The term “CTA” is nothing new to the marketing world. In fact, it’s probably one of the oldest marketing terms out there. The whole point of marketing is to get consumers to purchase your product or use your service — a strong call to action (CTA) will help do just that. According to ConstantContent.com, more than 90% of visitors who read your headline will also read your CTA, so you better make it a good one.

What exactly is a call to action?

So, there’s no point of automotive digital marketing if you aren’t going to make any sales, right? Your advertising – whether it’s an ad in the local paper or a Google display banner — should have a clear and concise direction for your viewer to take now that they’ve laid eyes on your ad. The rise of digital media has made it so simple for the consumer to take an action just with the click of a button. So, you want that button to be seen!

Let’s dive right in and take a look at four tips to perfect your Call To Action:

1. Establish your End Game

The #1 pain point we hear when entering a new dealership is “we’re not getting enough leads.” The dealer’s answer to this usually is to sign on with as many third-party lead generators that walk through their dealership door. While this can certainly help generate leads, it’s going to cost you. As a true Automotive Digital Advertising partner, we like to have you take a step back, evaluate what you currently have in place, and make recommendations based on your current efforts. Most of the time, small tweaks can be made to help generate leads, which in-turn, will help generate sales. Take a peak at your website to start, do your SRPs (Search Results Page) and VDPs (Vehicle Description Page) have clear CTAs for the customer to learn more about a specific vehicle? Do they have the option right on those pages to calculate a payment? As important a CTA is in an ad or an email, your website is your biggest advertisement. Customers came there for a reason, so it’s your job to give them what they came for.

Once you have your end game goal set, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and go through each ad as if you were in search of a new vehicle or service shop. The easier you make it for the customer to reach their goal, the easier it will be for you.

2. Keep it short

It’s not groundbreaking news that people don’t want to read through a paragraph of text to find what they’re looking for, and the same thing goes for your CTA. You want to make it as simple as possible for your customer to convert so you want your CTA to be short and sweet. “View Inventory, Learn More, Shop Now, Get Quote, Join Us” are all great examples of CTAs that say exactly what you want your customers to know in just seconds. You’ve already spent the time and money getting your ad in front of them, so let’s be sure they have no reason to leave without taking a deeper dive into what you have to offer.

3. Catch your customer’s eye

There’s no point of a CTA unless your customer can see it, right? Your ad might have the catchiest headline and most beautiful creative, but if your CTA is isn’t in the forefront your customer might not even know it exists. That means no conversion, and, in turn, no lead.

As digital marketers, it’s our job to take the consumer’s eye throughout the ad, bringing them to that CTA. You want it to be bright, and eye-catching, without being offensive. Moving from traditional to (mostly) digital advertising has been great for the CTA. We now have the ability to make the CTA an actual button. Not only can we make it look like a button (which we used to do a lot anyways) but now you can actually click on that button. If a customer sees something they like, they no longer need to rustle through the ad looking for your contact info, all they’re looking for can be found right at their fingertips – literally!

4. Create urgency

FOMO – we all know it, we all experience it: the “Fear of Missing Out.” We use this A TON in marketing. Thinking about those emails you get that lead with subject lines like “HURRY IN” or “LAST CHANCE TO SAVE.” Phrases that create urgency can tip someone over the purchasing edge. Automotive marketing isn’t any different, and in many cases, a dealership actually means it when they say it. As an owner or manager, you’re challenged with hitting (usually sky high) sales goals and will do what needs to be done to hit those numbers. You might as well make it known to the public. All advertising should relay the same urgent message to try and strike a cord with that customer who’s still up in the air.

Strong CTAs should be a part of your overall automotive marketing strategy. Keeping these four tips in mind when building your marketing campaigns will make your end goal a bit more attainable and a little less daunting. CTAs aren’t earth-shattering news to the marketing world but they’re one of the core fundamentals that will be the difference between you and your competition. For tips on incorporating CTAs into traditional marketing, download our guide on Bridging the Gap Between Traditional and Digital Advertising.