Call to action (CTA)
A call to action (CTA) is the part of an ad that tells the viewer what to do next, such as 'Shop now' or 'Start a free trial'. In video ads it usually appears twice: as a platform button chosen from a fixed list, and inside the video as spoken or on-screen text. The in-video CTA matters because the button is not always shown.
Updated
Button versus in-video CTA
Platform buttons come from a preset list and appear in the ad's footer or overlay. Meta's guide notes that with some objectives the Feed footer, including the button, is not displayed on mobile. A CTA spoken or written in the video works regardless of placement and objective.
What makes a CTA work
- Specific: 'Get the starter kit' tells people what they will receive; 'Learn more' does not.
- Low friction: a free trial or sample asks less than a purchase.
- Consistent: the page after the click delivers exactly what the CTA promised.
- Placed early enough: in short ads, a CTA only in the last second is often never seen.
Avoid false urgency
Countdown claims and 'only 3 left' messages that are not true are deceptive advertising, not clever copywriting. If there is a genuine deadline or limit, state it plainly.
Questions
- Where should the CTA go in a video ad?
- On screen near the end, and earlier as well in short ads, because many viewers never reach the final second. Keep it inside the safe zone.