more”/”Discover more” CTA that invites the reader in and builds a connection.

A post like this is a long-term investment that can really pay off. Almost 20% of online shoppers are more motivated to purchase from an eco-friendly company.

10. Shop the link in our profile

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Nineteen Ten Home (@nineteentenhome)

Super simple and effective, this post from home goods store Nineteen Ten does everything right.

They share the product on sale and make sure the reader knows where they can find more just like it.

(Looking for a guide to calls to action that goes beyond social media? We’ve got you covered: How To Write a Call to Action That Works [Tips + 6 Examples] )

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Liz Stanton is an Inbound Marketing Strategist and associate editor of the Hootsuite blog. After years of freelance writing, she transitioned to a full-time marketing career in 2018. Before joining Hootsuite in 2022, Liz worked as a brand strategist, content editor, and digital campaign manager. She specialized in helping digital marketing agencies, B2C businesses, and SaaS startups build their brands and improve conversions through content marketing and social media.

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6 Common Leadership Styles — and How to Decide Which to Use When

• Rebecca Knight

Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances call for different approaches.

Research suggests that the most effective leaders adapt their style to different circumstances — be it a change in setting, a shift in organizational dynamics, or a turn in the business cycle. But what if you feel like you’re not equipped to take on a new and different leadership style — let alone more than one? In this article, the author outlines the six leadership styles Daniel Goleman first introduced in his 2000 HBR article, “Leadership That Gets Results,” and explains when to use each one. The good news is that personality is not destiny. Even if you’re naturally introverted or you tend to be driven by data and analysis rather than emotion, you can still learn how to adapt different leadership styles to organize, motivate, and direct your team.

Much has been written about common leadership styles and how to identify the right style for you, whether it’s transactional or transformational, bureaucratic or laissez-faire. But according to Daniel Goleman, a psychologist best known for his work on emotional intelligence, “Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances may call for different approaches.”

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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Earth Day: How a senator’s idea more than 50 years ago got people fighting for their planet

FILE - Climate activists hold a rally to protest the use of fossil fuels on Earth Day at Freedom Plaza, April 22, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

FILE - Activists display prints replicating solar panels during a rally to mark Earth Day at Lafayette Square, Washington, April 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File)

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Millions of people around the world will pause on Monday, at least for a moment, to mark Earth Day. It’s an annual event founded by people who hoped to stir activism to clean up and preserve a planet that is now home to some 8 billion humans and assorted trillions of other organisms.

Here are answers to some common questions about Earth Day and how it came to be:

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE EARTH DAY?

Earth Day has its roots in growing concern over pollution in the 1960s, when author Rachel Carson’s 1962 book “Silent Spring,” about the pesticide DDT and its damaging effects on the food chain, hit bestseller lists and raised awareness about nature’s delicate balance.

But it was a senator from Wisconsin, Democrat Gaylord Nelson, who had the idea that would become Earth Day. Nelson had long been concerned about the environment when a massive offshore oil spill sent millions of gallons onto the southern California coast in 1969. Nelson, after touring the spill site, had the idea of doing a national “teach-in” on the environment, similar to teach-ins being held on some college campuses at the time to oppose the war in Vietnam.

Nelson and others, including activist Denis Hayes, worked to expand the idea beyond college campuses, with events all around the country, and came up with the Earth Day name.

WHY WAS APRIL 22 CHOSEN FOR EARTH DAY?

A history of the movement by EarthDay.org, where Hayes remains board chair emeritus, says the date of the first Earth Day — April 22, 1970 — was chosen because it fell on a weekday between spring break and final exams and the aim was to attract as many students as possible.

IS EARTH DAY A REAL HOLIDAY?

It’s not a federal holiday. But many groups use the day to put together volunteer events with the environment in mind, such as cleanups of natural areas. You can see a list of events worldwide , or register your own event, at EarthDay.org.

HAS IT HAD AN IMPACT?

It has. The overwhelming public response to the first Earth Day is credited with adding pressure for the U.S. Congress to do more to address pollution, and it did, passing landmark legislation including the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. More broadly, it’s seen as the birth of the modern environmental movement. In later years, Earth Day expanded to become a truly global event. It now claims to have motivated action in more than 192 countries.

In 2000, Earth Day began taking aim at climate change, a problem that has grown rapidly more urgent in recent years.

WHAT’S THE THEME THIS YEAR?

This year’s Earth Day is focusing on the threat that plastics pose to our environment, with a call to end all single-use plastic and find replacements for their use so they can quickly be phased down.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

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The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu

An unusual outbreak of the disease has spread to dairy herds in multiple u.s. states..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise, and this is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The outbreak of bird flu that is tearing through the nation’s poultry farms is the worst in US history. But scientists say it’s now starting to spread into places and species it’s never been before.

Today, my colleague, Emily Anthes, explains.

It’s Monday, April 22.

Emily, welcome back to the show.

Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.

So, Emily, we’ve been talking here on “The Daily” about prices of things and how they’ve gotten so high, mostly in the context of inflation episodes. And one of the items that keeps coming up is eggs. Egg prices were through the roof last year, and we learned it was related to this. Avian flu has been surging in the United States. You’ve been covering this. Tell us what’s happening.

Yes, so I have been covering this virus for the last few years. And the bird flu is absolutely tearing through poultry flocks, and that is affecting egg prices. That’s a concern for everyone, for me and for my family. But when it comes to scientists, egg prices are pretty low on their list of concerns. Because they see this bird flu virus behaving differently than previous versions have. And they’re getting nervous, in particular, about the fact that this virus is reaching places and species where it’s never been before.

OK, so bird flu, though, isn’t new. I mean I remember hearing about cases in Asia in the ‘90s. Remind us how it began.

Bird flu refers to a bunch of different viruses that are adapted to spread best in birds. Wild water birds, in particular, are known for carrying these viruses. And flu viruses are famous for also being shapeshifters. So they’re constantly swapping genes around and evolving into new strains. And as you mentioned back in the ‘90s, a new version of bird flu, a virus known as H5N1, emerged in Asia. And it has been spreading on and off around the world since then, causing periodic outbreaks.

And how are these outbreaks caused?

So wild birds are the reservoir for the virus, which means they carry it in their bodies with them around the world as they fly and travel and migrate. And most of the time, these wild birds, like ducks and geese, don’t even get very sick from this virus. But they shed it. So as they’re traveling over a poultry farm maybe, if they happen to go to the bathroom in a pond that the chickens on the farm are using or eat some of the feed that chickens on the farm are eating, they can leave the virus behind.

And the virus can get into chickens. In some cases, it causes mild illness. It’s what’s known as low pathogenic avian influenza. But sometimes the virus mutates and evolves, and it can become extremely contagious and extremely fatal in poultry.

OK, so the virus comes through wild birds, but gets into farms like this, as you’re describing. How have farms traditionally handled outbreaks, when they do happen?

Well, because this threat isn’t new, there is a pretty well-established playbook for containing outbreaks. It’s sometimes known as stamping out. And brutally, what it means is killing the birds. So the virus is so deadly in this highly pathogenic form that it’s sort of destined to kill all the birds on a farm anyway once it gets in. So the response has traditionally been to proactively depopulate or cull all the birds, so it doesn’t have a chance to spread.

So that’s pretty costly for farmers.

It is. Although the US has a program where it will reimburse farmers for their losses. And the way these reimbursements work is they will reimburse farmers only for the birds that are proactively culled, and not for those who die naturally from the virus. And the thinking behind that is it’s a way to incentivize farmers to report outbreaks early.

So, OK, lots of chickens are killed in a way to manage these outbreaks. So we know how to deal with them. But what about now? Tell me about this new strain.

So this new version of the virus, it emerged in 2020.

After the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus, authorities have now confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of influenza, a kind of bird flu.

And pretty quickly it became clear that a couple things set it apart.

A bald eagle found dead at Carvins Cove has tested positive for the highly contagious bird flu.

This virus, for whatever reason, seemed very good at infecting all sorts of wild birds that we don’t normally associate with bird flu.

[BIRD CRYING]

He was kind of stepping, and then falling over, and using its wing to right itself.

Things like eagles and condors and pelicans.

We just lost a parliament of owls in Minneapolis.

Yeah, a couple of high profile nests.

And also in the past, wild birds have not traditionally gotten very sick from this virus. And this version of the virus not only spread widely through the wild bird population, but it proved to be devastating.

The washing up along the East Coast of the country from Scotland down to Suffolk.

We were hearing about mass die-offs of seabirds in Europe by the hundreds and the thousands.

And the bodies of the dead dot the island wherever you look.

Wow. OK. So then as we know, this strain, like previous ones, makes its way from wild animals to farmed animals, namely to chickens. But it’s even more deadly.

Absolutely. And in fact, it has already caused the worst bird flu outbreak in US history. So more than 90 million birds in the US have died as a result of this virus.

90 million birds.

Yes, and I should be clear that represents two things. So some of those birds are birds who naturally got infected and died from the virus. But the vast majority of them are birds that were proactively culled. What it adds up to is, is 90 million farmed birds in the US have died since this virus emerged. And it’s not just a chicken problem. Another thing that has been weird about this virus is it has jumped into other kinds of farms. It is the first time we’ve seen a bird flu virus jump into US livestock.

And it’s now been reported on a number of dairy farms across eight US states. And that’s just something that’s totally unprecedented.

So it’s showing up at Dairy farms now. You’re saying that bird flu has now spread to cows. How did that happen?

So we don’t know exactly how cows were first infected, but most scientists’ best guess is that maybe an infected wild bird that was migrating shed the virus into some cattle feed or a pasture or a pond, and cattle picked it up. The good news is they don’t seem to get nearly as sick as chickens do. They are generally making full recoveries on their own in a couple of weeks.

OK, so no mass culling of cows?

No, that doesn’t seem to be necessary at this point. But the bad news is that it’s starting to look like we’re seeing this virus spread from cow to cow. We don’t know exactly how that’s happening yet. But anytime you see cow-to-cow or mammal-to-mammal transmission, that’s a big concern.

And why is that exactly?

Well, there are a bunch of reasons. First, it could allow the outbreak to get much bigger, much faster, which might increase the risk to the food supply. And we might also expect it to increase the risk to farm workers, people who might be in contact with these sick cows.

Right now, the likelihood that a farmer who gets this virus passes it on is pretty low. But any time you see mammal-to-mammal transmission, it increases the chance that the virus will adapt and possibly, maybe one day get good at spreading between humans. To be clear, that’s not something that there’s any evidence happening in cows right now. But the fact that there’s any cow-to-cow transmission happening at all is enough to have scientists a bit concerned.

And then if we think more expansively beyond what’s happening on farms, there’s another big danger lurking out there. And that’s what happens when this virus gets into wild animals, vast populations that we can’t control.

We’ll be right back.

So, Emily, you said that another threat was the threat of flu in wild animal populations. Clearly, of course, it’s already in wild birds. Where else has it gone?

Well, the reason it’s become such a threat is because of how widespread it’s become in wild birds. So they keep reintroducing it to wild animal populations pretty much anywhere they go. So we’ve seen the virus repeatedly pop up in all sorts of animals that you might figure would eat a wild bird, so foxes, bobcats, bears. We actually saw it in a polar bear, raccoons. So a lot of carnivores and scavengers.

The thinking is that these animals might stumble across a sick or dead bird, eat it, and contract the virus that way. But we’re also seeing it show up in some more surprising places, too. We’ve seen the virus in a bottle-nosed dolphin, of all places.

And most devastatingly, we’ve seen enormous outbreaks in other sorts of marine mammals, especially sea lions and seals.

So elephant seals, in particular in South America, were just devastated by this virus last fall. My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli and I were talking to some scientists in South America who described to us what they called a scene from hell, of walking out onto a beach in Argentina that is normally crowded with chaotic, living, breathing, breeding, elephant seals — and the beach just being covered by carcass, after carcass, after carcass.

Mostly carcasses of young newborn pups. The virus seemed to have a mortality rate of 95 percent in these elephant seal pups, and they estimated that it might have killed more than 17,000 of the pups that were born last year. So almost the entire new generation of this colony. These are scientists that have studied these seals for decades. And they said they’ve never seen anything like it before.

And why is it so far reaching, Emily? I mean, what explains these mass die-offs?

There are probably a few explanations. One is just how much virus is out there in the environment being shed by wild birds into water and onto beaches. These are also places that viruses like this haven’t been before. So it’s reaching elephant seals and sea lions in South America that have no prior immunity.

There’s also the fact that these particular species, these sea lions and seals, tend to breed in these huge colonies all crowded together on beaches. And so what that means is if a virus makes its way into the colony, it’s very conducive conditions for it to spread. And scientists think that that’s actually what’s happening now. That it’s not just that all these seals are picking up the virus from individual birds, but that they’re actually passing it to each other.

So basically, this virus is spreading to places it’s never been before, kind of virgin snow territory, where animals just don’t have the immunity against it. And once it gets into a population packed on a beach, say, of elephant seals, it’s just like a knife through butter.

Absolutely. And an even more extreme example of that is what we’re starting to see happen in Antarctica, where there’s never been a bird flu outbreak before until last fall, for the first time, this virus reached the Antarctic mainland. And we are now seeing the virus move through colonies of not only seabirds and seals, but penguin colonies, which have not been exposed to these viruses before.

And it’s too soon to say what the toll will be. But penguins also, of course, are known for breeding in these large colonies.

Probably. don’t have many immune defenses against this virus, and of course, are facing all these other environmental threats. And so there’s a lot of fear that you add on the stress of a bird flu virus, and it could just be a tipping point for penguins.

Emily, at this point, I’m kind of wondering why more people aren’t talking about this. I mean, I didn’t know any of this before having this conversation with you, and it feels pretty worrying.

Well, a lot of experts and scientists are talking about this with rising alarm and in terms that are quite stark. They’re talking about the virus spreading through wild animal populations so quickly and so ferociously that they’re calling it an ecological disaster.

But that’s a disaster that sometimes seems distant from us, both geographically, we’re talking about things that are happening maybe at the tip of Argentina or in Antarctica. And also from our concerns of our everyday lives, what’s happening in Penguins might not seem like it has a lot to do with the price of a carton of eggs at the grocery store. But I think that we should be paying a lot of attention to how this virus is moving through animal populations, how quickly it’s moving through animal populations, and the opportunities that it is giving the virus to evolve into something that poses a much bigger threat to human health.

So the way it’s spreading in wild animals, even in remote places like Antarctica, that’s important to watch, at least in part because there’s a real danger to people here.

So we know that the virus can infect humans, and that generally it’s not very good at spreading between humans. But the concern all along has been that if this virus has more opportunities to spread between mammals, it will get better at spreading between them. And that seems to be what is happening in seals and sea lions. Scientists are already seeing evidence that the virus is adapting as it passes from marine mammal to marine mammal. And that could turn it into a virus that’s also better at spreading between people.

And if somebody walks out onto a beach and touches a dead sea lion, if their dog starts playing with a sea lion carcass, you could imagine that this virus could make its way out of marine mammals and into the human population. And if it’s this mammalian adapted version of the virus that makes its way out, that could be a bigger threat to human health.

So the sheer number of hosts that this disease has, the more opportunity it has to mutate, and the more chance it has to mutate in a way that would actually be dangerous for people.

Yes, and in particular, the more mammalian hosts. So that gives the virus many more opportunities to become a specialist in mammals instead of a specialist in birds, which is what it is right now.

Right. I like that, a specialist in mammals. So what can we do to contain this virus?

Well, scientists are exploring new options. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether we should start vaccinating chickens in the US. The government, USDA labs, have been testing some poultry vaccines. It’s probably scientifically feasible. There are challenges there, both in terms of logistics — just how would you go about vaccinating billions of chickens every year. There are also trade questions. Traditionally, a lot of countries have not been willing to accept poultry products from countries that vaccinate their poultry.

And there’s concern about whether the virus might spread undetected in flocks that are vaccinated. So as we saw with COVID, the vaccine can sometimes stop you from getting sick, but it doesn’t necessarily stop infection. And so countries are worried they might unknowingly import products that are harboring the virus.

And what about among wild animals? I mean, how do you even begin to get your head around that?

Yeah, I mean, thinking about vaccinating wild animals maybe makes vaccinating all the chickens in the US look easy. There has been some discussion of limited vaccination campaigns, but that’s not feasible on a global scale. So unfortunately, the bottom line is there isn’t a good way to stop spread in wild animals. We can try to protect some vulnerable populations, but we’re not going to stop the circulation of this virus.

So, Emily, we started this conversation with a kind of curiosity that “The Daily” had about the price of eggs. And then you explained the bird flu to us. And then somehow we ended up learning about an ecological disaster that’s unfolding all around us, and potentially the source of the next human pandemic. That is pretty scary.

It is scary, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it. And I feel like I should take a step back and say none of this is inevitable. None of this is necessarily happening tomorrow. But this is why scientists are concerned and why they think it’s really important to keep a very close eye on what’s happening both on farms and off farms, as this virus spreads through all sorts of animal populations.

One thing that comes up again and again and again in my interviews with people who have been studying bird flu for decades, is how this virus never stops surprising them. And sometimes those are bad surprises, like these elephant seal die-offs, the incursions into dairy cattle. But there are some encouraging signs that have emerged recently. We’re starting to see some early evidence that some of the bird populations that survived early brushes with this virus might be developing some immunity. So that’s something that maybe could help slow the spread of this virus in animal populations.

We just don’t entirely know how this is going to play out. Flu is a very difficult, wily foe. And so that’s one reason scientists are trying to keep such a close, attentive eye on what’s happening.

Emily, thank you.

Thanks for having me.

Here’s what else you should know today.

On this vote, the yeas are 366 and the nays are 58. The bill is passed.

On Saturday, in four back-to-back votes, the House voted resoundingly to approve a long-stalled package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and other American allies, delivering a major victory to President Biden, who made aid to Ukraine one of his top priorities.

On this vote, the yeas are 385, and the no’s are 34 with one answering present. The bill is passed without objection.

The House passed the component parts of the $95 billion package, which included a bill that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok.

On this vote, the yeas are 311 and the nays are 112. The bill is passed.

Oh, one voting present. I missed it, but thank you.

In a remarkable breach of custom, Democrats stepped in to supply the crucial votes to push the legislation past hard-line Republican opposition and bring it to the floor.

The House will be in order.

The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday.

Today’s episode was produced by Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Eric Krupke, and Alex Stern. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens; contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell, Rowan Niemisto, and Sophia Lanman; and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel
• April 14, 2024   •   46:17 The Sunday Read: ‘What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise’
• April 12, 2024   •   34:23 How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam
• April 11, 2024   •   28:39 The Staggering Success of Trump’s Trial Delay Tactics
• April 10, 2024   •   22:49 Trump’s Abortion Dilemma

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Produced by Rikki Novetsky ,  Nina Feldman ,  Eric Krupke and Alex Stern

Edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell ,  Rowan Niemisto and Sophia Lanman

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

The outbreak of bird flu currently tearing through the nation’s poultry is the worst in U.S. history. Scientists say it is now spreading beyond farms into places and species it has never been before.

Emily Anthes, a science reporter for The Times, explains.

On today’s episode

Emily Anthes , a science reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

Scientists have faulted the federal response to bird flu outbreaks on dairy farms .

Here’s what to know about the outbreak.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

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• Seven juveniles with alleged ‘violent extremist ideology’ arrested in Sydney counter-terror raids
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• 7h ago What we learned, Wednesday 24 April 2024
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Sydney University students occupy campus for pro-Palestine demonstration

Inspired by similar protests in the United States, students from Sydney University established a protest on the quad in support of Palestine last night, stating they will remain until the uni cuts ties “with Israeli universities and weapons manufacturers”.

In the US, dozens of students have been arrested at pro-Palestine demonstrations at Yale University and New York University amid similar protests:

The Sydney University protest encampment was established by Students for Palestine . In a statement, organiser Shovan Bhattarai said students were frustrated by the response of the federal government to what is happening in Gaza:

For six months now, we have watched bombs rain down on Gaza. These bombs hit their civilian targets because of the research carried out by universities like Sydney University... Students have a responsibility to stand up and refuse to be complicit in genocide.

Students plan to stay at the encampment until they “get firm commitments from Sydney University that it will cut its ties with Israeli universities and weapons manufacturers”, the statement said.

NSW Greens senator David Shoebridge spoke at the encampment last night and a rally is scheduled for 1.30pm today, the statement said.

Happening right now - Students for Palestine are starting an occupation of Sydney University. Acting as they can to try and stop a genocide, and acting at an institution that shamelessly benefits from weapons $$$ pic.twitter.com/QSCWUhpTK3 — David Shoebridge (@DavidShoebridge) April 23, 2024

Government to provide $330m to industrial companies to cut emissions

The Albanese government is giving $330m to major industrial companies to help them cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The grants include $93m for an energy efficiency upgrade at the QAL Alumina refinery at Gladstone , $50m for an Abdri cement manufacturing plant in Port Adelaide and $44m for Shoalhaven Starches food manufacturing in Nowra .

They come from the government’s “powering the regions fund”, which was promised to help big polluting industrial sites to meet emissions reduction requirements under the safeguard mechanism climate policy.

The climate change minister, Chris Bowen , said the funded projects were estimated to cut CO2 annual emissions by 830,000 tonnes - about 0.2% of national carbon pollution. He said the grants would “future-proof Australia’s heavy industries in a decarbonising world”.

X boss calls independent senator Jacqui Lambie ‘enemy of the people’

After she deleted her X account and spent yesterday criticising its boss, Jacqui Lambie has been called the “enemy of the people of Australia” overnight by Elon Musk .

Musk took a number of swipes at the independent senator overnight, stating that she has “utter contempt for the Australian people” in another tweet.

Separately, Musk claimed: “The Australian people want the truth. X is the only one standing up for their rights.”

In case you missed it: Lambie deleted her X account yesterday and reportedly called on other federal politicians to delete their accounts, telling Sky News:

When you want to lead by example, it has to happen from here, so start switching off X.

Earlier in the day, Lambie had called Musk an “absolute friggin disgrace” who should be jailed for his refusal to take down content from X of the Wakeley church stabbing. You can catch up on the entire saga below:

Lambie has been contacted for comment.

Median wait time for social housing more than three years in Sydney, data reveals

The median wait times for social housing is reaching five and a half years in northern NSW, nearly four years in the Illawarra and more than three years in Sydney, new analysis from Homelessness NSW has revealed.

New government data shows progress to reduce the social housing waitlist is stalling. By the end of March, there were 57,401 households on the waitlist across NSW, including 8,657 on the priority waitlist.

An analysis by Homelessness NSW shows median wait times rising to five-and-a-half years (66.5 months) in northern NSW in the first three months of the year.

People in Illawarra can expect to wait nearly four years (45.4 months) and those in greater Sydney more than three years (36.5 months).

Homelessness NSW CEO Dom Rowe said:

The figures are damning. Thousands of people who are unable to find affordable housing in the private rental market face waiting up to a decade for a place to call home. It means domestic violence survivors are forced to choose between sleeping in a vehicle or returning to a dangerous home. Others are stuck in unsafe and overcrowded accommodation or sleeping on a different couch every night. The government needs to build 5,000 new social homes each year for the next decade to take NSW’s share of social housing from one in 20, to one in 10 homes.

Vehicle efficiency standard would prevent 20m tonnes of pollution from entering atmosphere by 2030: Climate Council

The Albanese government’s proposed new vehicle efficiency standard will prevent 20m tonnes of pollution from entering the atmosphere by 2030 if implemented, analysis from the Climate Council has found.

The 20m tonnes is more than than the amount produced in two years from the 5.1m gas-connected homes in Australia. By 2035, the fuel efficiency standard is set to prevent 80m tonnes of pollution from entering the atmosphere, the equivalent of pollution from every gas-connected home for more than nine years.

The Climate Council’s CEO, Amanda McKenzie , said the analysis showed the efficiency standard was “an impressive step in the right direction”.

The standard will bring more efficient vehicles to Australia, putting us on the road to cleaner air and cheaper bills. Our climate and our wallets will benefit once this standard kicks into gear. With some car manufacturers’ sales responsible for as much pollution as our dirtiest coal mines, delivering the new vehicle efficiency standard will keep them honest and unlock more supply of cleaner cars that are cheaper to run.

The council’s head of policy and advocacy, Dr Jennifer Rayner , added:

We can slash climate pollution from transport by cleaning up our cars. Capping the amount of climate pollution new cars produce is a long-overdue piece of the puzzle in giving Australians access to the same clean, efficient cars millions are already buying overseas.

The council is also urging the government to help continue reducing transport emissions by doing more to promote the use of public and active transport. You can read more about the efficiency standard here:

Good morning

And happy Wednesday – welcome back to a new day on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind, here to bring you our rolling coverage.

See something that needs attention, or have a question about the day’s news? You can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites , or send me an email: [email protected].

Let’s get started.

Climate groups rally outside Woodside shareholder meeting

Australia’s leading environmental activist groups will be gathering outside the Crown casino in Perth this morning as the country’s leading oil and gas company holds its annual general meeting, AAP reports.

The groups are urging shareholders to vote against the re-election of Richard Goyder AO as Woodside’s chairman and against the passage of Woodside’s climate transition action plan, which the company is putting to shareholders for an advisory vote.

“Woodside chair Richard Goyder says that the energy transition needs time and trust,” said the executive director of the Conservation Council of WA , Jess Beckerling, in a statement. “We say to Woodside: we’re out of time, and you are not trusted.”

The groups are particularly incensed by Woodside’s Burrup hub project on WA’s Burrup Peninsula, which they say would be the Southern Hemisphere’s largest “gas carbon bomb”, with its lifetime climate pollution estimated at more than 13 times Australia’s annual emissions from all sources.

Goyder said in a letter to shareholders last week that Woodside believed that climate change was an urgent global challenge.

We are concerned that some stakeholders’ and investors’ requests to drastically change Woodside’s strategy and investment priorities risk eroding value for all shareholders and contributing to a disorderly energy transition.

Road deaths surge over past 12 months

Road deaths across Australia have surged in the past 12 months but the solutions that could help reverse this trend remain shrouded in government secrecy, Australian Associated Press reports.

The number of fatal road accidents across the nation jumped by 8.2% year-on-year to the end of March, with 1,286 fatalities, according to the Australian Automobile Association’s report looking at the national road safety strategy.

NSW had the biggest rise in road deaths over the year, with a 33% increase to 364 fatalities. Victoria had a 13% increase in road toll to 291 deaths, while the Northern Territory had a 21% surge to 45.

The ACT had the steepest drop in road deaths, with a 76% reduction to four fatalities, followed by Tasmania, which recorded a 35% drop to 31.

Despite the overall year-on-year increase, federal, state and territory governments have failed to release crucial data that could inform ways to reduce the road toll , the automobile association said.

The secret data is collected by the states and territories and describes each jurisdiction’s road quality, the causes of fatality crashes and the effectiveness of law enforcement regimes.

A lack of government transparency means three of the road strategy’s five benchmarks cannot be measured and best practices cannot be compared.

Immigration points system 'not best way to identify applicants'

The Albanese government has released a discussion paper on how to reform the points system, which determines the makeup of about two-thirds of Australia’s permanent skilled migrants.

The migration review, by Martin Parkinson , Joanna Howe and John Azarias, found it was “not designed to identify applicants with the best potential to contribute to Australia over the long term”.

It called to reform the test by:

focusing on characteristics that are associated with migrants successfully finding skilled work;

better targeting the skills Australia needs now and in the future;

giving applicants a realistic sense of the likely success of their application and not drive ‘permanent temporariness’; and

recognising that younger migrants will spend more years contributing to Australian workplaces; and better recognising the potential contributions to Australia from partners.

The government will take submissions until 24 May on how the points test could be changed to improve living standards and create a system that is efficient and fair towards the migrants.

The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil , said:

The migration system we inherited was completely broken, and our goal is to build a smaller, better planned, more strategic migration system that works for Australia. We are significantly reducing migration levels – we are in the middle of the biggest drop in migration numbers in Australia’s history, outside of war or pandemic. At the same time, we’re focused on making sure that a smaller migration program is bringing in people who have the skills we need to build Australia’s future. That’s where the points test really matters.

Good morning and welcome again to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be running through some of the top overnight stories before my colleague Emily Wind takes the chair.

Our top story today: a secret report into sexism and bullying in the Australian Border Force reaches the shocking conclusion that its marine unit is “not safe for women”. The Australian Human Rights Commission , in a report commissioned by the ABF, revealed that 100% of women in the unit who responded to a survey “witnessed sex discrimination, sexual … and/or sex-based harassment” and 78% had personally experienced that behaviour.

It comes as the federal government looks to reform the points test for skilled migrants, which determines who gets to come to Australia, following a decision to reduce immigration numbers. The current points system is not the best way to vet applicants, the review says. More coming up.

Social media companies must do more to stamp out extremism and assist law enforcement to track criminals, the heads of Australia’s federal police and security agencies have urged. With the government’s stoush with Elon Musk still fresh , Asio’s director general, Mike Burgess , will use a major speech to argue “privacy is important but not absolute”, while the AFP commissioner, Reece Kershaw , believes “there is no absolute right to privacy”.

The two want to tackle tech companies’ use of encryption, which is used to make online communication secret – they warn this is enabling online crime. Burgess says existing federal legislation compelling the targeted unlocking of encrypted messages for investigative purposes is not being heeded by some companies who must “ make encryption accountable ”.

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