SOSTAC(r) Planning - Action Section: Some useful tips on how to avoid using friction words in your CTAs (Call To Action).

1. Actions
that boost conversions
-Avoid Friction Words

3. Action:
CTA Words - Friction Words
Friction words - things people have to do,
not things they want to do. These words
cause cognitive friction. Web copy that
converts is focused on what people want
to do. Most often, friction words are found
in calls to action. Why is that? Because,
to my great dismay, people don’t spend
much time writing buttons.
Joanna Wiebe Vero 2014 http://tinyurl.com/h9bfgbk

4. CTA Words - Friction Words
High Friction Words
Buy
Sign Up
Submit
Give
Invest
Donate/Sponsor/Support
Complete
Medium
Join
Share
Switch
Find
Start
Visit
Learn
Low Friction
Get
Check Out (as in
“check this out,” not
“checkout”)
Discover
Reveal
Earn
Joanna Wiebe
minimizing friction means
maximizing usability

5. extend length of your button
lead with a benefit / something good the
user will feel
when they do the work-filled thing your
button is asking them to do.
CTA Words – Keep Friction Word?
(mildly off-putting prospect of work…) (a power-packed nerd opportunity)
“donate” means “lose money”…
Donate No Child Should Go Hungry –
Help Feed Them Now
replace scary words with wonderful benefits
Feel Deeply Satisfied!
Help Feed A Family Now
Joanna Wiebe Vero 2014
http://tinyurl.com/h9bfgbk

6. SOSTAC® Planning
See www.PRSmith.org/SOSTAC for 4 minute video
See www.SOSTAC.org for SOSTAC® Certification