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Glossary

Call to action (CTA)

Also called : CTA, call-to-action, action prompt, appel à l’action

Definition

A call to action (CTA) is an explicit invitation to do one specific thing: follow, comment, save the video, tap a link. It turns attention into a concrete action.

Why a call to action matters

A viewer who enjoyed your video doesn’t always know what to do next. A clear CTA gives them a direction. It works best when it flows from the content: a question that invites a comment, a resource worth saving, a follow-up people want to see.

How to place a CTA in short-form video

  • Ask for one action per video.
  • Tie the CTA to the content rather than a generic line.
  • Say it and show it on screen, for people watching on mute.
  • Example: at the end of a budgeting video, “Save this for your Sunday money check-in” is more concrete than “Follow for more content”.

Common CTA mistakes

  • Putting the CTA at the start, before you’ve delivered any value.
  • Stacking requests: follow, like, comment, share.
  • Using a CTA that platform rules discourage (misleading incentives, fake giveaways).
In Flowers

Your CTA is part of your Flowers script, in the closing sequence. When you publish, you can prepare a text variant for each network to adapt the invitation for Instagram Reels, TikTok or YouTube Shorts.

FAQ

Do I always need a CTA?

Not necessarily a heavy one, but a clear direction helps. Some videos end better on an open question than on a follow request.

Where should the CTA go in a short video?

Usually at the end, once you’ve kept your promise. You can also slip it in mid-video if it’s tied to the content, like “tell me in the comments if you do this too”.

Video scriptCaptionCompletion rate