Adding a call-to-action (CTA) to a video on Facebook is a great way to drive traffic, increase engagement, and get more conversions. A call-to-action gives viewers a clear prompt on what you want them to do after watching your video. This could be anything from visiting your website, signing up for a webinar, or purchasing a product.
Why add a CTA to your Facebook video?
Here are some of the key reasons you should consider adding a CTA to your Facebook videos:
- Directs viewers to take action – A CTA gives clear instruction to your audience on what you want them to do next. This could be signing up for your email list, booking a consultation, etc. Having a CTA boosts conversions from your video.
- Increases engagement – CTAs give viewers a way to immediately engage with your business. This signals to the Facebook algorithm that your content is valuable.
- Drives traffic to your website – You can use CTAs to send viewers to targeted pages on your website after watching your video. This helps increase website traffic and build authority.
- Allows tracking – Using CTAs with trackable links or landing pages allows you to monitor performance and see how effective your video is at generating leads or sales.
- brand awareness – Well-designed CTAs with your branding help reinforce your brand in the minds of viewers.
In short, an effective CTA helps you get the most value out of your video content on Facebook.
Types of CTAs you can add to Facebook videos
There are several types of CTAs you can experiment with in your Facebook videos:
Clickable overlays
Clickable overlays allow you to add clickable buttons over your video. Users can click these overlays without having to pause the video. This allows you to add CTAs at strategic points in the video when you want to direct the viewer to take action. For example, you can add a “Register Now” button overlay at the point when you mention an upcoming webinar in the video.
End screens
End screens are another effective place to add CTAs. These appear when the video ends and help redirect the viewer. For example, an end screen with a “Shop Now” CTA can direct viewers to your online store after watching a product video.
Video captions
Turning on captions for your video allows you to add clickable CTAs that pop up at relevant points. The benefit of using captions for CTAs is that it doesn’t disrupt the viewing experience. Viewers can click the caption CTA without having the video pause or switch screens.
Description links
Adding clickable links and CTAs in the video description is a simple option. These description links are easy to set up. However, they are less prominent and viewers may not notice them if they don’t expand the description.
Pinned comments
Pinning a comment with a CTA is a great way to increase visibility. Pinned comments stick to the top of the other comments so your CTA doesn’t get lost. You can pin a comment like “Click the link below to download the free guide.”
Best practices for CTAs in Facebook videos
To maximize the impact of your CTAs, keep these best practices in mind:
- Place your CTA strategically – Add the CTA at a logical point relevant to the video content. For example, promote a sale when mentioning discounted products.
- Use clear and action-oriented language – “Sign Up Now”, “Buy Now”, “Learn More”
- Make it visually stand out – Use contrasting colors, animation, etc. so it grabs the viewer’s attention.
- Be consistent with your branding – Use fonts, colors, and messaging aligned with your brand identity.
- Track your results – Use UTM tracking parameters or landing pages so you can see CTA conversion rates.
- Experiment with placement – Try overlay CTAs, end screens, captions, etc. and see what converts best.
- Send traffic to a targeted landing page – Don’t use CTAs to send viewers to your generic homepage.
Step-by-step guide to adding CTAs to Facebook videos
Here is a step-by-step walkthrough on how to add different types of clickable CTAs to your Facebook videos:
1. Add clickable overlay CTAs
Overlay CTAs appear over the video. Here is how to create them:
- Upload your video into Facebook.
- Once uploaded, click “Add Call-To-Action Overlay” below the video thumbnail.
- Choose the type of overlay you want:
- Button overlay -Add a clickable button
- End screen overlay – Add a clickable end screen
- Customize the CTA with a headline, text, button text, and link.
- Choose when you want the CTA to appear in the video playback.
- Click “Save” and your overlay CTA will be added.
2. Add clickable end screens
End screens appear after the video finishes playing. To add one:
- Go to the “Video Publishing Tools” section when uploading your video.
- Toggle the switch on for “Show End Screen Overlay”.
- Click “Add an End Screen.”
- Select either a “Single” end screen or “Multiple” screens.
- Customize each screen with a headline, text, CTA button, and link.
- Arrange the order of your end screens.
3. Turn on captions with clickable links
You can make your video captions clickable. Here’s how:
- Open the “Subtitles and Captions” menu when uploading your video.
- Add your captions by typing or uploading a file.
- Click the gear icon to access caption settings.
- Go to “Advanced Settings” and toggle “Add web links to captions” on.
- Save your captions.
- Any text you now make a hyperlink in the captions will become clickable.
4. Add a clickable pinned comment
Pin a comment under your video with a CTA:
- Publish your video and leave a comment with your CTA like “Click below to sign up for our webinar.”
- Hover over the comment and click the 3 dots to access the dropdown menu.
- Choose “Pin comment.” This will sticky it to the top.
5. Include a clickable link in the video description
Adding CTAs in descriptions is easy:
- Simply type out your video description and add hyperlinks using the link icon.
- Make sure to use compelling anchor text like “Register here.”
Driving more traffic with CTAs
Placing effective CTAs in your Facebook videos is a proven tactic for driving qualified traffic to your site. But it takes time for the effects to accumulate.
Here are some additional tips for driving more traffic from your video CTAs:
- Split test different placements and messaging to see what converts best.
- Use UTM tracking codes to measure impact and optimize over time.
- Promote your videos across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. to expand reach.
- Retarget viewers by collecting emails or pixeling your site.
- Create complementary CTAs across your other marketing like social posts or email.
Driving results from your video marketing efforts requires patience and persistence. But over time, you can build momentum and visibility.
Conclusion
Adding clickable CTAs is the best way to boost engagement and conversions from your Facebook videos. As you saw in this guide, there are numerous options available for placing calls-to-action strategically in your video content.
Be sure to track your CTA results over time and continue optimizing. With consistent testing and monitoring, your Facebook videos can become a powerful channel for driving qualified traffic and leads to your business.