The goal of many websites is to entice its visitors to click a button. Whether it’s to sign up for a newsletter, buy a product, or submit a complaint, the button’s shape, size, language and color all play a role in compelling a user to follow through on a call to action (CTA).
On the Laura Ashley site, for example, a change in button color increased clicks in the check out area by 11% (see the case study).
Here are some basic guidelines for crafting effective buttons:
- Color meaning is subjective and nuanced by different cultures.
- Colors that are complementary like red and blue pop off each other.
- Place the button in the upper half of the page (above the fold).
- The form background must contrast with the page’s background, and the button must pop off the form background.
- Rounded corners bring the eye toward the button’s message.
- Size buttons to their relative importance to the CTA goal.
- Use strong copy on buttons, e.g. download, watch movie, buy now. Avoid the word “click” at all costs.
Unfortunately, there’s no recipe for the perfect CTA button, so prepare for a few rounds of A/B testing. If that click isn’t that important to you, consider removing it.