So you want people to take action when they read a blog post.

But how do you get them to actually do that?

Over my 10+ years blogging, I’ve experimented with many different calls to action (CTAs) in my blog posts.

The one that’s least effective?

“Buy now.”

Nobody likes being overtly sold to, which makes it less effective as a CTA for a blog post.

Some of its drawbacks include:

- It can feel pushy and sales-driven.

- It often targets people who aren’t ready to purchase yet.

- It doesn’t always create long-term engagement.

- It misses the opportunity to build a deeper connection with the audience.

There are better ways to engage your readers and guide them down your marketing funnel.

Here are 3 other types of CTAs you can use to drive results from your blog posts.

1. Invite them to explore other content

Not every blog post is a sales post, but every blog post can lead to a sale if you structure the customer journey correctly.

You can start with an educational blog post, then lead them to other blog posts, videos, podcasts, or even a resource page.

By inviting them to delve deeper into your content, you’re keeping them engaged and building a stronger relationship with them.

This type of CTA is great for readers who aren’t ready to buy but are aware they have a problem and want to solve it.

It’s a subtle way to keep them on your site and increase their familiarity with your brand.

Inviting exploration also

• Deepens your reader’s understanding of your expertise
• Provides more opportunities to convert them into loyal fans and followers
• Enhances your content’s value by connecting other valuable content

It’s also easy to do this. You can:

• Link to related articles at the end of your posts
• Use a directive like “If you enjoyed this post, check out [post title] next”
• Create a content hub with links to other related content
• Ask for their opinion

2. Ask for their opinion

One of the best CTAs to build engagement is to ask readers for their opinion.

Instead of just asking them to buy from you, why not ask their opinion on what they’ve read?

This type of CTA encourages people to interact with your content in a way that makes them feel valued and heard.

Listening to your customers’ opinion not only helps them feel valued, it helps you by providing easily accessible market research.

How does this work in practice?

• Add a question at the end of your post like, “What do you think about [topic]?”
• Create a quick survey with Google Forms or Typeform to place at the end of the post
• Embed a poll into your blog post
• Encourage them to share your content

Content shares are amazing for SEO.

Content that’s shared not only gets more links, but more positive user signals that Google likes and will use to determine if your content is worth ranking higher.

But how do you actually get people to share your content?

Just ask.

Here are some examples of CTAs that’ll encourage readers to share content:

• Include social sharing buttons on the side or at the top or bottom of your blog post
• In your conclusion, say “if you found this helpful, share it with your network”
• Create tweetable snippets and quotes to make sharing frictionless

If your content is worth sharing, it’ll help build your brand’s credibility and reputation. You’ll also attract new readers, as well as keep your current ones engaged.

Encouraging readers to share your content is a powerful channel for both customer acquisition and retention.

CTAs don’t always have to be about making a purchase.

By asking for opinions, encouraging sharing, or inviting further exploration, you can build stronger, more meaningful connections with your audience.

These CTAs not only keep readers engaged but also set the stage for future interactions that can lead to sales when the time is right.