If you’ve ever done the blank-eyed scroll-scroll-scroll thing, you know that sometimes we need a nudge to tell us to actually engage with something. Enter the Call to Action or CTA. It’s super simple, but SO IMPORTANT. Basically, a CTA is a quick statement that tells your audience how to engage with your content – and reminds them what to do next. And they work! One study showed they increase engagement by as much as 83% – wow!
If you want people engaging even more with your amazingly on-brand content, here are a few quick CTAs that will help you boost those likes, shares and signups.
Double tap if you’re feeling it!
Oh, the old “double tap”. Classic. Tapping twice on a pic immediately “likes” it, boosting engagement and telling the algorithm that you’ve got something worth looking at. If you’ve posted something that you want people to chime in with, the “double tap if you agree” is a winning CTA.
Comment with the [insert your fave] emoji
Let’s face it: typing on mobile ain’t no fun. If you want people to comment on your posts, you’ve gotta make it easy. Pick an emoji that relates to your post and ask your fans to drop it in the comments. Boom, easy engagement that proves they’ve read the post.
Swipe up to get the deets!
Okay, I love me a limited-edition Instagram Story. If you’re the same, don’t let people tap on through to the next account. Drop that truth bomb or factoid, then add a “swipe up for more” CTA to get people tapping through to your website. Don’t forget to tailor it to what you’ve got going on – swipe up for the recipe, the how-to, the exclusive sale. Remind people, and they’ll do it!
Save this for later!
Super simple and super effective. This CTA tells people to tap the “save” icon on a post, which pops it into their “saved” collection for later viewing. The big win here is that IG takes extra notice of “saved” posts and will give you a leg up in the algorithm. The more saves, the more you’ll start showing up on those FYPs and “suggested” posts.
Follow for more X.
If you’re delivering great, on-brand content, people are going to want to follow you. This simple CTA reminds viewers that the content that they’re viewing is what you’re all about, and that a follow is a free and easy way of getting more of it! Plus it’s an easy thing to do – one tap, and they’re opted in to see all of your posts!
What’s your fave?
You’ll see this one a ton on carousels – a few pic variations around a certain topic, then a request in the caption for fans to vote for their fave. (This works on Reels as well!) If you’re an interior designer, have fans pick between three paint colors. If you’re about to go on TV, have them vote on your outfit. (And check out our tips for self-styling here!) “What’s your fave” is a simple question that puts fans in the driver’s seat – and who doesn’t love that?
Share your own experience.
This one depends a bit on the kind of account you run and who you’re targeting, as it requires more input from your fans. But if you’re sharing a story or anecdote that you think people will want to chime in on, ask them to share their own experience in the comments, or better yet, in an email to you (because hey, if you can help, you might just have a new client!)
Do you have a favorite CTA? In the immortal words of Pat Benatar, hit me with your best shot: create a post using that CTA, then tag me on Instagram so I can see it!