Buy Now. Subscribe. Contact Us. Click Here. View This. How many calls to action does your Web page have? Chances are there are too many distractions on your website. It’s a common issue with most websites. There are too many calls to action on any given page. The reason this happens is because we want to give our target customer everything we think they need.
The old saying goes something like – when we try to do everything for everyone, we do nothing for no one.
So…how do you know if your website has too many calls to action?
The Danger of Too Many Calls to Action
My background is in the catalog world. Even in Web design, there are similarities. Catalog design has been perfected over decades. There are different designs for different customers. There are many different catalog designs and layouts that work.
The same is true for websites. There are many different Web designs that work. The key is to marry the proper design with your target customer. With catalogs, though, there is one constant in just about every catalog you will pick up off the coffee table. There are only a few and sometimes only one call to action.
Today, catalog customers can order three basic ways. They can order via (1) Phone, (2) Website or (3) Mail. Yes, people still order through the mail and they can be some of the best catalog customers in the world. Within the catalog you will find scarce calls to action. Usually the phone number and website URL will be on the bottom of each page. The mail order form is usually located in the center of the catalog. That’s right, the only call to action for mail order customers is in the middle of a hundred pages.
The catalog companies understand that they don’t need to hit their customers over the head with calls to action. These companies understand that selling is a process and the real estate on each page should be used for selling the customer on the benefits of the products. This might involve photography. It will likely involve content and possibly even testimonials.
Catalog companies understand there is danger in having a huge burst on the page that says, “Call Now”. Buying is a process and the danger of too many calls to action is that you’re confusing your core customer and distracting them from the actual benefits of the product you’re offering.
Calls to Action on Your Website
When thinking about a Website design I will think about the main three things a page is about. For a home page, I think about up to three things my business stands for. I want people that are visiting the page for the first time to instantly know what my services or products are and how this visitor can benefit from them.
This is tough especially with limited real estate. 
The entire home page might have only three calls to action. I want to move the interested visitor down the sales funnel. I might want them to click on something that allows them to research my company more. This might mean a link to a page of work examples.
Another call to action might be to an About page so the visitor can learn about the company and the people that work there (side note: people like to see people behind an actual business). A final call to action might be a phone number. Some people like to call or email for more information or maybe you’re lucky and you’ve found someone that is ready to purchase.
More than three calls to action can confuse people.
They see a page with all kinds of buttons and links and aren’t sure where they are supposed to click. Think about what your customers need to move down the sales funnel. Think about your core customer and really cater to them. You want to focus on your best customers first. Keep your calls to action under three. It should improve your conversion rates and improve the quality of your leads. That will save you time and make you more money.
About the Author: Dayne Shuda
Dayne Shuda is a content strategist and blogger. He is the founder of Ghost Blog Writers. Website: http://www.dayneshuda.com Twitter: @DayneShuda
