Your content is only as good as what it accomplishes. If you spent time and money crafting it, it needs to achieve something measurable and concrete, like generating new leads or educating customers. Without a clear purpose, you’re just adding more fluff to the server racks.
Quality content gets shared and shares lead people to your site, so you have to begin any marketing venture with a strategy for not just attracting attention but keeping it. A call to action, or CTA, comes at the end of a content piece and guides readers toward their next move. For example, if you’re marketing your small business app and want more downloads, your CTA may go something like, “Download our free rewards app today for exclusive access to deals and promotions! You’re just a step away from savings.”
See how that statement led the reader to their next move? CTAs guide your audience toward an actionable outcome rather than spilling them back into cyberspace.
Facebook’s recently released call to action buttons — which businesses can add to their pages — are the Autobahn of sales and marketing opportunities, considering the site’s 1.04 billion daily active users.
Using Facebook Ads to Increase Traffic
To effectively use this CTA button, you first need a steady flow of traffic to your Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) page. Facebook offers a wealth of advertising opportunities that you can capitalize on. The key is crafting ad content that drives both clicks and conversions. A quality ad includes a CTA that urges consumers along the path to purchase. A few CTA tips can help you compose compelling ads.
- Include clear action words rather than flowery language.
- Tell the reader exactly what they should do next.
- Keep your statements short and sweet.
- Focus on the benefits the reader will gain when they take action.
Simply put, CTAs with clear directions — like “Enter to win” or “Stop overspending” — will attract the most clicks.
The Basics of Facebook CTAs
As traffic to your Facebook page increases, the new CTA buttons can begin doing their work. Facebook lets you add one button to the top of your page. You can choose from the following:
- Book Now
- Contact Us
- Use App
- Play Game
- Shop Now
- Sign Up
- Watch Video
Prior to the feature release, many small businesses tried to create a seamless user experience by developing Facebook stores. Now, small businesses can link to their independent storefronts instead. The integration breaks down barriers for visitors, significantly reducing the amount of steps they take to connect with your business. In banner form, at the top of the business page, is an invitation to act.
Which Facebook Call to Action Button Should I Use?
Every small business has its own needs. Some may benefit most from growing their mailing list while others want to increase online sales by linking to their eCommerce sites. But one thing is certain: when visitors download your app, you establish a more direct and permanent connection
Before deciding on a CTA, set some goals. What do you hope to accomplish? How would each of the seven CTA options help your small business? From there, decide which one promises the most. If your mobile app has booking, contact and shopping features, then the “Use App” CTA covers four options right off the bat.
Examples of Excellent CTAs
Book Now: Exploring Tourism makes great use of the “Book Now” CTA. This small business is dedicated to creating an international tourism network. The booking button helps them connect tourists with destinations quickly.
Contact Us: Puppy Dog Bark makes it simple to seek advice about pet adoption and rescue with the contact CTA. As an awareness-driven organization, this CTA is perfect for their needs
Use App: NIJobFinder helps job-seekers and employers with their search. They leverage the “Use App” button to expand their user base. Their app sends push notifications to users about positions matching their criteria, so getting people using and engaging with the app is critical to their success.
Play Game: The world’s largest poker site, pokerstars.net, wasted no time inviting users to play cards with them. The “Play Game” button has helped grow their user base substantially.
Shop Now: Everyone’s favorite party game, Cards Against Humanity, capitalizes on people’s desire to enjoy a good time. By making the option to “Shop Now” available on its Facebook page, the company takes advantage of their social media traffic and leverages it to increase sales.
Sign Up: Like many modern news outlets, The Huffington Post has a strong social media presence. They make the most of it with a simple subscribe button that casts a net around new visitors.
Watch Video: Cracked.com is an entertainment website that offers “heaps of facts smothered in humor.” They use the “Watch Video” CTA to showcase some of their hilarious videos.
Setting Up Your CTA
Check out Facebook’s instructions for launching your CTA. To direct users to your app:
- Go to your Page’s cover photo and click Create Call-to-Action.
- Choose your call to action, add a website URL, and click on the toggle below “Set up a Link to an App?”
- To direct people using an iPhone or iPad to your app, click the dropdown below “iOS Setting” and choose “App.” Add a link to the app. You’ll also have the option to add a Website or App Store Link.
- To direct people using Android to your app, click the dropdown below “Android Setting” and choose “App.” Add a link to the app. You’ll also have the option to add a Package Name and a Website or Play Store Link.
- Click Create.
Don’t wait any longer. Use a Facebook call to action button and get your business in front of more eyes than ever.
Facebook Photo via Shutterstock
[“source-smallbiztrends”]
