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Anyone who works in sales will know the importance of having a strong call to action (CTA). These messages prompt the customer or user to further engage with your offering, turning a potential into a hot lead. This type of messaging can appear in different places, and marketers have refined the art of persuasive prompts. One relatively new avenue for CTAs is LinkedIn. The platform recently added new custom buttons for pages. We take a look at everything you need to know about using LinkedIn call to action buttons.
What is a CTA on LinkedIn?
In reality, LinkedIn has had the ability for salespeople to add calls to action to their profiles for a while. Anyone could write compelling content and a CTA at the end, mainly in the publications, projects, and summary sections – it’s a great way to get you noticed. However, these were slightly fiddly workarounds, and they didn’t appear on your profile.
In June 2019, LinkedIn announced that users would be able to add custom CTAs to their LinkedIn Pages. This feature allows you to add a button to your profile that gets the reader to interact. There are five different options available:
- Sign up
- Contact us
- Register
- Learn more
- Visit website
Each of these has potential uses, allowing brands to drive customer interaction. This is a key element of securing new business, as we explore in our guide to LinkedIn lead gen. The feature is easy to use, can be changed through the mobile app, and can lead to an increase in customer engagement.
The Benefits of Having a Good CTA on LinkedIn
So, why are calls to action so important? There are a few reasons to use them – some specific to LinkedIn and others to sales and marketing in general. Essentially, CTAs are used to motivate your readers to take a step towards becoming a client or customer. You can run a fantastic ad campaign or create a valuable piece of content, but without an effective CTA, it can all go to waste.
Below, we’ve outlined the key benefits of having a CTA button on your LinkedIn profile:
- It motivates your sales funnel. Calls to action are often a bridge in the buyer’s journey. They span the gap between intrigued reader to engaged lead, encouraging the individual to take the next step.
- It gives you analytical insight. LinkedIn’s new features come with analytics data. This means that you can understand how people are interacting with your CTA, meaning you’re better placed to see how effective it is.
- Customers want them. The purpose of CTA buttons is to guide the customer. So much so that people now expect and want them. They direct the customer as to what they should do if they’re interested in your ad, profile, or content.
- They’re successful. A well-crafted call to action can be highly effective. Once you’ve attracted the customer’s attention, you want them to click your CTA to further engage with you.
How to Write a Good LinkedIn Call To Action
The rules for writing calls to action are fairly consistent across mediums. With LinkedIn, you have several options for placing CTAs, whether it’s on your business page, or through publications, projects, or summaries. However, each type should follow some best practices:
- Be clear and concise. You don’t have a lot of space to get your message across, so make sure it’s evident what you want your audience to do. This could be something like ‘sign up,’ ‘learn more,’ or ‘register.’
- Create excitement. One of the top LinkedIn profile tips is to make people want to interact with you. From an impactful headline to a killer CTA, it’s about evoking enthusiasm. Use impact language and add an exclamation mark.
- Give reasons. Give your readers a reason to want to click the call to action. Make sure they’re aware of the tangible benefits that clicking your CTA button brings.
How to Set Up a Call to Action
LinkedIn’s new tools for Pages make it incredibly easy to set up a custom call to action. This changes the primary ‘Follow’ button to have a more impactful and relevant outcome. It’s also backed up by analytics tracking so you can see how well your page is performing.
When you’re editing your company page, you’ll see an edit icon next to the existing CTA button (a pencil icon). From here, you’ll be given a more detailed menu of the change you can make.
First, you’ll have to select the option to turn custom buttons on. You can then access a dropdown menu that has a variety of options to choose from. You can also input a URL to send readers to a website or landing page.
Best Ways to Use LinkedIn Calls to Action
There are several effective ways of using CTAs on LinkedIn. When you’re thinking about how to optimize your LinkedIn profile or business page, CTAs should be on your to-do list. When looking at connection request examples, you’ll see that many also feature a call to action.
The important thing is to always bear in mind what you want to achieve with the button. For example, as a salesperson, is your primary goal to get people to contact you directly? Or do you want them to engage with a particular piece of content or sign up for your service?
Make sure that your CTA reflects your main purpose, but also ensure that you track its performance. If you find that your call to action isn’t getting the interaction you want, try adjusting it and seeing whether that helps.
Your CTA is just one part of your LinkedIn lead generation efforts, but it can be an invaluable one.
Create Your Own Custom CTA
Hopefully, you can now see the value of having a custom call to action on your company’s LinkedIn page. With the latest tools from the platform, it’s easy to create and monitor your very own.
Make sure that you remember the fundamentals of writing a CTA, and incorporate our other LinkedIn profile tips to make your lead generation as successful as it can possibly be.
FAQs
Q. What is LinkedIn custom CTA clicks?
A. ‘Clicks’ refers to the number of people who click on your call to action. It’s a metric that you can track to see how effective your lead generation is.
Q. How do I make a CTA button?
A. LinkedIn Pages has a variety of settings that lets you create and customize your call to action button. Click on the ‘edit’ pencil next to the default CTA to get started.
Q. How do I know if my CTA is clear enough?
A. With the built-in analytics tracking, you can see how successful your CTA button is. When you’re looking at how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, analytics are essential.
Q. Does my CTA need to be a button?
A. Provided that your text links to an action, you don’t have to make it a button. It could be a hyperlink in your summary or publication, for example. However, many people look for a button.
