govDelivery recommends using a button instead of a plain text link to improve engagement.
Using a button for your call to action draws significantly more attention to it, making it easier for a reader to act and ultimately resulting in an increased number of people clicking to your website or application.
govDelivery has created a new content block for buttons to drag and drop into your advanced bulletin. Learn more about the button feature with Garnicus Button documentation article.
If you want to add buttons to your regular email messages or other communications you can use this free button creator "DaButton Factory" from Clickminded is an easy way to create buttons.
This button creator results in a .jpg or .gif image so be certain to add in "Alt Text" to ensure your button image is accessible.
Why do buttons create higher engagement?
Research shows most people scan emails rather than reading them word-for-word, so using buttons for your call to action (Watch Video, Send Feedback, Read New Administrative Rule, etc.) means they will stand out to skimmers while text links will often go overlooked.
This is because buttons have a number of unique attributes linked text doesn’t, including:
- Size – Buttons will be much larger in size than a linked piece of text, catching the skimmer’s eye and making it easier to click when you are on a mobile device!
- Design – Buttons often have design elements that links don’t, such as shadows, gradients and other effects. This can make them ‘pop’ off the page and stand out to skimmers. You can use shadows, gradients and borders on the buttons you create through “da button factory” now from Clickminded.
- Color – Often buttons will have a different color to the background and text, and this contrast draws the eye and makes the reader notice them more.
- Whitespace – When a button is set away from other elements in the email, the whitespace around it creates an area free from distraction – leading the reader right to it. Remember to use an extra carriage return between your text and the button to give it that extra whitespace.