20 Call-to-Action Examples That Convert (+90% More Clicks)
"Learn More", "Submit", "Click here"... These generic CTAs are killing your conversions. Proven formula + 20 before/after examples + psychology + 15-minute implementation guide.
Your CTA says "Learn More", "Click here", or "Submit"? Congratulations, you just turned a conversion moment into a chore.
In this guide, you'll learn why 90% of CTAs get ignored, the exact formula behind high-converting buttons, and how to fix yours in 15 minutes. With real examples, case studies, and psychology — not marketing fluff.
What is a call-to-action (CTA) and why does it matter?
A call-to-action (CTA) is the element on your page — button, link, form — that tells your visitor what to do next. Sign up, buy, download, try.
It's the decisive moment. Your visitor read your page, they're convinced (almost)... and then they see "Submit." Game over.
Personalized CTAs convert 202% better than generic ones (HubSpot, 2024). Not 10%, not 50% — two hundred percent. If you remember just one number from this article, make it this one.
The silent massacre of generic CTAs
Imagine a restaurant with a sign that says "Come eat food" on the door. Technically correct. Completely uninspiring. Zero desire. That's exactly what you do when you slap "Learn More" on your landing page.
Why it sucks:
- Zero explicit benefit (what do I actually learn?)
- Passive tone, zero urgency
- Corporate zombie language that smells like a government form
Unbounce's 2025 study proves it: generic CTAs cost you 15-22% of clicks compared to personalized ones. And according to WordStream, present-tense action verbs increase CTR by 32%.
This isn't luxury optimization — it's pure waste.
Not sure about your own CTAs? Get your landing page analyzed for free by RoastMySite — the AI will tell you exactly what's wrong, CTAs included.
The psychology behind CTAs that convert
Your brain is a predictable animal. The best CTAs don't just look good — they exploit psychological mechanisms as old as humanity.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
Humans hate missing opportunities. That's why "Reserve my spot" crushes "Sign up" every time.
Examples that kill:
- "Join 50,000 users saving 3h/week" (social proof + FOMO)
- "Only 3 spots left at this price" (scarcity)
- "Free trial — no credit card, cancel in 1 click" (risk removal)
The Endowment Effect
The moment your prospect imagines owning your product, they're hooked. That's why "Get my free quote" outperforms "Request a quote." The word "my" creates instant mental ownership.
Concrete result: Unbounce measured that "Start my free trial" beats "Get started" by 38% in conversions.
Immediate action bias
Present-tense action verbs (Download, Unlock, Access) trigger impulse. "Download now" generates 32% more clicks than "Download available" (WordStream, 2024).
Clarity beats creativity
Your CTA isn't a poetry contest. "See pricing" beats "Discover the universe of possibilities" 100% of the time. Users decide in 50 milliseconds whether a site is worth their time (Nielsen Norman Group). Your button must be understood at a glance.
The high-converting CTA formula
Forget "learn more." Here's the winning formula:
Action verb + Specific benefit + (Optional) Urgency/Reassurance
Simple. And it works every time because you answer the real question in your visitor's head: "What do I get if I click?"
The formula in action:
- Verb only: "Download" → Flat
- Verb + Benefit: "Download the full guide" → Better
- Verb + Benefit + Reassurance: "Download the free guide (32 pages)" → Irresistible
20 before/after CTA examples by industry
SaaS
| Before | After | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Get started | Create my first project for free | Concrete action + ownership + free |
| Sign up | Send my first campaign — Free 30 days | Immediate benefit + precise timeline |
| Try it | Automate my accounting — 14-day trial | Specific result + duration |
| Start trial | Post my first job listing for free | First-value CTA |
E-commerce
| Before | After | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Add to cart | Add to my cart — Free returns 30 days | Ownership + reassurance |
| Buy | Order now — 24h delivery available | Concrete logistics benefit |
| Order now | Get my box this week — Free shipping | Timeline + value |
| Shop now | Browse the collection — New arrivals | Curiosity + freshness |
B2B Services
| Before | After | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Request a quote | Get my estimate in 2 minutes | Speed + ownership |
| Book a session | Book my free assessment — 30 min | Free + precise duration |
| Learn more | See how to save $500/month | Quantified benefit |
| Contact us | Talk to an expert — Response in 1h | Speed + human connection |
Blog / Media
| Before | After | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribe | Get 1 conversion tip per week | Precise benefit + frequency |
| Download | Download my "Save $500/month" guide | Specific object + result |
| Share | Share this with your team | Action + purpose |
Education / Apps
| Before | After | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Download the app | Start my free program — iPhone & Android | Benefit + compatibility |
| Try for free | Meditate 7 days free — No commitment | Duration + reassurance |
| Discover the course | Access the first module — Free | Concrete preview + free |
| Register for webinar | Reserve my spot — Thursday 2PM | Specific date = commitment |
| Sign up | Earn my first certificate today | Achievement + immediacy |
Every button on the right uses power words: discover, get, start, access, reserve, earn. Not dead words like submit or click here.
Need personalized inspiration? RoastMySite has analyzed 50,000+ landing pages. Each roast includes a "CTA & Conversion" section with recommendations tailored to your industry. See a sample roast →
CTA by page type — one CTA for all = one CTA for no one
The same CTA everywhere is like wearing a tuxedo to the beach. Technically clothed, fundamentally wrong.
| Page type | Bad CTA | Good CTA | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS landing page | "Learn More" | "See RoastMySite analyze my site" | Concrete action + result preview |
| Pricing page | "Choose this plan" | "Start with Pro — $16/mo" | Price visible + clear action |
| Blog post | "Subscribe" | "Get 1 CTA tip per week" | Precise benefit |
| Product page | "Add to cart" | "Add to my cart — 48h delivery" | Ownership + timeline |
| Demo page | "Register" | "Reserve my spot — Thursday 2PM" | Specific date = less friction |
| 404 page | "Back to home" | "Find what I'm looking for" | Empathy > brutal redirect |
Real example — pricing page:
Before:
[Pro Plan] → Choose this plan
After:
[Pro Plan — $16/mo] → Start my 14-day free trial
Measured impact: +28% conversions (HubSpot A/B test, 2024).
5 mistakes killing your CTAs (beyond the copy)
Your CTA copy matters, but it's not enough. A perfectly written CTA in an invisible button is like shouting into the void.
Mistake 1: The chameleon button
Your CTA must pop visually. If your main button has the same color as your navigation, you've lost.
Rule: Minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 (WCAG AA standard). Quick test: blur your page. The CTA should remain visible.
Mistake 2: The tiny button syndrome
A CTA isn't a shameful secret. Minimum recommended sizes:
- Desktop: 44x44px (Apple HIG standard)
- Mobile: 48x48px (Google Material Design standard)
Mistake 3: The buried CTA
Above-the-fold CTAs generate 84% of clicks (HubSpot, 2023). Place your CTA:
- Above the fold
- Repeated every 2-3 scrolls
- In the hero, after benefits, before the footer
Pages with 2-3 CTAs (1 primary + repetitions) convert 23% better than single-CTA pages (ConversionXL).
Mistake 4: The jam paradox
Sheena Iyengar's famous study: a stand with 24 jams = 3% purchases. A stand with 6 = 30% purchases. Application: 1 primary CTA + 1 secondary max. Not 5 buttons screaming for attention.
Single-CTA landing pages convert at 13.5% vs 11.2% with 2+ primary CTAs (Unbounce, 2024).
Mistake 5: Ignoring mobile
60% of web traffic is mobile (Google, 2025). Your CTA must be thumb-tappable (48px zone), readable without zooming (min 16px), and ideally in a sticky bottom bar.
How many of these mistakes are you making? You're probably making 3-4 without knowing it. Run a free audit on your page and get a detailed report on your CTAs, SEO, design, and copywriting.
Case studies: CTAs from the tech giants
Netflix — The genius of simplicity
CTA: "Get Started" + subtext "Free for 1 month, cancel anytime."
What works: zero friction, no mention of payment for 3 screens, a single field (email). Result: landing → account creation conversion rate of 93% (industry average: 40-60%).
Slack — The anti-BS champion
CTA: "Try for free" — not "Start your collaborative journey" or other nonsense. Subtitle: "No credit card required." → Objection #1 eliminated in 4 words.
Spotify — Urgency without manipulation
Premium CTA: "Go Premium" + "1 month free, then $9.99/month." Total price transparency. No fake urgency ("Limited time offer!"). Immediate benefit: "Ad-free listening starts now."
Shopify — The contextual CTA
Homepage: "Start free trial." Pricing page: "Start my store." Blog: "Create my account." Contextual adaptation is the real genius. Same site, 3 different CTAs based on visitor intent.
Notion — The community CTA
"Get Notion free." Not "Create an account." The framing implies joining something bigger (belonging effect). Result: 40% organic growth via word-of-mouth.
Mobile vs desktop CTA: two different worlds
Your desktop CTA looks beautiful. Too bad 60% of your visitors will never see it.
| Aspect | Desktop | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum size | 44x44px | 48x48px |
| Click zone | Mouse precision | Thumb precision (less accurate) |
| Ideal position | Hero + repeat every 2 scrolls | Sticky bottom bar |
| Copy length | Can be detailed | 2-4 words max |
| Spacing | 8-12px around | 16-20px (prevent misclicks) |
Mobile golden rule: Sticky CTA at the bottom of the screen. That's what Airbnb, Booking, and Amazon do. Measured impact: +45% mobile conversions (Google, 2024).
Quick test: open your site on mobile, try clicking the CTA with your thumb (dominant hand). If you need to stretch → bad placement. The "thumb-friendly" zone is at the bottom of the screen, on the sides. Avoid the top-center.
A/B testing your CTAs: stop guessing
Your intuition sucks. Data doesn't. Here's how to test your CTAs systematically.
What to test first (by impact)
- CTA copy (maximum impact) — "Get started" vs "Try for free" vs "Create my account"
- Position (high impact) — Hero only vs Hero + sticky header
- Color (medium impact) — Contrast > trendy color
- Size & design (lower impact) — Filled vs outline button, with/without icon
Simple 3-step method
1. Test 1 variable at a time
Bad: Version A = "Try" + green button + top position. Version B = "Start" + orange button + bottom position. → You'll never know what worked.
Good: Version A = "Try for free." Version B = "Start my free trial." → Only the copy changes.
2. Minimum sample size
Rule: 100 conversions per variation minimum. Otherwise, your results = statistical noise.
3. Free A/B testing tools
- RoastMySite (AI-powered predictive heatmap + real-time tracking coming soon)
- Microsoft Clarity (heatmaps + session replay, 100% free)
- Hotjar (free plan: 35 sessions/day)
- Google Analytics 4 (custom events)
- PostHog (open source, self-hosted)
How to implement your new CTA in 15 minutes
Seriously, it's not hard.
Step 1 (2 min): Open your page and list every single CTA.
Step 2 (5 min): For each CTA, answer these 3 questions:
- What exact action will the visitor take?
- What concrete benefit will they get?
- Is there urgency or reassurance to add?
Step 3 (3 min): Rewrite using the formula. Strong verb. Clear benefit. No jargon. Add "my" for ownership.
Step 4 (5 min): Apply the change and check on mobile. It's CSS or CMS — no dev needed.
Total time: 15 minutes. Expected gain: +15 to 30% clicks.
It's literally the fastest, most impactful change you can make to your landing page today. No expensive redesign. No technical rebuild. Just swap out a few words.
CTA checklist — check, fix, convert
Audit (2 min)
- My CTA is visible within 3 seconds (blur test)
- Copy follows the Verb + Benefit formula
- Sufficient contrast (4.5:1 minimum)
- CTA is repeated 2-3 times on the page
- Mobile version is thumb-tappable
Copywriting (3 min)
- "Learn more" / "Submit" / "Click here" → replaced
- "My" added for ownership
- Jargon removed (no "Onboarding" → "Get started")
- Copy is 2 to 5 words
- Reassurance added ("No CC", "Free", "14 days")
Design (2 min)
- Size: 44x44px (desktop), 48x48px (mobile)
- Color: contrast verified (WebAIM Contrast Checker)
- Position: above the fold + sticky on mobile
- Spacing: 16px minimum around button
FAQ: Your call-to-action questions answered
How many CTAs per page?
1 primary + 1 secondary max. Example: Primary CTA "Try for free", secondary CTA "See a demo." More = decision paralysis.
Should I use "I" or "You" in CTAs?
Tests show first person ("I want to start my free trial") performs up to 90% better than second person ("Start your trial"). "I" reinforces ownership.
Do CTAs always need to be buttons?
No. A text link in an article, an inline form, a sticky banner — all can be CTAs. The button is the most common, but not the only effective format.
How do I measure CTA performance?
Three metrics: click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate (goal achieved after click), and revenue per click. Set up custom events in Google Analytics 4 or use a heatmap tool like Microsoft Clarity.
Do emojis work in CTAs?
Sometimes. A contextual emoji ("🚀 Launch my project") can grab attention. But don't overdo it. A/B test before committing.
What's the ideal CTA length?
2 to 5 words. Shorter = too vague ("Send"). Longer = nobody reads it ("Discover how our solution can transform your business starting today").
Do uppercase CTAs work?
No. "BUY NOW" = aggressive. "Buy now" = normal. Caps scream, they don't convince.
Conclusion: a great CTA is 80% psychology, 20% design
You now know the formula (Verb + Benefit + Urgency), the mistakes to avoid, and the psychological mechanisms that make people click. The hard part isn't understanding — it's applying.
Your action plan:
- Audit your current CTAs (15 minutes)
- Rewrite them using the formula
- Check design and placement
- Test and measure
Want to go further? Get your landing page analyzed by RoastMySite — the AI analyzes your CTAs, copywriting, SEO, and design in 30 seconds.