What is a Secondary CTA in Email Marketing?
A secondary call-to-action (CTA) in email marketing is a complementary action that you encourage your recipients to take, alongside the primary CTA. While the primary CTA drives the main objective of your email (e.g., making a purchase or signing up for a webinar), the secondary CTA provides an additional way for users to engage with your content. This could be anything from visiting a blog post, following on social media, or downloading a free resource.
Why Include a Secondary CTA?
Including a secondary CTA can significantly increase the overall engagement and effectiveness of your email campaigns. Here are some reasons why:
Diverse Engagement: Not every recipient will be ready to take the primary action. A secondary CTA offers an alternative way for them to engage with your brand.
Increased Value: By providing additional options, you are offering more value to your subscribers, which can improve their perception of your brand.
Enhanced Metrics: Secondary CTAs can help you gather more data on what interests your audience, allowing you to tailor future campaigns more effectively.
Types of Secondary CTAs
There are various types of secondary CTAs that you can include in your emails: Learn More: Directs users to additional content, such as blog posts or articles, for more information.
Social Media Links: Encourages recipients to follow your brand on different social media platforms.
Downloadable Content: Offers free resources like eBooks, whitepapers, or checklists.
Event Registration: Promotes upcoming events, webinars, or workshops.
Customer Testimonials: Showcases reviews or case studies to build trust and credibility.
Best Practices for Secondary CTAs
To ensure your secondary CTAs are effective, consider the following best practices: Placement: Position your secondary CTA in a way that it complements but does not overshadow the primary CTA. Typically, it's placed towards the end of the email.
Clarity: Make sure the secondary CTA is clear and concise. Avoid using complex language that may confuse your recipients.
Visual Hierarchy: Use design elements like color, font size, and buttons to create a visual hierarchy that distinguishes the primary CTA from the secondary one.
Relevance: Ensure that your secondary CTA is relevant to the content of the email and provides additional value to the reader.
Examples of Effective Secondary CTAs
Here are a few examples of how brands effectively use secondary CTAs: E-commerce: A primary CTA might be "Shop Now," while a secondary CTA could be "Read Customer Reviews."
SaaS Companies: A primary CTA might be "Start Free Trial," while a secondary CTA could be "View Case Studies."
Non-profits: A primary CTA might be "Donate Now," while a secondary CTA could be "Learn More About Our Mission."
Measuring the Success of Secondary CTAs
To measure the effectiveness of your secondary CTAs, track key metrics such as: Click-through Rates (CTR): Monitor the CTR for both primary and secondary CTAs to see how well they are performing.
Conversion Rates: Track the conversion rates for the actions prompted by the secondary CTA.
Engagement Metrics: Analyze engagement metrics like time spent on the linked page or social media interactions.
Conclusion
Including a secondary CTA in your email marketing campaigns can enhance user engagement, provide additional value, and offer deeper insights into your audience's preferences. By following best practices and tracking relevant metrics, you can optimize your email strategy to achieve better results.