What are your best practices for creating effective call-to-actions (CTAs) in digital marketing materials?

I’ve always adhered to a simple yet powerful principle when it comes to crafting effective CTAs: Do NOT make CTAs sound like work. It may seem straightforward, but it’s surprising how often people overlook this, and the impact is significant. CTAs that feel like tasks or obligations create friction and deter users from taking action. Your audience is busy, so asking them to "Sign Up Now" or "Talk to Our Sales Team" feels like adding another chore to their list. These kinds of CTAs come across as pushy or demanding, which can lead to disengagement.

On the other hand, effective CTAs invite the user into an experience that feels easy, valuable, and aligned with their goals. CTAs like "Take the First Step" or "Let Us Help You" are inviting and empowering—they position the action as something beneficial, not burdensome. "Try Our 5-Minute Demo" emphasizes how quick and painless the process will be, removing any sense of commitment or effort.

The key is to focus on the benefit and frame the action in a way that feels light, simple, and aligned with the user’s motivations. CTAs should promise value, not work. You’re not just asking someone to perform an action; you’re offering them a solution or a positive experience. When done right, CTAs become a seamless part of the user journey, encouraging engagement without resistance.

One fun example I like to use is YouTube videos where the person says something like "don't forget to smash that subscribe button" and points down to it. It's FUN to smash buttons, always gets me.

Nowadays, most paid media platforms ( Meta, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, etc.) offer their set of CTAs to select from when you're setting up paid campaign. That's a great start, since those companies launch tons of experiments and sometimes it's better to trust them, especially if you're on a limited budget.
If you'd like to experiment or also having some offline or lifecycle campaigns via e-mail or in-product channels, GenAI is a great source of inspiration to test and learn.
Be mindful of the funnel stages: I'd say the closer you're to the bottom of the funnel or for some win-back campaigns align your CTA's to those in other materials( landing pages, sales pitches) as well as product (i.e if your product mainly says 'submit an application' try to stay consistent rather than using 'unlock the potential', which will make sense testing earlier in the funnel).