Inspire action on your website with CTAs: A recipe for clicks & leads

If you’ve ever felt like you're sinking money into website traffic but still not getting leads from it, you’re not alone. Just ask any other home builder investing in digital marketing. It can be super frustrating. You see the site visits increasing, but those numbers aren’t turning into new contacts or appointments. So what’s going on?

It could be a result of the most overlooked—yet absolutely essential—elements of your website: the Call To Action (CTA). If your CTA buttons and links aren’t doing their job, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. The good news is this is one of the easiest problems to diagnose and fix on your builder web site.

Why “Submit” Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore

Let’s be honest: the word “Submit” rarely inspires anyone to take action, especially in our industry. Think about it—would you feel excited to hit that button if you were buying a home? I know I wouldn’t. It’s vague, robotic, and gives no sense of what you’ll actually get in return. Yet so many home builder websites still rely on this exact, uninspiring language.

At Bokka, we’ve seen firsthand how this tiny detail makes a huge difference. For instance, one builder we worked with (True Homes) had a baseline conversion rate of just 1.1%. Another in Texas (Flintrock) was stuck at 0.19%—that’s one lead out of every 500 visitors. These low numbers aren’t random; they're the result of uninspiring, unclear CTAs that don’t give buyers a compelling reason to act. When the best you can offer is a generic “Submit” button, you’re missing the chance to guide people toward meaningful engagement.

Here’s the good news though: you can turn things around—and it starts by getting a little strategic (and a lot more human) with your CTAs.

Every Buyer’s Journey Needs a Guidepost: Mapping Your CTAs to the Funnel

It’s important to consider where your website visitor is in the buyer’s journey. Not everyone landing on your site is ready to book a tour right away. Some are just browsing for ideas.  Others want details to narrow down options. A few are ready to talk to sales right now.

A good strategy meets them at each of those stages. At Bokka, we look at this home buyer journey in simple terms: Attract, Engage, Nurture, Close.

Top of Funnel (Attract): Just Browsing, Thanks!

When a buyer is in the early stage of the home builder sales funnel, they’re not looking for a hard sell—they’re exploring. Put yourself in their shoes: you’d want to see photos, compare options, or just get a feel for what’s out there.

Consider CTAs like:

• “Explore Communities”
• “View Photo Galleries”
• “Discover Floor Plans”
• “Learn More”

It’s about offering genuine value while letting buyers move at their own pace. No pressure, no pitch—just a clear, inviting path to keep them exploring.

Middle of Funnel (Engage): Figuring Out What Fits

Here’s where buyers start to compare options and need more detail to make informed decisions. At this stage, your CTAs can ask for a little more commitment.

Try CTAs like:

• “Download Brochure”
• “Take Virtual Tour”
• “Save Favorite Floor Plan”
• “Take Personality Quiz”
  • Seriously, our client’s interactive quiz bumped up conversion rates by 66%! Anecdotally, I once had a buyer tell me the quiz made the whole site feel more personal—like it was built just for them.
• “Calculate Payment”

The goal at this stage isn’t just clicks, but to start building a connection. And that starts with content that earns attention and engagement without asking too much too soon.  Make sure you have a good value proposition (more about value propositions here). Effective CTAs at this stage should feel like an invitation to get involved, not a demand to buy.

Bottom of Funnel (Nurture/Close): Ready to Talk

Now we’re talking real action. Buyers in this stage want direct answers, quick contact, or to lock in an appointment.

Consider CTAs like:

1. “Schedule a Tour”
2. “Visit Model Home”
3. “Contact Sales Agent”
4. “Chat Now” (and yes, one Colorado builder saw a 138% conversion jump just by adding live chat)

At this point, it’s all about making the next step feel easy, fast, and clearly worthwhile.

Quick tip: Offering both a “hard” CTA (like “Schedule a Tour”) and a “softer” option (like “Download Brochure”) helps you catch both the Ready-to-Act visitors and the More Cautious browsers. The latter is called a transitional CTA and is intended to make them feel more confident you’re a good fit for them.

The Words Matter: How to Write CTAs That Actually Convert

Let’s face the truth: most website visitors skim through pages. If your CTA doesn’t stand out or sound compelling, visitors will simply scroll right past it.

So, what makes for truly effective CTA copy? Here’s the recipe:

• Start with an action verb: “Explore,” “Schedule,” “Download,” “Find”. These encourage movement.
• Be clear, not clever: “See Floor Plans” trumps “Begin Your Adventure” (unless your brand’s tone is extra whimsical).
• Highlight the benefit: “Get My Brochure” feels like a win.
• Create urgency (but don’t fake it): “Limited-Time Incentive” or “Only 3 Left!” can drive action.
• Make it personal: Test “Start Your Journey” versus “Start My Journey”—and A/B test to see what resonates.
• Add emotion: “Start Personalizing Your Home” is a great example. It just feels good.

A fun fact: The tone of your CTAs and website copy makes a real difference. In our 2024 Conversion Report, 95.8% of buyers said tone influenced whether they’d fill out a form. That’s a big deal.

And please, for the love of leads, retire “Submit” buttons once and for all. If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, it probably doesn’t belong on your form.

Good Design Draws Clicks: Making CTAs Pop (for the Right Reasons)

Now that you have the words, they need to look the part, too. People are visual creatures. If your CTA is hard to spot, you’re losing leads before you even have the chance. (It’s kind of like hiding your “please knock” sign behind a bush.)

Here’s what works:

• Bold, contrasting colors: The button should catch the eye. Make sure it pops.
• Right sizing: Big enough for clumsy thumbs on mobile, but not overwhelming.
• Keep it spacious: Don’t let buttons fight for space. Give them breathing room.
• Easy-to-read text: Avoid weird fonts or low-contrast color schemes.
• Clear visual hierarchy: Your main CTA should be unmistakably “the main event.”
• On-brand but not boring: Yes, you can do both—look at builders like Blue Heron, who use bold, elegant, and personal CTAs like “Start Your Journey” that really stand out.

Remember: when in doubt? Simplicity wins.

Placement Matters: Meet Buyers Where They Are

We often get asked, “Where should my CTAs go?” Short answer: where people will notice and use them.

Long answer:

• Above the fold (top of the page): Put your best foot forward, front and center.
• Within content: Add context-specific CTAs as people scroll (for example, “Download Floor Plan” after a plan description).
• End of the page: Don’t let them finish reading without a clear next step.
• Sticky or floating CTAs: Great for high-priority actions like “Chat Now.”
• Exit intent popups: A last-chance offer for those about to bounce. (But use these sparingly.)

If you’re optimizing high-traffic pages like your homepage, community landing pages, or blog, remember: clarity beats clutter. Don’t stuff your site with a CTA every 3 inches. Too many choices lead to confusion, not clicks.

Forms: The Make-or-Break Step From Click to Lead

Your form is where the click turns into a lead. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be.

If you want higher conversion rates, try these form best practices:

• Keep it short and sweet: Only ask what you really need. Name, email, and maybe phone. Don’t grill them on the first hello!
• Be crystal clear about what’s required: A little asterisk is your friend.
• Use single-column layouts: Easier to complete on any device.
• Labels go above fields, not beside them: It’s simply more readable.
• Mobile-friendly matters: Check your form on a mobile device. If it’s hard to complete on a phone, you’re losing leads—guaranteed.
• Multi-step forms: Break longer forms into steps to make it feel less intimidating.
• Strong headline and CTA: Remember, avoid “Submit.” Think “Get My Info Pack” or “Reserve My Tour.”

Building Trust: The Secret Ingredient

Buyers are sharing personal details, and they need to know you’ll protect them. It’s a given that trust is everything.

Our data shows:

• Adding a “We won’t share your info” note boosts the likelihood of a form submission for 90.4% of buyers.
• Linking to a privacy policy increases trust to 76.4%.
• Fewer questions = more conversions

Don’t forget to include trust signals like a security badge or an SSL icon. Also throw in a quick line of reassurance like, “Your privacy is our priority.” It sounds simple, but it absolutely works.

Always Test: Small Tweaks, Big Wins

Here’s a little confession: we don’t always get it perfect on the first try. That’s why ongoing testing is ingrained into our process (and should be in yours, too).

Maybe you’re wondering, “But what if my site traffic isn’t super high?” It’s a fair concern—and one a lot of builders have. If traffic is low, you’ll just need to let your tests run longer to get a meaningful result. But trust us, even small traffic sites can benefit a ton from A/B testing.

Here’s how to get started:

• Test one thing at a time: Button color, CTA copy, location. Don’t overload yourself.
• Know your goal: More clicks? More form submissions? Focus gives you clarity.
• Use simple tools: VWO, Optimizely, and Hotjar are solid choices. Even old-school spreadsheets for tracking work fine when you're starting out.
• Trust the data: Sometimes the “ugly” button performs best.

And by the way, sometimes it really is the smallest tweaks. A quick example: at The Bokka Group, we had a client who was convinced their “Contact Us” form could not improve. After a few tests and a tweak to the button text (from “Submit” to “Get My Free Guide”), we saw the submissions jump.

Remember: it’s about improvement, not perfection.

Bokka Group In Action: Real Results with Real Builders

We get it—you want proof that this stuff works. That’s fair.

Here’s what we’ve seen happen when builders get serious about their CTAs and conversion strategies:

• True Homes: By designing focused landing pages with strong, relevant CTAs, we unlocked an 863% uplift in conversions. (Nope, that’s not a typo!)
• Texas Builder: With a soup-to-nuts approach—website, marketing, sales, CX, and CRM all aligned—we saw a 726% jump in visit-to-lead rate.
• Colorado Builder: Adding managed live chat (and smarter CTAs) boosted conversions by 138%.
• Interactive Personality Quiz: A simple, engaging quiz delivered a 66% increase in conversions for one builder. It seems people genuinely enjoy discovering their “homebuyer style.”

Our philosophy is pretty straightforward. As our Creative Director Jimmy Diffee likes to say, “Ultimately, the goal is to spend your money the best that you possibly can to get the best return on that investment and to deliver the best customer experience.”

In other words: when you prioritize smart CTAs, everyone wins—more leads for you, and a smoother, more engaging journey for buyers.

Ready to Boost Your Conversions? Here’s Where to Start

Let’s bring it home (pun totally intended). It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by all the details, but you don’t have to do everything at once. A few smart moves can make a huge difference.

Here are some bite-sized action steps for any home builder wanting better website results:

1. Audit your current CTAs. Are they clear, compelling, and matched to the stage of your buyer’s journey? Or are you stuck in “Submit” purgatory?
2. Review your forms. Are they friendly and short? Do you offer privacy reassurance and a clear value for sharing info?
3. Try one A/B test. Pick the easiest win—a button label, color, or even headline. Small wins build confidence.
4. Add something engaging. Could a fun quiz, virtual tour, or VIP sign-up boost engagement and leads? Don’t be afraid to experiment.

And if you ever catch yourself thinking, “Is this really worth it? Does it really matter?”—remember those insane conversion lifts. Websites don’t have to be static. Each testimonial, stat, and success story proves the value of a thoughtful, data-backed approach.

At Bokka Group, we’ve spent over 20 years helping builders turn interest into action with better customer experiences and smart digital strategies. If you’re curious to know where your site stands—or want a friendly expert eye on your CTAs—reach out for a free website conversion audit. We’re all about helping you turn more visitors into happy home buying leads—one smart click at a time.

Got questions? Wondering what your next “easy win” could be? Or maybe you just want to chat about CTAs (yes, we’re those nerds)? Drop us a line. We’re always excited to talk strategy and share what actually works—no jargon, just results.