Create calls-to-action (CTAs)

Use the calls-to-action (CTA) tool to create button CTAs, banners, or pop-ups to add to your HubSpot pages and attract new visitors. You can also add CTAs to external pages.

Before adding a CTA to an external page, you must install the HubSpot tracking code, or install the HubSpot WordPress plugin on your WordPress site. After adding a CTA, drive traffic by directing visitors to specific pages, meeting links, or external URLs. 

On mobile devices, you can choose to either enable a responsive layout or hide the CTA on small screens in the CTA options. After publishing your CTA, learn how to analyze your CTA's performance. 

Design your CTA

In the CTA editor, customize your CTA's design to attract visitors. 

• In your HubSpot account, navigate to Marketing > Lead Capture > CTAs.
• In the top left, click the dropdown menu and select CTAs.
• In the top right, click Create.
• You can create a new workflow from scratch or from a template:
  • To create a new CTA from a template, in the left panel, click HubSpot Templates. Then, select a template that matches your goals. 
  • To create a new CTA from scratch, in the left panel, click Start from scratch. Then, select a CTA type:
    
    • Sticky Banner: a permanent banner fixed to the top or bottom of your page. The banner will remain as visitors scroll through your page. 
    • Pop-up box: a pop-up box that appears on a set schedule. 
    • Slide-In: a banner that slides in from a corner of your website. The banner will remain as visitors scroll through your page. 
    • Embedded: a button you can use on your HubSpot content to drive prospective customers to specific pages.

• In the left panel, from the Add tab, add elements and edit the layout for your CTA: 
  • To add more content to your CTA, click and drag a new element directly into the right panel of the editor. 
  • To modify your CTA's layout, hover over an element and click and drag it to a new position.
  • To duplicate the element, hover over the element and click the duplicateclone icon.
  • To delete the element, hover over the element and click the deletetrash can icon. 
  • To edit an element, click the element. In the left panel, you can edit the content and design of the element.

• In the left panel, click the Content tab to manage your elements. 
  • To edit an element, click the name of the element. In the left panel, you can edit the content and design of the element. In rich text elements, you can use content assistant to create or refine your CTA content. 
  • To delete an element, hover over the element and click the delete trash can icon. 
• In the left panel, click the Design tab to customize and preview your CTA.
  • To preview your CTA on specific pages, in the top right, click Preview. Then, click the Preview on specific page dropdown menu and select the HubSpot page to preview the CTA. 

• • To customize the appearance of your CTA, select one of the following options. Then, configure your changes in the left panel. 
    • Position: for sticky banner type CTAs, you can select a top or bottom position. For slide-in type CTAs, you can choose to position the CTA in the top left, bottom left, top right, or bottom right of the page. 
    • Sizing: configure the height of your CTA, you can toggle on the option to set the height automatically based on the content of your CTA.
    • Layout: configure the layout of your CTA. You can add padding to your CTA content. You can also toggle on the option to enable a responsive layout. With a responsive layout, the columns of your CTA will stack vertically on small screens.
    • Styles: set the styles for your CTA, such as the primary font, border, and drop-shadow from the CTA. 
    • Background: set a background for the CTA, you can choose to set a background color or upload a background image.

Customize where and when your sticky banner, pop-up box, or slide-in CTA displays

If you've set up a sticky banner, pop-up box, or slide-in CTA, target visitors by choosing when you want this CTA to appear on your site. Learn more about adding CTAs to your pages. 

You can use filters to combine multiple sets of rules about which visitors see your CTA. Learn more about configuring your targeting rules.

Activation triggers 

Select an activation trigger to determine when the CTA will display on your page. The CTA will appear once the first selected trigger is met. 

•  In the When should it be shown section, click to toggle the switch next to the activation triggers that you want to use:
  • Trigger on button click: the CTA will appear when a visitor clicks a button. Learn how to set up your pop-up CTAs to trigger on button click. 
    • Configure this in your HubSpot pages with a default button module or on your external pages by customizing a button's class.
    • To set this trigger on an external page, the HubSpot tracking code must be installed. 
  • Trigger on page scroll: the CTA will appear when the visitor has scrolled past a specified percentage of the page.
  • Trigger on exit intent: the CTA will appear when the visitor moves their cursor to the top bar of the browser window.
  • Trigger after elapsed time: the CTA will appear after the specified number of seconds.
  • Trigger after inactivity: the CTA will appear after the visitor has been inactive for a specified number of seconds.

Website URL

You can add conditional logic for specific webpage URLs and/or query parameter values. By default, the CTA will appear on all pages.

• At the top, click the Targeting tab.
• To show the CTA when a visitor is on a specific website URL, in the Website URL section
  • Click the first dropdown menu and select Website URL.
  • Click the second dropdown menu and select a targeting rule.
  • Enter your rule criteria in the text field.

• To show the CTA when a visitor is on a website page whose URL includes specific query parameters:
  • Click the first dropdown menu and select Query parameter.
  • In the first text field, enter the query parameter name.
  • Click the dropdown and select a targeting rule.
  • In the second text field, enter the query parameter value.

• To add another rule, click Add rule.
• To exclude the calls-to-action from certain pages (e.g., a privacy policy page), click Add exclusion rule.
  
  
  

Visitor information and behavior (Optional)

You can also target your CTA to specific contacts based on known visitor information and behavior. The type of filtering rules you can add depends on your account's subscriptions. 

• • In the Visitor information and behavior (Optional) section, click the first dropdown menu to choose when visitors see your CTA.

• • Click the next dropdown menu to select your filtering rules.
  • To add more rules for when to show your CTA, click Add rule and select your filters.

• Select when to hide the CTA: 
  
  • Click Add exclusion rule.
  • the first dropdown menu to choose when the CTA should be hidden. 
  • Click the next dropdown menu to select your filtering rules.
  • To add more rules for when to hide your CTA, click Add exclusion rule and select your filters.

• To create another set of filtering rules, click Add filter group and select your filtering rules.

Display frequency 

After a visitor dismisses your sticky banner, pop-up box, or slide-in CTA for the first time, choose whether the CTA should be displayed again, and how often it should display. To set up your CTA's display frequency: 

•  In the How often will it be shown section, click the Show again dropdown menu and select a frequency: 
  • After a set time period: configure the amount of time that should pass after a visitor dismisses the CTA, before it is displayed again.
  • Repeat: display the CTA every time they visit the selected web pages and perform the trigger action, even if they've previously interacted with it.
  • Don't show again: display the CTA to visitors only once. After the initial display, never display the CTA again. 
     

Customize your CTA options

On the Options tabs, customize different CTA options such as whether to display the CTA on small sizes, any associated campaigns, and the CTA's scheduling. 

• At the top, click the Options tab.
• To associate the CTA with a campaign, click the Campaign dropdown menu and select a campaign to associate the pop-up CTA with. 
• Configure the following options when using sticky banner, pop-up box, or slide-in CTAs:
  • To hide the CTA on small screen sizes, in the Small screen sizes section, toggle the switch on.
  • To schedule when the CTA begins to display, toggle the Schedule for later switch on. Then, select a Start date and Time. 
  • To schedule when the CTA stops displaying, toggle the Set unpublish date and time switch on. Then, select an End date and Time. 
    
    
    

Publish your CTA 

Once you've finished setting up your CTA, publish your CTA to take it live. 

• In the top-right, click Review and publish.
• In the right panel, review your CTA, then click Publish now. The CTA will be automatically published to the targeted pages.