What is CRO?
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) focuses on methods of improving your website or landing page so you can motivate more visitors to undertake specific actions. These actions, or “conversions,” might include:
- Placing an order
- Adding your name to the ranks of those who get our newsletter
- Filling out a form
- Downloading a resource
- Clicking on a call-to-action button
CRO involves observing user behavior, identifying points of pain and improving the user experience to attract more customers or subscribers.
Why CRO Matters
For example, if your website gets 1,000 visitors and 30 of them take a certain action you want, then your conversion rate is 3% (30 divided by 1,000). CRO is about identifying strategies to raise that 3% figure without having to drive more traffic to your site.
Unique Advantages of CRO
- Better ROI: Increases in profits that are not called for by increased spending in advertising
- Enhanced User Experience: An optimized website is clearer and easier to use, which is good for everyone involved
- Competitive Edge: A higher conversion rate means you can be more competitive in targeting your audience
- Over Time Benefits: Even small improvements in your website will compound into large gains years down the line
How Does CRO Work?
CRO uses data-driven methods (Learn more How to Select the Right Conversion Rate Optimization Tool) better understand how users behave and to make changes that would increase conversions. The general process is as follows:
1. Research and Analysis
Understanding why visitors are not converting is the backbone of CRO. Start by analyzing your website’s performance with tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar or Crazy Egg. Look out for:
- Bounce rates
- Time on site
- Exit pages
- Heatmaps (to see where users click)
- Session recordings
Also collect qualitative data through surveys, interviews or feedback widgets. This will tell you what real users feel frustrating or bewildering.
2. Identify Conversion Barriers
Now that you have the necessary data, identify the stumbling blocks on your site. Common barriers include:
- A confusing checkout process
- Pages that load too slowly
- Lack of trust signals (e.g., reviews, testimonials)
- Clunky mobile user experience
For example, if your data shows that users drop off during the payment process, this could indicate that your checkout form is too complex or has bugs.
3. Experiment
With hypotheses in hand, use A/B testing or multivariate testing to experiment. This involves creating different versions of a page and testing to see which one is better. For example:
- Does a red “Buy Now” button outperform a green one?
- Does putting a testimonial on the landing page increase user trust?
Tools such as Optimizely, VWO or Google Optimize let you carry out these experiments with ease.
4. Measure and Iterate
After experiments, measure the impact of your changes against key metrics like:
- Conversion rates
- Average order value (AOV)
- Click-through rates (CTR)
Retain what works, adjust what doesn’t, and continually iterate as you collect more data.
Top Tips to Boost Your Conversion Rates
Simplify Your Call-to-Actions (CTAs)
A clear call to action encourages users to act. Use language that tells very clearly the benefit of doing so. For example:
- Instead of saying “Submit,” write “Get Your Free Guide!”
- Use action verbs like “Start Saving Today” or “Join for Free.”
Optimize Page Loading Time
Research has shown that pages taking 3 seconds or more to load lose 40% of their visitors. Use tools such as Google’s PageSpeed Insights to locate latency issue. Compress images, turn on caching, and cut down bloated code can all help speed things up too.
Use Social Proof
People quite often do what the people around them are doing. Seeing a review, a testimonial, a case study or trust seals can help the visitor who was hesitant to make a firmer decision to know which one is right.
Create Mobile-First Sites
With mobile traffic still rising, make sure your site is fully responsive. Larger buttons use, plain forms, and touch-optimized design make it easy for people with smartphones to use your website.
Add Live Chat Support
Instant support helps to build trust and it can overcome any buying hesitation a customer may be having in real time. Features like Intercom or Zendesk Chat come with live chat integration facilities which mean you’ll be up and running quickly.
Test Everything
A/B testing is the golden rule of CRO. You will go through different options on everything from headline text and visuals to CTAs and layouts, just to see what works best with your audience.
Common CRO Myths
- Myth 1: CRO is used to increase traffic
Truth: That’s a misunderstanding–CRO revolves around improving the efficiency of current traffic, but it may not necessarily mean that you are getting more visitors
- Myth 2: Conversion problems are all technical
Truth: Though the precision of techniques can have an influence on conversion rates, there are other problems such as messaging, product-market fit and the object of inquiry that play an equally finished rol
- Myth 3: CRO delivers immediate results
Truth: CRO is essentially a long-term plan–continuous improvement. Think marathon not sprinting
Use Case Example
An e-commerce store has a 2% conversion rate. After a period of data analysis, however, the store found that most visitors were abandoning their carts at the payment stage. By simplifying their checkout (fewer form fields, placing trust markers where people can see them), it raises the store’s conversion rate in inbound visitors to 3%. That 1% increase means a 50% more income without increasing traffic at all.
Why Choose CRO?
You should choose CRO if you’re serious about seeing every penny in your budget work as hard as possible, and this informs every single one of our decisions here at Conversion Rate Experts. We zero in on the barriers that hinder user experiences and turn light into heavy users. This ensures sustainable growth for your business.
Take the First Step
As we mentioned from above, perhaps you are currently focused on more than just driving traffic. If so, or anything at all into the case may be instructive here – start by analyzing the data on your website, identify its biggest roadblocks, and get testing. Continual iteration is its secret metal bit in general practice itself.
Need Help?
Need help refining your CRO strategy? Check out our Resources or get in touch with us today.
