Writing Winning Resource Box Call to Actions In 6 Minutes or Less
Written by Codrut Turcanu
(This is a guest post by one of our readers, Codrut Turcanu. He wrote it in response to this post on why people don’t click your bylines and really appreciate him taking the time to share his strategies and experiences.)
There are two kinds of resource boxes; those that get the click, and the rest.
If you’re writing for results, then your resource box should have one goal – make the reader click your link. That’s why your call to action is either remarkable or invisible.
Why do you think most article publishers are barely getting any clicks to their resource box link?
One reason is because they try the easy route. A winning resource box is not something you can slap in a minute and call it remarkable.
A resource box is like your brand. As Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder once said “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”
You have to put in as much effort, time and energy into building your resource box as when building your personal or company brand. Don’t settle for less. Your reputation is at stake.
Before I share with you the “secret” to writing winning resource box call to actions [yes, I want to save you some time here, and give you 3 real-life examples] let’s uncover three of the biggest resource box mistakes I see others doing.
And by the way, one of the case studies I’m going to share with you today is incredible. I was able to secure 20.4% call to action link conversion on one of the articles I submitted to EzineArticles.com
Resource box mistake #1
Author spotlight
If you write for fame, and want to get your name out there, author spotlight is the way to go. But if you write for traffic, if your article’ aim is to get the click, then forget about your ego. Showcase the link/offer first, and the author bio after.
Resource box mistake #2
http:// missing
I’ve seen countless resource boxes where the author forgot or simply didn’t think about including the direct URL next to his hyperlinked keyword.
Why does it matter? Just imagine someone likes your article so much, that he wants to publish it in his newsletter, or on his blog. Most webmasters would simply copy-paste the article from EzineArticles.com directory and forget to make your hyperlink active. When you include the http:// link, you guarantee to get traffic and clicks to your site.
Resource box mistake #3
Missing call to action
This is the biggest mistake ever. Why? Because we, as humans, like receiving direction. If you simply include your LINK without having a specific call to action, your article publishing efforts go in vain.
Call to action Case Study #1
Writing Headlines That Are So Irresistible In 60 Seconds Or Less
This is an article I submitted a few months ago. It got 319 views and 65 clicks as we speak. That’s a 20.4% clickthrough conversion ratio.
Your content should be results-oriented [aka getting the click], otherwise why are you still publishing articles and linking to your site?
What I’m trying to say is that your LINK needs to have a story. They say that an asking hand without a story receives nothing.
Having a link in your resource box won’t get the click. It needs a call to action, period.
That’s why I want we take a look at three winning call to actions. So you can understand what makes the difference between remarkable VS invisible call to actions.
Why did it work? Notice the call to action OFFER. It says… “You might want to check out these 127 winning advertising headlines.”
It also said… “Also, do you dare to follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/codrutturcanu
I always send out irresistible alerts to all my followers.”
I suspect we got so many clicks not because the Twitter link but because of the highly-relevant hiperlinked text “127 winning advertising headlines.”
Call to action Case Study #2
Learn How to Get Pregnant Easily – 3 Tips You Should Not Ignore
This is an article which I did not write but found it quite effective in terms of call to action. It’s kind of lengthy but it shows why works that well!
“Now Pay Close Attention Here:
To increase your chances of getting pregnant there are some things that can’t be explained in a short article. Take a look at this revolutionary guide that explains in step by step details exactly what you need to do to get pregnant and get pregnant fast- Click Here”
Can you guess why does it get the click? Because the resource box doesn’t scream “ADVERTISEMENT!” In fact, the author bio is an integrated part of the article itself. It doesn’t look like an advert, although it pulls you in via “Now Pay Close Attention Here:”
And the promise is simple – “Take a look at this revolutionary guide that explains in step by step details exactly what you need to do to get pregnant and get pregnant fast- Click Here”
While I don’t recommend lengthy call to actions, this example proves why your link needs a very specific reason to click.
Call to action Case Study #3
How to Lose Weight Permanently – Finally a Straight Answer
This is an article I noticed recently that glued me in. Usually titles that are well written promise a good content-packed article, and potentially a well-written resource box. This example is no exception. And the call to action proves a winner.
“Now the question you may be asking is where is the best place to start with your habits? Analysis of your current habits will ensure that you can establish your first eating habit change. The Habits Diet ebook outlines the best approach to this first step on the way to permanent weight loss. http://www.thehabitsdiet.com/”
This resource box includes both the hyperlinked text and the direct http:// link, making it easy for the reader to click.
But that’s not all. What I want you to understand is the “psychological” reason behind this call to action.
The article is a short how-to “guide” on what to do, but the resource box is even better as it’s the next logical step. It shows what to do next – click the link to take the first step, etc.
While I won’t direct visitors on a straight sales letter page, but get them on a landing page where they can join my list for a red-hot FREE special report, this example shows how practical it is to write winning call to actions and attract the click.
Article written by Codrut Turcanu: email follow-up specialist, blogger and copywriter. He’s HELPING companies and entrepreneurs engage their subscribers, leave competitors behind and cash in the profit.
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Codrut Turcanu says:
Thank you for publishing this gem
What do you guys think about the topic?
I’m waiting for your feedback, comments and questions; let’s take discussion further, maybe we find some missing aspects for upcoming posts.
Evelyn says:
Thanks, Codrut. I do a lot of article writing/marketing and those resource boxes are such a crucial piece of Real Estate. I will try your suggestions. I’m in awe of that 20% CTR.
Bravo.
Codrut Turcanu says:
# For Evelyn:
So what was your highest bio click rate?
And… are you directing traffic to a landing page too?
Christine Steendahl says:
Thanks Codrut! I really appreciate your tips and thoughts! I really liked case study #2, I had never seen that technique before.
Codrut Turcanu says:
This is something which I’m currently testing in my article marketing. Might report results soon!
Alice Seba says:
All great stuff. I think is very important:
“If you write for fame, and want to get your name out there, author spotlight is the way to go. But if you write for traffic, if your article’ aim is to get the click, then forget about your ego. Showcase the link/offer first, and the author bio after.”
I do think sometimes people do the author spotlight, not just for ego…but also because it’s kind of a standard to talk about the author. But you’re right, we need to examine WHY we’re doing this. If we’re trying to grow our mailing lists or get more customers – it’s the click that’s more important.
Codrut Turcanu says:
Yes. If others tell us something works, we should not take it granted but question everything, until we prove it right, or wrong.
Tracking and testing is for a business like oxigen for the body
Anita Skinner says:
Thank you Codrut for a very informative and useful post.
Anita
Codrut Turcanu says:
Hope it gave you at least one idea to go out there and win more clicks to your site
Gillian Pearce says:
Thanks Condrut. I’ve made a note of your 3 examples and will think about harder about my resource boxes in future. What would you consider to be the minimum percentage click through we should be aiming for?
Codrut Turcanu says:
Some bios will get zero clicks if its content has nothing to do with the article title. If you want to boost clicks, then match the title with your resource box call 2 action, and always add the link on the first line of your bio
P.S. There’s no minimum I’d aim for, but for the sky!
Aurelia Williams says:
Thanks Codrut — this information is very valuable!
Codrut Turcanu says:
I was wondering what are the percentage of clicks in the “life coaching” niche compared with the “Internet Marketing” industry. Do you have any stats available?
Sally Cevasco says:
Thanks Codrut,
This is great and very helpful. I’ve been having a “block” about my article writing. This will help me get moving forward on it and following your advice will make my articles more productive too.
All the best to you.
Sally Cevasco
Codrut Turcanu says:
Thank you! That’s what motivates me write for other people’s blogs and help the folks who recognize and need aid…
So, where did you get stuck exactly, was the resource box?
Angela Wills says:
Excellent post! I love how you provided some really clear examples.
I like method #2 but I also appreciate seeing other ways to do it too. I see that the example is a really great example of a clear call to action that matches the subject perfectly. I think a big mistake to make is having the exact same cookie cutter resource box for every single article.
Codrut Turcanu says:
Definitely! You can’t use the same resource box for all articles, regardless if they’re on the same topic or not.
Reinvent your resource box from time to time, and always track your clicks and response!
Lee Collins says:
Thanks Codrut – great info as always.
Lee Collins
Codrut Turcanu says:
Glad to have you here! I hope you’ll take this info to the bank
Emmanuel Mba says:
Dear Codrut,
You will never seize to amaze me on how you come up with these titles. Thanks for the information and ofcourse very useful.
7 Resource Box Mistakes Anyone Can Make [or Avoid] : Contentrix – Content Marketing says:
[...] you need to know how to write winning call to actions. I already shared some killer tips about that here. Today we cover the 7 resource box mistakes anyone can make [or [...]
Article Publishing Tips from Codrut Turcanu at CodrutTurcanu.com says:
[...] That’s what I think is the key to winning resource boxes. You might want to read a full-blown blog post I wrote awhile ago here – Writing Winning Resource Box Call to Actions In 6 Minutes or Less [...]
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David Abel says:
Just thought I’d say ‘good post’ there and its definately well worth the effort to get your resource box right, its all about the clicks and the keyword backlinks..
by the way I have 30.8% click through on one of my articles!