Ghost Buttons' Impact on Conversions

Marty Greif
by Marty Greif 19 Jan, 2017

There are very few things that can tank conversions the way misused ghost buttons can.

For the unfamiliar, ghost buttons are the barely-readable-by-default buttons that become readable once a person hovers over them, usually found in all types of agencies (including design/UX firms!) or just about any website whose need for pizzazz has somehow overridden every other goal the website has.

All right, that was a tad harsh. Companies can actually use ghost buttons as a secondary button when they want a more sales-oriented button to pop.

If a brand is using a ghost button as the main call-to-action on the page because it fits with their hip design, however, just remember that it's called a ghost button for a reason. If designers want ghost-level click-throughs, this is the right tool for the job.

This is an even more potent conversion killer when paired with auto-play videos on the homepage, or large images that leave no room for navigation elements.