One of the keys to a successful marketing campaign is the item that encourages action: the call-to-action, or CTA. The CTA tells your audience to do something specific, whether it's to download a free ebook, request a quote for a product or service, contact your business, or purchase a product directly. Without a well-optimized and enticing CTA to lead people to the next step, the rest of your marketing campaigns could be all for naught.

CTAs often mean the difference between a successful and floundering campaign, whether you're using them on social media platforms, in video ads, or on your website. WordStream also found that emails containing a single CTA led to a 371% increase in clicks and a 1617% increase in sales when it comes to email campaigns. If you're not taking the time to optimize your CTAs, you're missing out on one of the most crucial chances to win over your audience.

Want to learn more about how to create a powerful call-to-action? The following are some of the most useful phrases to include in your CTAs if you want people to perform the desired action.

1. Download For Free

People love free things and are likely to download something that's guaranteed to be so—merely encouraging people to "Download For Free" can often be enough to get people to download an ebook, product trial, or another item that may ultimately lead to a sale.

2. Get 60% Off If You Buy Today

In addition to offers for free items, people also enjoy huge discounts on products. Sixty percent is a magic number because it's over half off, but not by so much that it hurts the seller's ability to profit from the sale. A 60% discount can entice new customers and, if they like your products or services, they'll be more likely to repurchase them at full price. Other deals will also attract the buyer, but the greater the savings, the more success.

3. Install Now

If you're encouraging people to install software of any kind, "Install Now" can be a simple yet effective phrase that can indicate that the installation is quick and easy. For example, if you want people to download your company's app, "Install Now" is a simple CTA that pairs well alongside info explaining what the app includes and what to expect.

4. Sign Up Now

When attempting to obtain people's contact information for an email list or increase membership on your website, "Sign Up Now" is a tried and true way to encourage people to enter emails and other details. Whether they're subscribing to a newsletter or a free membership, people are still likely to react to this CTA. 

5. Freedom Starts Here

Many people feel confined by the problems that your products or services seek to solve. One of the best ways to appeal to this sense of restriction and offer a release from it is to state that "Freedom Starts Here." This is a different way of guiding consumers to an action that could help enhance their life. 

6. Get Started Now

Often, people feel like they're on a journey when they begin to take action and purchase a product or service to solve their problems. "Get Started Now" can give people that initial push to start them on that journey. It is used to inspire people to contact your business for additional information or a quote or to help people begin selecting product options tailored to their specific needs.

7. Get This Offer For Only $20 Today

For specific offerings that may generally cost more than or start at $20, you can use this CTA to encourage people to take you up on your offer. This amount may not seem like the most inexpensive deal, depending on the product, but that keyword "only" can further cement the deal as better than what the customer would typically find.

8. Swipe Up to Read More

If you want people to view an entire page and see all of your content on mobile devices, one of the best ways to get them to do so is to add the CTA "Swipe Up to Read More." Asking people to do this will let them know there's more to see than what they may initially believe is there. You may then lead the viewer to more information that supplements another CTA that follows.

9. Discover The Next Styles

When selling fashion-forward offerings, your customers want to feel like trendsetters. By encouraging them to "Discover The Next Styles," you're telling them that they have the chance to be the first to encounter those styles, adding an element of exclusivity to your offers.

10. Get The Details

Customers often want more information before deciding to buy. They want to go into a purchase with all of the information they need to ensure they're making the right decision. Whether you're leading people to download informational content or contact your business to speak with a consultant, "Get The Details" will likely get them there.

11. Learn More

Similar to "Get The Details," "Learn More" is another concise and efficient way to get people to do some more investigating into your business and offerings.

12. Request a Demo

For certain products or services, people might want to see a demonstration before buying to make sure it's right for them. "Request a Demo" CTAs can help build trust and ultimately encourage more sales if people can see your offerings at work.

13. Try It For Free

Like demonstrations, people also like to try offerings for themselves before making a buying decision. "Try It For Free" can be a great way to get people to test your products or services with free trials or samples, which are often the gateway to a purchase.

14. Get Exclusive Access

A sense of exclusivity appeals to many people who want to feel as though they're "in" on something that others are missing. You can appeal to that exclusivity by inviting people to "Get Exclusive Access" to your offerings. This CTA can make your audience feel as though it's a privilege to use your products or services.

Use a Powerful CTA to Hook and Convert Your Audiences

Never underestimate the impact of a call-to-action. Using any of these CTA phrases at the appropriate time can help you attract your audiences and turn them into customers. With powerful CTAs, you'll effectively sell your offerings and complement the rest of your digital marketing and sales efforts.