Having a call to action, or a CTA, is an essential addition to any marketing video. A CTA is when you prompt your audience to take the next step and actually engage with your company. Whether that means to watch another video, check out your website, or purchase a product or service, a CTA’s main function is to lead your audience to act. 

Although CTA’s generally appear near the end of a video, there are many different ways to approach it. The CTA has a very flexible format and can vary largely impact viewers based on what you want your audience to do.

For example, one CTA may simply ask your audience to view another video or click a link in the description. This method then redirects your viewers to a different place. Other CTA’s can say things like, “Don’t wait, buy this now!” hence, being much more forward. CTA’s can also be subtle through asking questions and creating rhetorical situations that can be answered by the viewers either internally or in the video’s comment section.

Other forms of CTAs can be seen through more interactive elements such as voting or short forms. These approaches request direct information from your audiences which can be used to gauge your audience’s thoughts about a certain product, service, etc. The information provided by your viewers can also be later used in analytics reports surrounding the composition of your followers. In addition, a CTA can be delivered through the promotion of free trials of products and services. These offers ultimately make your audience feel more inclined to act upon your video and remember your company.  

Overall, having a CTA is just another way to engage with your audience and improve your company. Whether your CTA is a passive message or a direct marketing campaign, it’s presence transforms your video from just another piece of media to an extremely successful marketing tool.