How important is the shape of the call to action button?

web design manchester

Here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design professionals. And we work with companies and clients around Manchester, and the surrounding region, including Wigan and Southport, to provide stunning and effective web design solutions. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about the shape of the call to action buttons.

What is a call to action button?

A call to action button is the button that is responsible for directing your website users to a specific page, where they can make a purchase or sign up or book your services. This button is the first step to converting the people browsing your website into paying customers and clients, and as a result, the design of this needs to be perfect. There are a number of important design decisions that really matter to create an effective call to action button. These include:

  • The size of the button- the button needs to grab attention but it should be sized accordingly. For responsive websites you will need to be sure that this button is large enough on all screen sizes, and not too large on a mobile device, as this can hinder functionality.
  • The colour of the button- you should use one of the accent colours that you have chosen as part of your website pallet for this. This will allow the button to stand out from the page, and be clearly visible, while still being a clear part of your web design.
  • The language used- a call to action button needs to instill urgency, to encourage website users to click through. However, this should not be negative, and it should fit with the overall tone of your website.
  • The position of the button- the position of the button is also important, as this will need to be placed above the fold to have the biggest impact.

The final important factor is the shape, but how important is this?

So, how important is the shape of the call to action button?

The shape of the call to action button could be:

  • Rectangular
  • Rounded
  • Circular
  • Triangular

The choice you make will depend on the style and design of your website, and the visual effect you want to create. But choosing the right shape is more important than you might realize, for a number of reasons. These reasons include:

  • Directing attention- the shape you use will direct the attention of the website user. While a rounded shape or a circular shape will focus attention inside the shape, because of the rounded edges, a triangular call to action button is likely to point attention away from the button itself. At least initially. This is something to consider when choosing the shape.
  • Practical functionality- the shape of the call to action button can influence the functionality. For example, you will be able to fit more text in a rectangular button, than in a circular button, and this can be important for the overall effectiveness of your call to action button.
  • Clear and obvious- your call to action button needs to be clear and obvious. And this means that shape needs to contrast and stand out. For example, in a grid layout, a square or rectangular call to action button might simply fade into the rest of the design, and be difficult to see.

For more information or professional web design support, get in touch with the team today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.