# What is Call to action (CTA)?

> A call to action is the button, link or line that tells a visitor exactly what to do next, such as ‘Call now’, ‘Get a free quote’ or ‘Book a groom’.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/glossary/call-to-action
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-27

Also called: CTA, action button, button.

A call to action, or CTA, is the prompt that turns reading into doing. On a website it is usually a button, but it can be a link or simply a clear sentence with a phone number.

Good ones are specific and obvious. ‘Get a quote in 24 hours’ tells people what happens next; ‘Submit’ or ‘Learn more’ does not. There should usually be one main action per page, repeated where it makes sense.

For most local businesses the main action is contact: a call, a WhatsApp message, a form or a booking.

## Why it matters for a small business

People do not hunt for your contact details; if the next step is not obvious, many simply leave. A clear, easy-to-tap call to action on every page is one of the simplest ways to get more enquiries from the same number of visitors.

**Example:** A plumber's pages end with ‘Leak or no hot water? Call 01392 000000 - we answer until 8pm’ with a big tap-to-call button, instead of a small ‘Contact us’ link in the footer.