--- title: "What is Call to Action (CTA)? — Social Media Glossary | Postpone" canonical_url: "https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/call-to-action" last_updated: "2026-10-08T07:16:58.971Z" meta: description: "A call to action, or CTA, is a prompt telling your audience exactly what to do next, such as click, comment, share, subscribe or buy." "og:description": "A call to action, or CTA, is a prompt telling your audience exactly what to do next, such as click, comment, share, subscribe or buy." "og:title": "What is Call to Action (CTA)? — Social Media Glossary" "twitter:description": "A call to action, or CTA, is a prompt telling your audience exactly what to do next, such as click, comment, share, subscribe or buy." "twitter:title": "What is Call to Action (CTA)? — Social Media Glossary" --- **Content Strategy** # Call to Action (CTA) A call to action, or CTA, is a prompt telling your audience exactly what to do next, such as click, comment, share, subscribe or buy. [**Reddit **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/reddit-post-scheduler) [** X **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/twitter-post-scheduler) [** Instagram **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/instagram-post-scheduler) [** Facebook **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/facebook-post-scheduler) [** LinkedIn **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/linkedin-scheduler) [** TikTok **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tiktok-post-scheduler) [** Threads **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/threads-scheduler) [** Pinterest **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/pinterest-scheduler) [** YouTube **Shorts scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/youtube-shorts-scheduler) [** Bluesky **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/bluesky-post-scheduler) [** Tumblr **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tumblr-post-scheduler) [** Mastodon **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/mastodon-post-scheduler) Every piece of content should answer one question for the viewer: "What do I do now?" That's your call to action. It's the line that converts passive scrolling into active engagement. Follow. Share. Click the link. Drop a comment. Save this post. Sign up. Buy now. Without a CTA, you're leaving the audience's next move to chance — and most people will just keep scrolling. ## Why CTAs Work Social media moves fast. Someone likes your post, nods in agreement, and their thumb is already moving to the next piece of content. A CTA interrupts that momentum. It creates a micro-decision point: do I take this action or not? The psychology is straightforward. People are more likely to do something when explicitly asked. Research consistently shows that anchor text CTAs outperform passive alternatives by significant margins. The ask doesn't need to be clever. It needs to be clear. ## Types of Social Media CTAs **Engagement CTAs** drive interaction: "Double tap if you agree," "Tag someone who needs this," "What's your take? Comment below." **Growth CTAs** build your audience: "Follow for daily tips," "Share this with your team," "Turn on post notifications." **Traffic CTAs** move people off-platform: "Link in bio," "Swipe up," "Click the link in comments." **Sales CTAs** drive revenue: "Shop now," "Use code SAVE20," "Book your free call." Match your CTA to your goal. If you want engagement, don't ask people to visit your website. If you want sales, don't ask for a like. ## Platform-Specific CTA Rules Reddit actively punishes hard sells. A CTA there might be as subtle as "Happy to answer questions in the comments." On LinkedIn, "Repost if this resonated" performs well because professionals want to look thoughtful. On TikTok, "Follow for part 2" creates anticipation that drives follows. Keep your CTA to one action per post. Asking someone to "like, comment, share, follow, and check the link in bio" dilutes every ask. Pick the action that matters most and make it unmissable. **Example** A LinkedIn post about productivity tips ends with 'Follow for more posts like this.' That single line can significantly increase follow rate compared to posts that just trail off. On Instagram, 'Save this for later' consistently drives saves, which signals the algorithm to boost the post. ## **Why It Matters** People need direction. Even when they enjoy your content, most won't take the next step unless you explicitly ask. A clear CTA bridges the gap between passive consumption and meaningful action — whether that's a follow, a click, or a purchase. ## **Related Terms** [Caption](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/caption) [Click-Through Rate (CTR)](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/click-through-rate) [Conversion Rate](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/conversion-rate) [Copywriting](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/copywriting) [Hook](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/hook) [**← Back to Social Media Glossary **](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary)