“Click here” refuses to die.
It shows up in newsletters, promotions, buttons, and links—often by habit, not intention. It feels harmless. Familiar. Safe.
But in modern email, “click here” quietly hurts results. Not in dramatic ways. In small, consistent ways that reduce clicks, weaken engagement, and slowly affect deliverability.
This isn’t about trends or clever copy. It’s about how people decide to take action.
Why “Click Here” Feels Easy for the Sender
From the sender’s perspective, “click here” solves a problem quickly. It fills space. It adds a link. It avoids thinking about wording.
But ease for the sender often creates friction for the reader.
“Click here” asks the reader to act before understanding why. That reverses how people naturally make decisions.
What “Click Here” Fails to Do
“Click here” answers only one question:
What should I physically do?
It fails to answer the more important questions:
- What happens next?
- Why is this worth my time?
- What will I get if I click?
When those questions go unanswered, hesitation creeps in.
Hesitation leads to scrolling past.
Scrolling past leads to no click.
No click leads to weaker engagement signals.
Inbox providers notice the pattern.
Why Vague CTAs Reduce Trust
Every link asks for trust.
When CTA wording is vague, the reader has to guess what’s on the other side. Guessing creates uncertainty. Uncertainty slows action.
Subscribers don’t think:
“This is bad copy.”
They think:
“I’ll look at this later.”
Later rarely comes.
Inbox providers don’t see the thought process. They see the result: opens without interaction.
The Deliverability Cost of “Almost Clicks”
One of the most damaging engagement patterns is almost clicks.
Emails get opened.
Readers skim.
They consider clicking.
Then they don’t.
Inbox providers track that behavior over time. When emails consistently fail to generate interaction, inbox placement becomes less stable—even if opens remain decent.
“Click here” contributes to this pattern because it doesn’t create enough confidence to act.
Why “Click Here” Feels Outdated to Readers
Modern readers are used to descriptive links everywhere else online.
Articles say:
- “See the full report”
- “View the example”
- “Read the breakdown”
When an email suddenly uses “click here,” it feels generic and unfinished—like a placeholder that never got replaced.
That subtle disconnect reduces confidence.
Confidence is what produces clicks.
How Specific CTAs Change Behavior
Replacing “click here” with a specific outcome changes how the brain responds.
Compare:
- “Click here”
- “Read the full issue”
- “See how this improves deliverability”
- “View the step-by-step example”
Specific CTAs remove uncertainty. The reader knows what they’ll get before clicking.
That clarity makes action feel safe.
Inbox providers reward clicks that feel intentional and followed by engagement—not curiosity clicks that end quickly.
Why “Click Here” Often Competes With the Copy
Another issue is placement.
“Click here” often appears after a paragraph that built interest—then abruptly switches tone.
The copy explains value.
The CTA suddenly becomes mechanical.
That tone shift interrupts momentum.
Better CTA wording continues the conversation instead of stopping it.
Why Buttons Don’t Fix the Problem
Some marketers assume buttons solve weak CTA wording.
They don’t.
A button that says “Click Here” still suffers from the same issue. The format changes. The uncertainty remains.
CTA wording matters more than color, size, or shape.
The Mobile Factor Makes It Worse
On mobile, every tap feels intentional.
Readers are even less likely to tap vague links because:
- Screens are smaller
- Attention is shorter
- Accidental taps are annoying
Clear, descriptive CTAs perform significantly better on mobile because they reduce regret risk.
Inbox providers see higher-quality interaction as a result.
A Simple Replacement Rule That Works
Any time you’re tempted to write “click here,” replace it with:
“Click here to ___.”
Then remove “click here.”
What’s left is usually a stronger CTA.
Examples:
- “Read the full issue”
- “See the example”
- “Get the full breakdown”
If you can’t complete the sentence clearly, the CTA isn’t ready.
Why This Small Change Adds Up
Replacing “click here” won’t transform results overnight.
But over time, clearer CTAs:
- Increase click-through rates
- Reduce hesitation
- Improve engagement consistency
- Strengthen inbox trust
Inbox providers reward consistency more than spikes.
Small improvements compound.
The Bigger Picture
Email performance isn’t driven by tricks. It’s driven by clarity.
When readers understand what they’ll get and feel comfortable acting, engagement improves naturally.
“Click here” works against that clarity.
The Bottom Line
“Click here” doesn’t tell readers enough to act confidently.
Replacing it with clear, outcome-based wording reduces hesitation, increases clicks, and creates stronger engagement signals over time.
Closing Takeaway
Stop telling readers how to click. Tell them why they should. Clear CTAs earn better clicks—and better clicks protect deliverability.