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How to Write Flawless CTAs for Your Brand’s Facebook Posts

CopySmiths September 21, 2020

Millions of businesses around the globe rely on Facebook to make connections today.

Why this platform specifically?

Because in a single minute on Facebook, there are 510,000 comments posted, 293,000 new status updates, and 136,000 photos shared. This happens every day.

But attracting thousands of eyes to your brand’s posts is only part of the equation. You don’t want people to look at your post and scroll on by.

You want to generate credible leads. Better still, you want to convert these leads to loyal customers.

Source: venngage.com

Companies can no longer get by on textbook advertising. The evolution of e-commerce has made inbound marketing a critical. And Facebook is leading the inbound marketing charge.

Here’s how and why:

300 million active users view Facebook Stories every day.
60.6% of total internet users are on Facebook.
74% of people use the site every day.
74% of its users are high-income earners.
Currently, over 7 million active advertisers are on Facebook. At least 80 million business pages are competing for users’ attention.

So how does your brand’s post successfully compete against other businesses?

Against the tide of cat videos and (un)forgettable viral sensations, how can a brand stand out?

It’s simple, crafting the perfect call-to-action, a.k.a CTA.

The average click-through rate for adverts on Facebook is 0.9%. A simple addition of a CTA button increases this rate by 2.85 times.

Remember that the perfect CTA needs compelling and valuable content to anchor it.

Here are four simple, but effective, strategies for an engaging CTA.

1: Create Compelling Headlines

Your headline is the bait. Your content is the prize.

The internet has made sure that our collective attention span is shorter than ever.

You need to get your headlines right. Every time.

Headlines are vital in advertising. The use of a single word can significantly affect an entire campaign.

“Unless your headline sells your product, you have wasted 90% of your money.”
— David Ogilvy, founder, Ogilvy & Mather

The headline sets the tone.

If it doesn’t pull people in, then no amount of content or imagery will get you the attention you deserve.

To convince browsing readers to click your post, you need an outstanding headline.

Leave them with no choice – they need to feel like have to click your post.

To craft an engaging headline, consider these features:

Uniqueness. Your customers need to know that your brand is different from your competitors.
Usefulness. Does your post have tangible value? Does it relate to your readers’ needs, concerns, and desires?
Specificity. The headline must have enough information to convince readers that your offer meets their needs.

Urgency. A great headline prompts action. It compels people to stay engaged lest they miss out on excellent deals.

2: Dazzle Your Audience With Visuals

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.

The right image can make a huge difference for a brand. It determines whether your post gets any click-throughs.

How to Create The Perfect Call-to-Action

Source: NeilPatel

Customers are people. People like to buy goods and services from trusted brands. You can only create trust by establishing rapport or a shared interest.

Visuals are a great way to connect with people. They can evoke more emotion than words.

The right image will arouse instant interest. It might make them smile, laugh, sigh. They will want to know more about that picture, they will want to share it with friends.

Choose visuals that convey the message you want to pass even without the post’s supporting text.

Consider the following:

Relevance. Does the image relate to your services or products? Note that stock images are too generic. Use high converting and original graphics or illustrations instead.
Colours. Facebook’s colour palette is blue and white.
- Using the same colours will “disappear” your post into the News Feed. Pick an eye-catching, bright complementary colour instead.
Details. Avoid using images with too many elements, information or text. Less is more.
Specifications: Always follow Facebook’s image specifications for high-quality images. Low-resolution images are often ignored. They will reflect poorly on your brand.
The mobile factor: 88% of Facebook consumers use mobile devices. Run a test before publishing to ensure the best quality.

3: Write Informative Link Descriptions

The post description is right underneath your post headline. It could also be text right before a shared link.

Consider the example below from Green Blender:

Screenshot from: socialleadfreak.com

Their social media manager has checked all the boxes:

The image used communicates everything. Fresh, organic produce.
The link description is captivating while providing more information.
The post headline has an instant value proposition. “Special Offer” and “Save 20%”
The post description provides even more relevant details without overwhelming the user.
All the elements used in the post are designed to leave the user wanting more.

According to Smart Insights, your descriptions should not exceed 15 words. They should have a similar theme and tone to your headline. Write in a way that entices but does not give it all away.

From the Green Blender example, we can note that a good description will:

Evoke a sense of urgency in the user
Include convincing social capital
Use powerful verbs such as learn more, shop now, save, receive, etc.
Include clever use of emojis – enough to be social without being unprofessional.

4: Be Persuasive With Your Status Updates

A high converting Facebook post is usually preceded by a gripping status update.

You want to keep your copy simple, clear, and on point. If you don’t want to risk your audience glossing over the text. Use less than 40 characters and never exceed 80.

Facebook is a social platform. Avoid using too much business jargon and promotional marketing language. This won’t just annoy your readers. It will also fare poorly with the Facebook algorithm and your post will get lost among the millions.

Find the balance of writing copy that reveals your brand personality. Always aim for a personal, friendly, even witty tone while maintaining professionalism.

Here’s an example of an excellent status update from Coca-Cola:

Source: socialmediaexaminer.com

Coca-Cola is known for knocking adverts out of the park by tuning into the human condition.

In this post, note how much engagement they achieved after a simple status to support the ad.

They paired the ad’s subtle romantic theme with Valentine’s Day. And managed to remind the audience what the brand was – soda – without overselling.

Create Better Content For Your Brand

Now you have a solid base to start writing CTAs that jump right out of the News Feed.

Remember these highlights:

Your CTA should give purpose to both the post—and your readers.
Brevity is king. Do not overdo it or you run the risk of giving your readers “decision fatigue”
Stick to using one CTA per post.
Use visuals and graphics that stand out.

But this is simply the tip of the iceberg. As a brand, you can achieve so much more with a smart digital marketing strategy.

To guarantee high organic traffic from social media to your website, you need fresh, timely and relevant content.

Are you still feeling like a Facebook brand rookie? Learn the basics of e-commerce blogging from this online marketing course.

CopySmiths

I'm Katrina McKinnon, founder of CopySmiths and Small Revolution. In my 20 years of experience, I have helped online businesses create high-performing content specifically on an eCommerce store's blog. Find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.