What is a Secondary Call to Action?
In the context of
email marketing, a secondary call to action (CTA) is an additional prompt for the recipient to engage with your content, separate from the primary CTA. While the primary CTA is usually the main goal of the email, such as making a purchase or downloading a whitepaper, the secondary CTA offers another form of engagement, like following on social media, reading a blog post, or signing up for a webinar.
Why Use a Secondary Call to Action?
Secondary CTAs can enhance the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns by providing multiple ways for recipients to interact with your brand. This can be particularly useful if the primary CTA doesn't resonate with all subscribers. For instance, if the main action is to buy a product, a secondary CTA to read a related blog post can still drive engagement and keep the subscriber interested.
Placement: The secondary CTA should be placed in a less prominent location than the primary CTA, such as in the footer or sidebar of the email.
Relevance: Ensure that the secondary CTA is relevant to the email content and provides additional value to the recipient.
Design: Use distinct design elements to differentiate the secondary CTA from the primary one. This can include different colors, fonts, or button styles.
Clarity: Make sure the secondary CTA is clear and concise, so the recipient understands what action they are being asked to take.
Examples of Effective Secondary Calls to Action
Here are a few examples of effective secondary CTAs that you can include in your email campaigns:Measuring the Effectiveness of Secondary CTAs
To measure the effectiveness of your secondary CTAs, consider tracking the following metrics: Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of recipients who clicked on the secondary CTA.
Conversion rate: The percentage of recipients who completed the desired action, such as following on social media or signing up for a webinar.
Engagement rate: The overall level of interaction with the email, including clicks on both primary and secondary CTAs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While secondary CTAs can be beneficial, there are some common mistakes to avoid: Overloading the email: Including too many CTAs can overwhelm recipients and dilute the effectiveness of the primary CTA.
Inconsistent messaging: Ensure that the secondary CTA aligns with the overall message and goal of the email.
Poor design: If the secondary CTA is not visually distinct from the primary CTA, it can cause confusion and reduce the likelihood of engagement.
Conclusion
Incorporating a secondary call to action in your email marketing campaigns can provide additional opportunities for engagement and increase the overall effectiveness of your emails. By understanding the best practices for implementing and measuring secondary CTAs, you can create more compelling and successful email campaigns that resonate with your audience.