Why active voice works best in a call to action

Active voice works best in many types of writing. It is punchy and to the point. It reads well for the audience. Active voice promotes short sentences that are easier to digest.

There is an old joke that writers sometimes tell, saying that “passive voice is to be avoided.” The irony, of course, is that the sentence is written in passive voice. The active version is: “Avoid passive voice.” This is a joke, it also works very well as an example of how active voice is more efficient. Fewer words accomplish the same goal for the reader.

Active voice is especially important, however, when writing a call to action (CTA). After all, the entire goal is to get the audience to take a specific action, which can vary depending on the nature of the content.

For instance, promotional content will often say “act now”, perhaps because time is running out on a certain sale or deal. Informative content may tell the reader to contact the company today if they would like to learn more. The text usually implies these actions, but a short call to action statistically increases the rates at which consumers actually take that intended action, even if it seems obvious from the writer’s perspective.

5 bonus tips for a CTA

That being said, active voice is just one way to create an effective CTA. Consider five more tips that often help:

1. 1. Make it stand out: Put the CTA in bold or italics, or in an entirely different color of text. Put it in its own box or in a different font. The goal is to make it stand out at the end of the document so that it is very clear what action the reader should take.
   2. Provide an incentive: As noted above, it’s also helpful to create an incentive or a sense of pressure for the reader. Tell them that they can save a certain amount of money if they act now or that a deal only runs for a limited time. This can increase the odds that they will actually respond.
   3. Make it friendly: People are sometimes wary of terms like “subscribe” or “register” because they live in an age where they get a lot of spam calls, texts or emails. But you can use friendly terms like telling them to “stay in touch” or receive important updates that accomplish the same goal.
   4. Include hyperlinks: In some cases, a CTA should include a link, either to a product page or contact page. Not only does it tell the reader what action to take, but it makes it very easy for them to do so.
   5. Keep it simple: The goal with a CTA is to simplify the process. Use concise and efficient language. Make the action clear. Do not make the reader think about what they are doing. Just try to get them to react without any confusion or miscommunication.

   A proper CTA helps you get more out of all of your content. Here at Content Customs, we can assist with content creation, online marketing and much more. Reach out to our experienced team today.