What makes a call to action effective on a landing page?
The rubric scores three things, totalling 3.75 in weight: how many CTAs are on the page (1.5, full credit for 1 to 12), whether the primary CTA text names an action (1, vague text scores 0.25 rather than 0) and whether there is any form to convert into (1.25, pass or fail with no middle ground). CTA carries a weight of 1.3 in the composite score, the highest of any category, because this is a conversion-focused audit.
Having no CTA at all scores zero outright. Having between 1 and 12 scores full credit. Past 12, credit falls off over an 11 CTA taper, so a page with 20 calls to action scores about 0.27. Too many CTAs is scored as a real problem, not a bonus, because a page asking for twelve different things is asking for nothing.
Specificity is judged by exact text match, which matters more than it sounds. The vague-CTA list is submit, click here, click, learn more, read more, more info, more, here, go, next and continue, plus ok. The match is anchored to the whole button text and is case insensitive, so a button reading exactly "Learn more" scores 0.25, while "Learn more about pricing" scores the full 1.0. Adding an object to a weak verb is enough to pass this check.
The conversion path check is binary. A contact form, or any form at all, scores 1.0. Neither scores 0.0. There is no partial credit and no threshold on the number of fields, the form's position, or whether it actually submits anywhere.
Only the most prominent CTA's text is scored for specificity. The other CTAs on the page contribute to the count check but their wording is not examined.
What is measured, and how it is scored
3 checks make up the CTA Effectiveness score. Weights are relative within the category and sum to 3.75.
| Check | Rule | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Number of buttons and links that read as calls to action | Zero CTAs scores 0.0. Full credit from 1 to 12 CTAs. Above 12 credit falls off over an 11 CTA taper, so 20 CTAs scores about 0.27 and 23 or more scores zero. | 1.5 |
| Whether the primary CTA's wording names an action or an outcome | Scores 0.25 when the whole button text is exactly one of: submit, click here, click, learn more, read more, more info, more, here, go, next, continue, ok. Case insensitive, whole-string match. Anything else scores 1.0. | 1 |
| Whether the page has somewhere to convert | Pass or fail, no threshold. A contact form, or any form on the page, scores 1.0. Neither scores 0.0. | 1.25 |
CTA Effectiveness questions
How many calls to action should a page have?+
Between 1 and 12 earns full credit on the CTA count check. Zero scores nothing, and past 12 the score falls in a straight line, reaching zero at 23 CTAs. The range is wide because repeating one CTA down a long page is normal and healthy.
Why is "Learn more" marked as a weak call to action?+
It names no action and no outcome, so it scores 0.25 instead of 1.0 on the specificity check. The match is on the exact button text, so "Learn more about pricing" passes at full credit. Naming what the visitor gets is what the check rewards.
Does the audit check whether a form actually works?+
No. The conversion path check is a binary test for whether a contact form or any form exists on the page. It does not submit the form, count its fields, or verify that the submission reaches anyone.
Why does CTA carry the most weight in the overall score?+
It is weighted 1.3 in the composite, above SEO and Performance at 1.15 and Design at 0.7. The audit exists to improve conversion, and the CTA checks are both measurable and directly tied to that outcome.
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