Creating Buttons, Forms, and Call-to-Actions

Goal: Design clear, accessible, and conversion-focused buttons and forms, then connect them to business outcomes (email signups, inquiries, bookings, purchases).

Learning Objectives

• Write compelling CTA copy and choose the right CTA type for the page intent.
• Design buttons with proper contrast, sizing, and accessible states.
• Build forms (contact, quote, newsletter) with validation, spam protection, and confirmations.
• Connect forms to email/CRM tools and track conversions.

Key Concepts

• CTA (Call-to-Action): A prompt that asks visitors to take the next step (e.g., “Get a Quote”).
• Primary vs Secondary CTA: One clear primary action per view; secondary links support but don’t compete.
• Friction: Every extra field or step can reduce conversions—keep it minimal.
• Hierarchy: Placement, size, and color signal importance.

Crafting Effective CTA Copy

• Action + Benefit: “Download the Guide” → “Get the Guide” is good; “Get the Guide to Cut Costs” is better.
• Specificity: “Start 14-Day Trial” beats “Learn More”.
• Risk Reversal: Add reassurance near the CTA: “No credit card required.”

Formula: [Verb] + [Outcome] + (Optional Reassurance) — e.g., “Book a Free Consult — No Obligation”

Button Design Best Practices

• Contrast: Button color should pass WCAG AA contrast against its background (aim for 4.5:1).
• Size & Touch Target: Minimum 44×44px clickable area; generous padding (e.g., 12–16px vertical).
• Shape: Consistent radius across the site; don’t mix many styles.
• States: Provide hover, active, and focus states; focus outlines must be visible.
• Label: Short, scannable text (1–3 words if possible).
• Icons: Optional; place on the right for “forward” actions (→) and on the left for supportive cues (✓).

Form UX & Structure

• Right Fields Only: Start with name, email, message. Add fields only if they materially improve lead quality.
• Logical Grouping: Group related fields; use clear labels, not placeholder-only text.
• Validation: Real-time, inline messages; tell users how to fix errors.
• Spam Protection: Honeypot, reCAPTCHA, or provider-side filtering.
• Privacy: Link to your privacy policy; add an explicit consent checkbox if required.
• Confirmation: Show a success message and/or redirect to a thank-you page.

Where to Place CTAs

• Hero Section: One primary CTA above the fold.
• End of Sections: After explaining a benefit, add a related CTA.
• Blog Posts: Mid-article text CTA or end-of-post banner to capture engaged readers.
• Navigation/Footer: Persistent “Contact” or “Get a Quote”.

Elementor: Creating a Button

1. Open your page in Edit with Elementor.
2. Drag the Button widget into the desired section.
3. Set Text (e.g., “Get a Quote”).
4. Set Link to a page, section ID (e.g., #contact), or external URL.
5. In Style, adjust typography, padding, and border radius.
6. In Hover, define color change and transition (e.g., 0.2–0.3s).
7. In Advanced → Responsive, hide/show secondary buttons on mobile if space is tight.

Elementor: Building a Form

1. Install & activate a form solution:
   • Elementor Form widget (Pro), or
   • Form plugin (e.g., WPForms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms) and place it via shortcode.
2. Fields: Add Name, Email, Message. Mark required fields clearly.
3. Validation: Enable inline errors; customize messages.
4. Spam: Enable Honeypot and/or reCAPTCHA v2/v3.
5. Actions After Submit: Email, Redirect (thank-you page), Webhook, or integration (e.g., Mailchimp).
6. Notifications: Send to an inbox monitored daily; set a descriptive subject line.
7. Confirmations: Show success message and redirect to a thank-you page for analytics tracking.

Using a Shortcode Example: Add a Shortcode widget and paste something like:

[wpforms id="123" title="false" description="false"]

Tracking & Measurement

• Thank-You Page: Use for conversion goals in your analytics platform.
• Event Tracking: Track button clicks (e.g., “cta_primary_click”) for A/B tests.
• Email Deliverability: Configure SMTP (via a plugin) to reduce lost notifications.

Compliance & Accessibility

• Accessibility: Provide clear labels, visible focus states, and descriptive link/button text.
• GDPR/CCPA: Use consent checkboxes where appropriate; link to privacy policy.
• Language: Avoid vague CTAs (“Click Here”); be descriptive (“Download Pricing PDF”).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Too many CTAs competing on the same screen.
• Low-contrast buttons that look like plain text links.
• Long forms with unnecessary fields.
• No confirmation, no thank-you page, and no tracking.
• Missing spam protection or SMTP, leading to lost leads.

Activity: Create a High-Converting CTA + Form

1. Create one primary CTA button in your hero and link it to a contact section or page.
2. Build a contact form (Name, Email, Message) with inline validation and reCAPTCHA.
3. Send submission notifications to your email and redirect to a thank-you page.
4. Add a secondary CTA at the end of your services section with different wording (e.g., “Request Pricing”).

Checklist

• One clear primary CTA per page view.
• Accessible colors, focus styles, and button states.
• Minimal form fields; inline validation active.
• Spam protection and SMTP configured.
• Thank-you page + analytics goal/event tracking.

Quick Reference: CTA Copy Ideas

• Get a Free Quote
• Book a Call
• Start Free Trial
• Download the Guide
• See Pricing

Knowledge Check (Mini-Quiz)

1. What’s the main difference between a primary and secondary CTA?
2. Name two ways to reduce form friction.
3. Why is a thank-you page useful for analytics?
4. List two accessibility requirements for buttons.
5. What is the purpose of a honeypot field?

Practical Assignment

Create a hero section with a primary CTA, build a contact form with spam protection, route notifications to your inbox, and redirect to a thank-you page. Verify conversions by submitting a test entry and confirming the email + thank-you page load.