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Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 1
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 2
1) Understanding Calls To Action
2) Positioning Your CTA
3) Wording Is Key
4) Context, Not Confusion
5) Use the Technological Tools at your Disposal
6) Takeaways
Overview
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 3
What is a call to action?
An instruction meant to convert online traffic from passive visitors to engaged participants that submit applications, information forms and donation pledges.
A CTA is supposed to inspire and enthrall – to convince the website visitor that they should hop to it and take action, not just sit there idly.
A compelling CTA triggers additional meaningful engagement, transforming a prospective student into a student that’s ready and willing to sign up.
1. Understanding Calls To Action
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 4
Successfully Integrating a CTA
The ABC’s of sales refers to “Always Be Closing,” which in web design strategy translates to always keep a CTA visible for the prospect who is ready to convert.
Repeating CTAs throughout several pages on your website serves as a persistent reminder so that when your copy has finally convinced the prospective student, they know where to go.
Experiment with, track and measure various combinations regarding the phrasing, placement and design of your CTA to find one that works best.
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 5
While conventional wisdom dictates that a CTA appear on the top-right of the page, “above the fold” where your visitors are most likely to see it, many have found that moving their CTA to the bottom of the page contributed to a significant conversion increase.
Even if only 20% of people read below the fold, as David Ogilvy’s famous 1960s advertising research noted, those who are really interested in your content may only be ready to click on your CTA after scrolling down and digesting the whole page.
2. Positioning Your CTA
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 6
When should a CTA not be used?
CTAs are meant for specific pages that are designed to inform a prospective lead, and guide them down a path that results in them taking action, and hopefully taking you up on your offer of a product or service.
It is bad practice to place CTAs on every page, because it can overwhelm visitors who feel like you’re pushing too hard, and it can become confusing too.
Some of your college content marketing should simply inform, because CTAs work more efficiently with a tight, guided copy, on a page that’s specifically tailored to convert.
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 7
Where should your CTA be?
Position your CTA where the prospective student is most likely to be motivated to take action, or have one available whenever sufficient context has been provided for prospects to take the next step.
In general, positioning the CTA lower works best when an informed decision requires digesting a lot of information, but for more easily understood propositions, keep it higher on the page.
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 8
Knowing how to phrase your CTA and when and where to use it can make a difference in turning prospective students into enrolled students.
It’s important to choose the right verbs and ensure that your statement is clear, specific, action-oriented and enticing.
All landing pages have a submit button, but the default text of “submit” can sound, like a rather unappetizing commitment.
These commands were more successful in the web’s early days but today’s student recruitment demand a more sophisticated approach.
3. Wording Is Key
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 9
When crafting your CTA, carefully consider the prospective students – their interests, language and primary incentives for taking the next step.
Although surrounding graphics or use of space can strengthen your message, a quick scan of a webpage will naturally focus in on the CTAs text, so the CTAs value should be readily apparent without having to read the fine print.
Clicking a CTA is an expression of trust, so a more unobtrusive appeal like Basecamp’s “Give Basecamp a try – it’s free for 60 days” works because it is specific, the benefits are clear and by clicking the button it would seem there’s nothing to lose.
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 10
The effectiveness of your CTA depends largely on the context of the web page, which will influence your colour choice for the CTA button and text.
To make your CTA stand out to prospective students, select colours that contrast with the background while still fitting in with your general website colour scheme.
If you’re using images for CTAs in emails, up to half of your subscribers may not be getting them because they have images turned off in their applications.
Use HTML and CSS code for the CTA button to create the shape, colours, border, shadow, etc. to ensure it is displayed.
4. Context, Not Confusion
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 11
Here, Basecamp demonstrates the power of leaving lots of white space around CTAs, letting them breathe and making it easy for prospects to find them:
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 12
The Importance of Context
A CTA without context defeats the purpose, because people won’t be aware of what you’re trying to offer them, much less be interested in taking you up on it.
A CTA should be a logical conclusion to a page, not an outlier on it.
Present relevant incentives whenever possible, like what the prospect stands to gain from clicking your button.
Social proof, such as social media stats, the number of existing subscribers or student testimonials increase legitimacy.
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 13
Using a tool like HubSpot is a great way to quickly implement a variety of CTA campaigns that are easily customizable, dynamic and measurable.
“Smart CTAs” show different content dependent on the pre-established student persona (based on variables such as program, location or interests) or lifecycle (i.e. new lead, accepted, current student, etc.).
5. Use the Technological Tools at your Disposal
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 14
A/B Testing for CTAs
You can and should be testing everything and regularly repeating the process.
You might try placing your CTA in your content body as a hyperlink instead of a button or banner, changing the button or text colour and size, and infinite text variations.
Always be testing various elements on your website using higher education Analytics to see if slight changes can make for significant improvements in conversion.
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 15
Remember:
No CTA exists in isolation.
Each landing page should point towards the path to completion.
When prospective students click the CTA, the promise you’ve worked so hard to craft needs to be delivered.
6. Takeaways
Source: Higher Education Marketing – Integrating Calls To Action On higher Education Landing Pages
Integrating Calls To Action On Higher Education
Landing Pages
Slide 16
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