As the name suggests, a call-to-action (CTA) is an instruction that can appear on your animation website and encourage further engagement with potential clients. 

Typically, a CTA may exist in the form of a hyperlink, button, or even a video, which is perfect for animators.

When clicked on, the user is prompted to take some form of action which may include making a booking to discuss the animation services you offer or being redirected to your animation portfolio.

Your chosen web design should promote your animation services in a visually appealing and functional way in order to attract users.

The appropriate use of CTAs on your animation website or using Call to Action Animation has the power to convert potential clients and reach a larger target audience.

Most importantly for animators, a Call to Action Animation should encourage users of the website to take the next step towards learning more about you as an animator and your animation services instead of exiting the website with no commitments.

^{GIF by The Simpsons via GIPHY}

This blog post will explore the various types of CTAs or Call to Action Animations that can be incorporated into your animation website, the importance of CTAs for animators and how they can be implemented, CTA guidelines for animators, CTA button design, and how to evaluate the success of your chosen CTAs.

Different Types of Call to Action Animations You Can Make!

Before deciding on a CTA that will best entice users to engage your animation services, it is essential to have an understanding of the various types that exist. Regardless of which CTA you choose for your animation website, ensure that it has a clear purpose and serves as a simple way for the user to find more information about you and your animation services.

Buttons

^{Image by Promoshin}

A CTA button usually appears as a solid shape with a short, clearly defined instruction on it that redirects the user accordingly.

As an animator, you could link your bio or animation blog to a button on your homepage which would be a great way to draw attention to either.

Hyperlinks for Call to Action Animations

This is more subtle than a button and can be further subdivided into 4 types:

Text

^{Image by MDN Web Docs via Mozilla} 

Animators can prompt users to click on a word or phrase which will redirect to either a page, file or document. You could provide social media followers with a CTA link to your animation website in your profile description.

Image

^{Image by Loft via WeAreDiagram} 

This is similar in function to the text hyperlink except an image is used. Use the animation logo on your homepage as a link to redirect users to the animation services you want to promote. 

Bookmarks

Animators can use text or an image to redirect users as required.

E-mail

^{Image by clickWP}

As an animator, you can encourage contact with users by providing an email link on your animation website. The link can be configured to open a new window when clicked on which enables quick and easy communication with potential clients.

Call to Action Animation Through Videos

^{Image by Business of Animation}

A video CTA conveys instructions to the user about what to do next. By implementing this CTA, animators can showcase their skills and offer more information about their animation services. These are the various forms of video CTA that you could use:

Verbal CTA

^{GIF by Dr Squatch via Tenor}

A presenter or voice-over can provide information about your animation services, in addition to advising users to click on a link or subscribe.

Appearing in your own video could be the perfect way to introduce yourself to potential clients and provide a personal description of your animation services. 

You could encourage users to contact you by clicking on a CTA button or following a hyperlink that redirects them to a form where their details will be captured.

Text Call to Action Animation

^{GIF by wave.video}

Demonstrate your animation skills by creating a video that uses animated text to prompt users further. You could briefly mention the animation services you offer and how potential clients can contact you.

CTA Button

^{Image by IBM} 

Animators can provide a video CTA to encourage the user to book a meeting or schedule a call to discuss the animation services being offered. A CTA button can be added beneath the video to redirect the potential client or used as an overlay while the video continues to play.

The Importance of Call to Action Animation

Establishing an online presence as an animator is a crucial part of marketing your brand and animation services. Capturing the attention of the user and promoting engagement with your animation website provides a greater opportunity to convert potential clients.

As mentioned, the main aim of a CTA is to persuade users to click on the link or button provided, and in doing so make progress towards eventually becoming a client. 

One way in which you could provide information about yourself as an animator and your animation services is by adding a ‘learn more’ button on your home page. Being transparent about what you have to offer as an animator can go a long way in attracting potential clients.

^{GIF by Ghost Plugins}

Using social media as an animator will enable you to reach a larger target audience and grow your client base. You could create an animated CTA button to link your social media accounts or animation portfolio to your homepage in order to show users your previous animation projects.

A separate button can be used to encourage followers and users to share your pages, clips, or animation projects.

^{Image by Aida’s Writings}

A great way to promote your animation portfolio is via platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion. Once you have captured the viewer’s attention with your animation videos, provide a link or CTA button that redirects to your animation website.

You could place a CTA button or link on the homepage of your animation website which enables users to complete a form with their contact details. With this information, you could communicate with your potential client and discuss your animation services on a more personal level.

^{Image by Zoho}

CTAs for Animators

Choosing the best type of CTA for your animation website is only the first step. Animators should also consider the number used, where to place them and whether a static or dynamic CTA will work best. 

The Type of C for Your Animation Website

For animators, the choice between a hyperlink or CTA button depends on where and to what you are drawing attention to on your animation webpage. 

A button with a bold font and colorful background is more noticeable than a hyperlink that forms part of a sentence. Animators can use a button to draw attention to important signups or the user’s contact details that need to be captured. 

For an effective video, ensure that a CTA is placed at the start to capture the most attention, in addition to CTAs placed throughout the video. As an animator, you can place an animated video on the homepage and provide a link to your animation portfolio in the video description.

^{GIF by Webflow}

The Number of Call to Action Animations on Your Web Page

Multiple CTAs can be used on a single animation web page but animators must ensure that there is a clear difference between the primary and secondary CTA in order to avoid any confusion.

Users should easily distinguish which button to click on first. The primary CTA on your animation website should be well-highlighted and recognized easily by the user. 

CTA Placement on Your Animation Web Page

Two options are commonly considered and either can be used successfully, whether in isolation or in combination with each other. A CTA may be placed ‘above the fold’ on your animation home page which means that it will be seen immediately by the user. 

Placing your CTA ‘below the fold’, or towards the lower part of the page, provides an opportunity to share details about your animation services and convince users to click on the call-to-action appearing below.

^{Image by Marketing Tracer}

Static vs Dynamic Call to Action Animations

A static CTA is present when your animation website is initially viewed and is most commonly a button. It is regarded as a click-based CTA. Animators should give special attention to the CTA design and placement in order to best draw attention to it.

Dynamic CTAs appear on the screen as you navigate the animation web page and may be referred to as a scroll-based CTA. Animators can use a button or contact form to encourage users to provide their details. 

Ensure that the size of the CTA does not obscure the content on your animation web page as it should serve as a subtle reminder that the user can engage further at any time.

^{Image by inVision}

Call to Action Animation Button Design

A CTA that is clear and well-defined increases the possibility of further engagement with a user or potential client. Here are a few key aspects to consider when designing your own CTAs for your animation website.

Word Choice for Animators

Animators should ensure that the phrase appearing on the CTA button is inviting and no longer than 5-7 words.

Concise words such as ‘contact’, ‘learn’, ‘signup’, ‘visit’, or ‘watch’ could be used for the social media CTAs or those appearing on your animation website.  Connect with potential clients on a personal level by using words such as ‘you’, ‘your’, or ‘my’.

^{Image by Firespring}

Creating a sense of urgency with your word choice is an effective way for an animator to entice potential clients to make a decision sooner. ‘Now’, ‘today’ and ‘only’ are good examples to use when phrasing your web page CTAs.

Most importantly, animators must provide definitive instructions that will tell the user exactly what will happen when they click on the CTA button or link.

Font Style

Animators should choose a style and font that will be easily recognizable and contrast the color of the surrounding CTA button. It is best to avoid only using lowercase letters.

^{Image by Done For You}

Color Concepts

Eye-catching color is essential when drawing attention to the CTA button on your animation web page or social media platform. Animators can get creative by matching the color of the primary button to the animation logo, for example, and having a neutral background for the secondary CTA.

The best way for animators to draw attention to the CTA button itself is to ensure that the surrounding area, referred to as whitespace or negative space, remains clear and uncluttered. 

^{GIF by Gleb Stroganov}

The Shape of the Call to Action Animation Button

The design of your CTA button should complement the previously mentioned features, as well as the layout of your animation website.

Since there is no recommended shape, animators have the freedom to choose a rectangular CTA button with sharp edges or a more modern design with rounded corners.  

^{Image by WebSelf}

Call to Action Animation Touch

A great way for animators to add a personal touch to a CTA button is to include an animation feature when users hover over. It can provide movement to what may be a static animation web page and also capture the attention of the potential client.

^{GIF by Code My UI}

Evaluate the Success of an Effective Call to Action Animation

As an animator, it is important to ensure that the time and energy you dedicated to your animation website was not in vain. This can be done by measuring the performance of your web page CTAs.  

Animators can gauge users’ experiences and how best to ensure a high conversion rate by using conversion rate optimization (CRO). A conversion rate formula is used to calculate the number of clicks divided by the number of times the CTA was viewed.

^{Image by Towards Data Science}

There are many platforms that animators could use to measure the success of the CTAs on their animation websites, such as Optimizely and Virtual Website Optimizer (VWO). This is usually done by conducting an A/B test.

Creating a Call to Action Animation for Your Website

An eye-catching and well-defined CTA, regardless of the type, can be a powerful addition to your animation website.

Placing a CTA button, hyperlink, or video for users to engage with provides an opportunity for animators to demonstrate their animation services and convert potential clients in the process. 

Implementing the previously mentioned CTA guidelines for animators as well as the CTA button design on your animation website are both great ways to further enhance the way you market yourself as an animator. 

If you’re looking to grow your animation career further, we suggest that you watch our free masterclass and download a copy of our free marketing handbook!