What is Call to action (CTA)?
A call to action is a direct instruction within a piece of content that prompts the audience to take a specific next step, such as clicking a link, using a discount code, or leaving a comment.
Effective CTAs are specific and low-friction. Link in bio is weak; shop via the link in my bio for 15% off expires tonight is strong. The best CTAs create urgency, reduce decision effort, and tell the audience exactly what to do and why to do it now.
In influencer marketing, the CTA is a key part of the brief. Brands should specify the exact CTA in deliverables: which link, which discount code, which platform action. Creators should ask if a CTA is not provided rather than improvising.
Platform mechanics shape which CTAs are available. Instagram Reels and TikTok do not support clickable links in captions, so the CTA must redirect to the link in bio. Stories support swipe-up links (or sticker links) for direct traffic. YouTube descriptions support full URLs.
Related terms
- Link in bio
- A link in bio is a single landing page linked from a social media profile that holds all of a creator’s important links, used because platforms like Instagram and TikTok allow only one clickable link in the bio.
- Affiliate link
- An affiliate link is a unique tracked URL given to a creator so that any purchase or sign-up made through that link is attributed to that creator, who earns a commission on resulting sales.
- Conversion rate
- Conversion rate is the percentage of people who took a desired action (purchase, sign-up, click) out of the total who saw or clicked a piece of content or ad.
- Deliverables
- Deliverables are the specific content assets a creator is contractually required to produce and publish as part of a brand deal, including format, quantity, platform, and timeline.
- Sponsored post
- A sponsored post is a piece of content a creator publishes in exchange for payment from a brand, which must be disclosed as advertising under FTC and platform guidelines.
More in Content
Call to action (CTA) sits in the content part of the glossary. These terms come up in the same conversations and are worth reading alongside it.