At least one clear primary CTA is present above the fold
Why it matters
A clear CTA in the hero section is the mechanism that converts intent into action. Without one — or when the only option is a passive link like "Learn more" — a visitor who arrived ready to act has nowhere to go. They must navigate on their own to find what to do next, and most will not. The CTA's text signals what happens when the visitor clicks: "Start free trial" sets an expectation, "Learn more" does not. Primary CTA text that names the action and sets the expectation ("Get early access", "See a demo", "Start free — no credit card") converts at measurably higher rates than generic verbs. The hero CTA is the single highest-value conversion point on the page.
Severity rationale
High because a missing or passive CTA above the fold means interested visitors have no clear next step — intent arrives but has no exit path, and the conversion opportunity evaporates.
Remediation
Add a <button> or <a> element in the hero section with action-oriented text. The CTA should be styled as a primary button (filled background, not a plain text link) so it is visually distinct from surrounding copy.
Effective CTA patterns:
// Specific + expectation-setting
<Button asChild>
<Link href="/signup">Start free — no credit card required</Link>
</Button>
// Action + social proof
<Button asChild>
<Link href="/demo">See it in action</Link>
</Button>
// Urgency + specificity
<Button asChild>
<Link href="/waitlist">Get early access</Link>
</Button>
In app/page.tsx or components/HeroSection.tsx, add the CTA immediately below the sub-headline. Do not bury it below the fold. Avoid "Submit", "Click here", or "Learn more" as primary CTA text — these describe the action but not the outcome the visitor gets.
DetectionPro
The detection method for this pattern is part of AuditBuffet Pro.
The full method (what to look for, pass and fail conditions, and how results get reported) ships inside the Content Quality Audit. The pattern definition, severity rationale, and remediation remain openly licensed under CC-BY-4.0.
Taxons
History
- 2026-04-18·v1.0.0·Initial import from marketing-content-quality·automated