Trying to call for an action. Vertical vs Horizontal

Question

I am trying to follow the concept I found here:

http://designmodo.com/cta-button/

I am not sure if I am biased or it is just really not calling my attention. I made 2 versions of it and here are the results:

At first I would like not to use buttons at all and make the 2 div a link/button instead but I am having problem on how to make them look clickable. Maybe making it 3d by elevating them? Borders?

Answer 1

As far as making the buttons stand out and look clickable compared to their surroundings, I think you've succeeded pretty well :-)

I would personally choose your side-by-side setup, especially if you're already dealing with the subject of categories and sub-categories. Your second setup risks implying the hierarchy between both. Having both options next to each other makes them equally important.

Suggestions:

• Try to align both buttons with each other. This makes for a more balanced layout.
• Remove the borders of the Category and Sub-Category divs. Less clutter is easier on the eye. Instead, try to use a vertical separator line between both.
• Make both buttons equally wide, but edit/shorten the text in your buttons. 'New Category' and 'New Sub-Category' are pretty much self-explanatory.
• If you absolutely need to differentiate both blocks more, try adding a unique image or icon for each block.

I hope this can help you move onward with your design.