Frictionless Copy
Welcome to Frictionless Copy, our recurring segment where Pilothouse copywriting experts answer your questions and offer actionable copy advice to increase your response rates.
Question: What's better: a direct CTA (like download/click/subscribe now) or a more subtle CTA (like try it out yourself) – question from our reader, Micha
Answer: This is one of those dreaded “it depends” answers.
A strong CTA, like Click NOW to Save, is best when there’s a fair amount of urgency involved. That urgency can be driven by an offer ending soon, or by the notion that the sooner they get it, the sooner they solve their problem.
A softer CTA, like Try it for Yourself or Learn More Here, is more effective when what preceded it is a softer sell.
You really have to fashion your CTA around the style of the copy, the type of product, where it lands in the funnel, and the pain point/problem you are solving. Every case is a bit different.
Sometimes it’s a mixture, like “If you’re tired of not sleeping at night, have tried just about everything, and are ready for something that actually works… You are going to love this little-known solution, so Click Here Now.”
That said, the sure way to know what works best is to ALWAYS split test your CTAs. Keep testing new ideas against your current winners. Always strive to improve every single aspect of your copy, and always keep testing.
Thank you for your question, Micha!
The Pilothouse copywriting team would love to answer any specific copywriting questions you have.
