Crafting Persuasive CTAs
The Call to Action (CTA) is a critical element in any digital product's interface. It's the catalyst that takes a user toward their desired actions. To make your CTAs more effective, consider the following:
- Use concise, action-oriented language: Your CTAs should be clear, concise, and action-oriented. They must guide users toward their goals with precision.
- Visual prominence: Ensure that CTAs stand out visually. Use contrasting colours, bold fonts, and ample whitespace to make them easily clickable.
- Experimentation and testing: Don't settle for a single CTA copy. Continuously experiment with different variations to determine what resonates best with your audience.
For instance, take a look at Fiverr's approach. They have two primary CTAs, "Join" and "Search Field," which gives a user a clear roadmap for actions they can take on the platform.

Fiverr's CTA Roadpmaps
Creating Wow Moments through Interaction
Wow-effect interactions can leave a lasting impact on users. These interactions immediately capture users' attention and ignite their curiosity, leading to higher engagement. Here's how to implement them effectively:
For example, Instacart uses celebratory animations when users rate a shopper, triggering a dopamine response that encourages more user engagement. Non-marketplace example: Asana uses a unicorn animation to celebrate completed projects, a memorable touch that fosters excitement among users.
- Surprise and delight: Craft interactions that surprise and delight users, sparking their interest and encouraging them to explore further.
- Emotional resonance: Design interactions that evoke positive emotions.
For example, Instacart uses celebratory animations when users rate a shopper, triggering a dopamine response that encourages more user engagement. Non-marketplace example: Asana uses a unicorn animation to celebrate completed projects, a memorable touch that fosters excitement among users.

Instacart's Wow-effect Interaction
Streamlining Key Workflows
Identifying and optimizing key user workflows is essential for achieving growth for your platform such as onboarding and completing a purchase & optimising for those. Here's what to consider:
- Minimize steps: Streamline these workflows to minimize the number of steps required.
- Visual Direction: Use visual tools like arrows, icons, and progress indicators to guide users through the flow.
For example, Etsy has a streamlined signup process, keeping the key workflow concise and separate from gathering additional product information from sellers until after the user has signed up.

Etsy's Onboarding Flow
Surface Value Early
Users need to understand the value they'll gain by taking a specific action. To convey this effectively:
- Benefits Communication: Clearly articulate how taking action will enhance users' experiences or solve their problems.
- Benefit Communication Timing: Surface the benefit of signing up early in the user conversion flow. This essentially is your product's value proposition and will encourage users to sign up faster.
For instance, Angi displays the number of potential opportunities during onboarding, emphasizing the value users will receive by completing their account setup.

Angi surfacing value early in onboarding flow
Another example would be Fiverr: They have a column sign-up dailog where they have value and signup side by side. So, they are surfacing the value to the user and then encouraging them to sign up.

Fiverr surfacing value prior to onboarding flow
Leveraging Social Proof
Building trust is crucial in any digital environment. Displaying social proof, such as testimonials, reviews, or success stories, can increase users' confidence. Consider this strategy:
- Showcase positive experiences: Highlight testimonials or success stories from satisfied users who have taken the desired action.
- Show numbers: Highlight stats around how many users were successful on your platform.
For instance, Upwork prominently displays "Testimonials" during Freelancer signup, providing that extra nudge for users to activate their accounts.

Upwork showcasing testimonials
Outside of marketplaces, Dovetail showcases Canva's successful use of its platform, reinforcing its credibility, especially as a relatively new player in the field.

Dovetail showcasing testimonials
Creating Urgency and Scarcity
Create urgency and scarcity with your product/offerings. A sense of urgency can spur users to take action.
- Use limited releases, flash sales, and countdown timers to induce FOMO—the fear of missing out—among shoppers. This is known as scarcity marketing, yeah it's a thing not making it up - I promise.
- A sense of urgency can spur users to take action. Highlight exclusive, time-limited offers or opportunities to motivate users to act promptly.
For example, Instacart is providing Free Delivery if the user signs up today, creating a sense of urgency for the user.

Instacart creating urgency
Another Example: You’ve probably seen this tactic before on an Amazon product page. On the right-hand column, under the price, Amazon will let you know how many items are left in stock.

Amazon using scarcity marketing
Offering Customer Support
Accessible customer support and resources are invaluable in helping users overcome obstacles. Consider these approaches:
- Interactive support tools: Integrate tools like Q&A chatbots during onboarding to assist users who may have questions or concerns about specific actions.
- Guided onboarding: Customer success teams can provide guidance during the onboarding process, ensuring users understand how to navigate and utilize the platform effectively.

Uber Chat Support during driver onboarding
It’s much easier to double your business by doubling your conversion rate than by doubling your traffic.
- Jeff Einseberg
Product Glossary:
If you're new to the product world, we've got you covered! Here is a glossary for words which may not be so straightforward:
- Call to Action (CTA): Definition: A prompt or directive designed to encourage a user to take a specific action.
- Wow-effect Interactions: Interactions designed to immediately captivate users, sparking their interest and increasing engagement.
- Key Workflows: Essential processes or sequences of actions that users perform to achieve specific goals on a platform.
- Social Proof: Evidence of a product or service's value and credibility, often in the form of testimonials,
- Customer Support: Resources and assistance are provided to help users overcome obstacles or address their questions or concerns.
- Interactive Support Tools: Tools, such as Q&A chatbots, are designed to provide real-time assistance to users with questions or concerns.
- Guided Onboarding: The process of providing users with personalized guidance and assistance during their initial interactions with a platform.
- Visual Direction: The use of visual elements like arrows, icons, and progress indicators to guide users through a specific flow or process.
Products
Unsure about some of the products mentioned above? Well, a few of them may not be widely known. Here is what Wikipedia says about them:
- Fiverr: Fiverr is a platform that connects freelancers (sellers) to people or businesses looking to hire (buyers), encouraging a wide range of services in a free market
- Instacart: Instacart is a delivery company that operates a grocery delivery and pick-up service in the United States and Canada.
- Etsy: Etsy, Inc. is a free market company focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies. Etsy connects people looking for unique goods with independent sellers around the world.
- Angi: Angi connects professionals in all areas of home improvement including house painting, remodelling, appraising and more with customers looking for these services.
- Upwork: Upwork helps growing businesses find and work with top-notch talent and agencies.
- Dovetail: Dovetail is a tool for capturing customer feedback and user research in one place. It acts as a user research repository for centralising interview notes and storing video and images, with tagging and annotations to help with analysis.
- Canva: Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.
- Amazon: Amazon is... C'mon! Are you really going to make us do this?
- Uber: Uber is a transportation company with an app that allows passengers to hail a ride and drivers to charge fares and get paid.