“Contact us” is the website equivalent of a shop assistant saying “let me know if you need anything”. It’s polite, and it puts all the work on the customer.
A good call to action answers three questions the visitor is asking: what do I do, what happens when I do it, and how much effort will it take? “Contact us” answers none of them.
The formula
A strong call to action has a verb, a specific outcome, and ideally a small reassurance next to it.
Verb + what they get + what it costs them (time, money or commitment)
- “Get a fixed-price quote” + “We reply within one business day”
- “Book a free 15-minute call” + “No obligation, no sales pitch”
- “Check availability” + “See open times for this week”
The reassurance line sits just under or beside the button, in smaller text. It does a lot of the persuading.
Before and after, by business type
| Business | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Contact us | Call now: 24/7 emergency line (with the number on the button) |
| Electrician | Get in touch | Request a quote. Send a photo of the job and we’ll price it |
| Builder | Enquire today | Book a site visit to talk through your plans |
| Physio | Contact the clinic | Book an appointment online. Next available: see times |
| Psychologist | Make an enquiry | Ask a question first. We’ll reply privately within two business days |
| Accountant | Contact us | Book a free 20-minute chat about your tax return |
| Café or restaurant | Find out more | Book a table, or see today’s menu |
| Online shop | Shop now | Shop the new range. Free delivery over $X |
| Gallery | Learn more | Plan your visit: open Wednesday to Sunday |
Notice how often the better version is longer. Short isn’t the goal. Clear is.
Note too that the right action differs by business. A plumber with a burst pipe customer needs a phone call, not a form, which is why we lean so heavily on click-to-call in websites for plumbers and the other tradie websites we build. A psychology practice is the opposite: many new clients would rather write than talk, so a gentle, private form wins.
Before and after, by page type
Each page has a different visitor at a different stage. The call to action should match.
Homepage. Visitors are still working out if you’re the right fit. Offer one main action and one softer one.
- Main: “Get a quote” or “Book online”
- Softer: “See our recent work”
Service page. These visitors know what they want. Be direct and specific to that service.
- Before: “Contact us for more information”
- After: “Get a quote for solar battery installation”
About page. People reading this are deciding whether they like you. Don’t slam a hard sell on the end.
- Before: “Call now!”
- After: “Sound like a good fit? Book a free first consultation”
Blog or resource article. These readers aren’t ready to buy. Point them to something useful next.
- Before: “Contact us today”
- After: “Need help with this on your own site? We offer free website reviews”
Contact page. The decision is made. Remove friction and set expectations.
- Before: “Submit”
- After: “Send my enquiry” with “We’ll reply by 5pm the next business day” below it
Pricing page. Visitors are comparing. Help them choose.
- Before: “Buy now”
- After: “Start with the Standard package” or “Not sure which? Ask us to recommend one”
Placement without pressure
Visitors should never have to scroll back up to find out how to get in touch. They also shouldn’t feel chased.
- Top of the page: a phone number and one button in the header, visible on every page. On mobile, a tap-to-call icon.
- After the first section on service pages, for people who already know they want you.
- After the proof: following reviews, project photos or a case study is the natural moment to ask.
- At the end of every page. Never finish a page on a dead end.
What makes a call to action feel pushy usually isn’t the wording. It’s the volume. Three different buttons competing on one screen, a pop-up after five seconds, a chat bubble bouncing in the corner and a sticky banner all at once. Pick one main action per page and repeat that same action, rather than offering five different ones.
Trust matters too. A button asking someone to hand over their phone number works better when there’s a real photo, a licence number and a few reviews nearby. We cover those in trust signals: what makes a visitor believe you’re legit.
Button wording that quietly fails
- “Submit” sounds like filling in a tax form.
- “Learn more” is so vague people skip it.
- “Here” or “this link” as the clickable words says nothing about where it goes, and reads poorly for screen reader users, who often skim a page by its links.
- “Get started” on a service business site raises the question: started with what?
- “Free consultation” with no detail makes people wonder about the catch. Say how long it is and what it covers.
Measure it
Once you’ve rewritten your calls to action, track which ones people use. Setting form submissions and phone taps up as key events in Google Analytics is covered in Google’s key events help. Compare enquiry numbers for the month before and after the change.
Your next step
Open your three most visited pages and read only the buttons. If a stranger read just those, would they know what to do and what happens next? If not, start with the contact page button, because it’s the easiest win.
Getting this right on every page is part of how we plan sites in our web design service. Want a second pair of eyes on the buttons you’ve got now? You can ask us for a free review of the wording.