Does this sound familiar: you have a brilliant blog on your website, you know it’s helpful to your ideal clients, and your analytics are telling you that your target audience is actually reading your articles (that’s important).
But despite the high readership and popularity of your blog, it's leading to very few actual enquiries or bookings.
(This article was inspired by a recent conversation with one of our website redesign clients. They’ve been blogging for years - they have hundreds of posts, bringing in plenty of readers, but they wanted to turn more of that readership into paying clients. This is one of the things we’re working on during the redesign.)
So… how do you get people who are reading your blogs to actually take action?
Blog readers respond better to low-commitment prompts
Blog readers are usually earlier in their buyer journey. They have a problem or concern, but they’re in DIY or research mode… not quite ready to pick up the phone and book your service yet.
But that doesn’t mean they’re unqualified. Getting your service pages or offers gently in front of their eyes helps them build awareness of what you do, and moves them one small step closer to working with you.
So rather than trying to persuade blog readers to book a high-ticket service straight away, encourage them to take a small, low-commitment step: check out a service page, follow you on social media, download a resource or guide in return for their email address.
These tiny actions are called micro conversions, and they’re the key to turning readers into future clients.
(There are sometimes exceptions to this rule, which I’ll mention later on.)
Types of CTAs you can add to your blog posts
1. Inline links within the first couple of paragraphs
Getting a subtle CTA in early maximises the likelihood of readers actually seeing it!
During the first few paragraphs, your readers are in reading mode, so avoid shouting at them with a big, stand-out box and a ‘Book a call!’ button. They’ll most likely skip straight over that, to get back to what they actually came to read about. Instead, weave in a natural reminder that you offer a service relating to the topic of the post.
(There’s an example in this very article… can you spot it?)
Keep these links contextual and low-pressure - think service page links, not discovery call buttons.
2. Pop ups
Pop ups can work well, but only when they’re used thoughtfully, and the timing needs to be spot-on. Otherwise, they’re just annoying.
They’re most effective when you’re offering something of actual value that feels like a no-brainer - a useful downloadable guide, a free mini course, or a webinar. Just make sure that it’s relevant to the topic your reader is exploring.
How avoid your pop ups making your readers rage-quit:
- Delay the pop up so it only appears after 30–45 seconds, or once the reader has scrolled at least 50% down the page.
- Make sure it’s tied directly to what they’re reading. A generic offer won’t be appreciated.
- Make sure it’s easy to close. Especially on mobile (this often gets overlooked).
Just wanna say - personally I hate pop ups, and your readers probably feel the same. The only time I welcome them is when I’m shopping for trainers online and the pop up offers me a 20% discount on Skechers. That’s an offer I literally can’t refuse.
If your pop up isn’t offering something as compelling as this, best to skip it to avoid pssing off your readers.*
3. CTAs at the end of your posts
If someone’s reached the end of your article, they’ve just given you a few minutes of their full attention. That’s a big deal! It means they’re interested in what you have to say, and could be hungry for more.
End-of-post CTAs can be a great moment to offer more.
- Invite them to sign up for your email newsletter (you don’t even need to offer a lead magnet - you already have their attention)
- Encourage them to read another related post
- Remind them that they can follow you on social media
Make your end-of-post CTA more eye-catching and visually distinct from the main text, so it doesn’t get skimmed over.
FYI: It’s actually pretty rare for blog readers to reach the very end of a post, so keep this in mind when thinking about CTA placement. If the end of the post is the only place you mention your services or lead magnet, there’s a good chance many of your readers will never see it.
You can use scroll-depth tracking tools to figure out how many of your readers actually read to the end.
4. Sidebar banners
Sidebars are flexible spaces you can use for almost any type of CTA
- Email sign-up forms
- Links to specific products or services
- Lead magnet downloads
In some cases, this is the one space where I would recommend a direct link to book a call, get in touch for a quote, or whatever the first step is in your enquiry process.
These stronger CTAs are particularly useful when your readers are dealing with a specific issue and you know they’re likely to need help soon.
For example, a dietitian offering online consultations for people with IBS might be writing articles about foods that help or worsen IBS. This is where it would be relevant to include a sidebar banner with a short blurb and a button linking directly to book a free discovery call.
The blog content already filters for an extremely relevant audience, so the CTA feels helpful, not pushy.
This approach worked brilliantly for one of my recent clients. Read the case study here.
A caveat:
Adding well-placed CTAs to your blog posts will result in eyes on your services, sign-ups to your newsletter, and enquiries through your contact form. But only if you're actually getting a good amount of qualified traffic to your blog.
This is just a reminder to check your analytics and make sure people are definitely reading your blog posts. Otherwise, all the CTA tweaking in the world won't make a difference!