Why nobody’s clicking, and how to fix your call to action
They saw it. They just didn’t care enough to act. Usually the copy asks for too much, too soon, or never says what happens next.
You’ll recognise it
- Your button says “Learn more” or “Submit”
- The benefit turns up in paragraph three
- Reading it, you’d think “maybe later”
Why it happens
People act when they know what they’ll get and saying yes feels small. Put the reward first, name it precisely, and give one honest reason to do it now.
Three tactics, in order
Each one comes from the ProCopywriters tactics library. Do them in order: each step gives the next one something to work with.
Call to action
Tactic · about 5 min · Read the tactic ↗Write the button first. Ten versions that say what the reader gets, not what they do.
BeforeSubmit
AfterGet my quote in 2 minutes
Front-loading
Tactic · about 5 min · Read the tactic ↗Go through your copy and move the most interesting word in each sentence to the front.
BeforeWe’ve helped over 3,000 small businesses save money on energy.
After£640 a year. That’s what the average small business saves with us.
Because
Tactic · about 3 min · Read the tactic ↗Add one “because” to your ask. Give the reader a reason to act now.
BeforeBook a call.
AfterBook a call, because 15 minutes now saves a month of guessing.
Try it on your own copy
Three steps, one tactic each. Write as much as you like. Everything stays in this browser until you choose to save it.
Keep it here while you work. You’ll see it next to every step.
Step 1. Call to action
Tactic ↗Write the button first. Ten versions that say what the reader gets, not what they do.
See an example
Submit
Get my quote in 2 minutes
Step 2. Front-loading
Tactic ↗Go through your copy and move the most interesting word in each sentence to the front.
See an example
We’ve helped over 3,000 small businesses save money on energy.
£640 a year. That’s what the average small business saves with us.
Step 3. Because
Tactic ↗Add one “because” to your ask. Give the reader a reason to act now.
See an example
Book a call.
Book a call, because 15 minutes now saves a month of guessing.
Pick your best
Read everything back once. Choose the line that does the job best, then tidy it.
Something else wrong?
Every fix works the same way: the problem, why it happens, three tactics and space to try them.
Good to know
Is this about button colours?
No. Colour tests move numbers a little. Saying what the reader gets moves them a lot.
What if there’s no single action?
Pick one per page. Two equal buttons usually means fewer clicks on both.
Do I need an account?
No. Your work stays in this browser. Sign in with ProCopywriters to keep it as a board in Ideas, or to work through a whole brief.
Where do the tactics come from?
A library of 87 named techniques collected by ProCopywriters, the UK’s professional body for copywriters. You can browse them all for free.
Fixes get you unstuck. Ideas is where the work happens.
Keep every attempt on a board, work through a whole brief step by step, and pull in any of the tactics when you need them. Included with ProCopywriters Pro.