The Call-To-Action

Advertising today is increasingly ROI focused. Marketing departments have budgets, and every cent needs to be accounted for. This is why the online channel has been such a godsend. There is a high degree of transparency and accountability in the online space. Every action is measurable and there are an array of metrics that can be used to measure the efficacy of online advertisements, and consequently, ad spend and ROI. This is why it is increasingly important to have a distinct call-to-action, a link that allows the consumers to translate their intent to desired action. These actions, also called conversions, can range from filling out an insurance quote, downloading free trial software, or redirecting the end user directly to a point-of-sale.

In my experience, working as a display media planner, I have found first hand how important the call-to-action can be, especially for direct response, results-driven campaigns. Through the creative optimization process, there was always one constant theme: the creatives with more compelling call-to-actions ALWAYS outperformed their less compelling counterparts. Generic call-to-actions like ‘learn more’ or ‘try now’ garnered lukewarm conversion rates, while exciting, inviting and specific call-to-actions like ‘kick start your new fitness regime’ or ‘take your skills to the next level’ (for example) always faired better. The beauty of the online space is that it allows the end user to act on his or her intent immediately, and it is imperative that we take advantage of this.

Recently, there has been a spate of innovations in above-the-line media that allows consumers to translate their intent to action. QR Codes, even with their sluggish adoption rates, allow advertisers to connect end users from physical advertisement mediums to their online conversion points. Even more recently, the ‘Shazaam’ app has begun to fulfill a similar role for television commercials, where consumers can use their mobile phone to link from TV spot to point-of-sale.