Are you struggling to convert website visitors into paying customers? Do you feel your website could be performing better? If so, you’re not alone.
The average website conversion rate across all industries is slightly over 2%. That means most website visitors leave without taking any action.
This is where Conversion Rate Optimization audit (CRO) comes in.
A CRO audit is a comprehensive evaluation of your website’s performance to identify improvement areas to increase conversions. It lets you understand your prospective customers’ needs and what will make them convert. It also helps you find and fix the friction points, gaps, and errors hurting your conversions.
In this article, we’ll dive into the 10-step process of conducting a conversion audit and share tips and examples to help you improve your website’s conversion rate.
If you’re unsure where to start your conversion audits, the first step is defining your goals. Your goal could be as simple as increasing overall conversion rates or as complex as maximizing revenue per visitor.
The key here is to ensure your goals are measurable, specific, and achievable. If you don’t know how to measure success, it will be impossible to tell if your changes have affected your key performance indicators (KPIs).
Start by writing down your goals, including both short-term (i.e., increasing conversion rate) and long-term (i.e., improving brand reputation).
For instance, here’s an example of the conversion goals of an e-commerce site.
Next, consider the KPIs that will help you measure those goals.
Here’s an example of a KPI for a sales team.
It ensures the teams meet sales targets by tracking sales KPIs, including New Inbound Leads, New Qualified Opportunities, Total Pipeline Value, Sales Volume by Location, and Average Order Value.
Here are some more examples of goals and KPIs you might want to consider:
Defining your goals and KPIs is vital to be specific and measurable. This will allow you to track progress and make data-driven decisions.
Related Articles: How To Align Your Business Goals With Your Conversion Goals
Additionally, it’s important to prioritize your goals based on their importance to your business. For example, if increasing online sales is your top priority, then you should focus on optimizing your website for conversions.
If you don’t know your target audience, how can you expect to design anything for them?
The first part of defining your target audience is deciding what kind of users you want to attract to your website. Are they male or female? Young or old? What languages do they speak? Is there anything else about them that will help you decide what kind of website they need?
Here are some factors to consider when defining your target audience:
Here’s an example of how you might define a target audience for a B2C athletic shoe brand:
It defines key demographics, key psychographics, challenges, preferred channels, and preferred content types.
Defining your target audience helps you create a user-centric website that resonates with your ideal customers.
When you understand their motivations, preferences, and pain points, you’ll find it easier to optimize your website to meet their needs and increase conversions. This can involve changing your website’s messaging, design, and user experience to align with your target audience’s expectations and preferences.
Web analysis involves a comprehensive review of your website’s design, content, and user experience to identify areas for improvement that could increase conversions.
Here are some key factors to consider when conducting a website analysis:
You should also look for broken links, missing images, and inconsistent branding during the website analysis. Once you identify these issues, you can prioritize the areas of your website that require the most attention and implement changes to improve your site’s user experience.
For example, you might discover that your website’s checkout process is too complicated, causing potential customers to abandon their purchases. You could increase conversions and revenue by streamlining the checkout process and making it more user-friendly.
For instance, Sergii Filonenko, a UX designer, managed to increase the conversion rate by 12%, reduce the bounce rate by 15% and improve customer satisfaction by 20% by redesigning the checkout experience for a travel management company.
He conducted a website analysis and discovered that the previous checkout was a single-page layout with an inconvenient interface. He conducted stakeholder interviews, competitor research, and team brainstorming to define the goals and requirements for the redesign.
But how do you conduct website analysis? How will you spot how your users are actually behaving on your site?
To perform a good website analysis, you must have good analytical tools.
You can use Google Analytics or any other analytics tool to track how users interact with your site and what they do on it. These tools’ data will help you understand how users interact with your site, which web pages they view, and what they are looking for.
Look at goals, funnels, traffic sources, and conversions to see where people are coming from, what pages they visit, and how many people convert (or don’t).
Next up, conduct a heatmap test using FigPii to see which parts of your website get the most attention and where they stop reading or scrolling down the page. You can also use the tools to find out if there are any areas of your site that no one is visiting at all – like the footer or sidebar.
Website traffic analysis is important because it helps us understand when, where, and how users interact with our website.
It also helps you identify which channels drive the most visitors and conversions. Common traffic sources include search engines, social media channels, email marketing campaigns, and paid advertising.
For example, if we want to optimize for mobile visitors, we need to know how many mobile visitors we have and what percentage of total traffic they represent.
You might discover that most of your website traffic comes from mobile devices, but you’ve yet to optimize your website for mobile users. Optimizing your website for mobile devices could improve the user experience and increase conversions.
Here are some tips for analyzing website traffic:
Usability refers to the ease with which visitors can navigate and interact with a website, and it plays a critical role in driving conversions. A website that is difficult to navigate or has confusing user flows can lead to frustration and visitors leaving.
Let’s be real. A website that’s hard to use is like a car with no steering wheel, and it’s not gonna get you anywhere.
To analyze website usability, consider the following:
Don’t forget to use user testing tools to gather data on how visitors interact with your website and identify areas for improvement. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to identify the usability issues we might have missed.
And it’s always a good idea to conduct A/B testing to compare different usability variants.
Let’s talk about the power of A/B testing, shall we? Swiss Gear is an excellent example of a company that used this technique to boost user experience and increase conversions.
They wanted to simplify their product detail pages and draw attention to the sales price. So, they created two versions of the page and showed them to different groups of site visitors.
The results were clear – the variant with a simplified layout and highlighted sales price led to a whopping 52% increase in conversions. And during the holiday season, they saw an incredible 137% increase in conversions.
One specific improvement was in the display of the product name. The important information in the A/B test variant was clear and easy to find in red, making it stand out on the page.
It shows that sometimes small tweaks, like color and placement, can impact the user experience and ultimately drive more conversions.
Now, it’s time to review your site’s conversion elements.
The three main conversion elements you need to check are:
Forms: Make sure they’re not too long or complicated. If they are, break them down into smaller chunks.
Checkout process: Are there any unnecessary fields that could be causing visitors to abandon the form or checkout process? Simplifying the form and checkout process can lead to higher completion rates and more conversions.
Calls-to-action (CTAs): Are they prominently displayed and easy to find? Are they relevant to the page content and the user’s journey? You may consider A/B testing different CTA designs, placements, and copy to see which variations lead to more conversions.
Aside from A/B testing, you can also analyze CTAs using tools like HubSpot. It will give you CTA performance reports.
You will also get a report of the views, clicks, and submission conversions, along with the Call-to-action placements report.
Another important aspect is social proof. Are you showcasing customer reviews, testimonials, and other social proof elements on your website? These marketing efforts can help build trust and credibility with potential customers, leading to higher conversion rates.
At this point, you should have a good idea of how people are entering your site and the problems they’re having. Now we’ll look at how they’re leaving it – your landing pages.
As a rule of thumb, you need to optimize your landing page for conversions from when someone arrives.
This means that you’ll want to avoid sending them to other pages on your site, where they might get distracted by other content or links that don’t relate directly to the goal you’re trying to accomplish with this particular page.
To begin analyzing landing pages, start by looking at the metrics. Which pages are getting the most traffic? What is the bounce rate? How long are visitors spending on each page? These metrics will help you understand how effective your landing pages currently are.
Next, take a closer look at the design and content of your landing pages.
Is the message clear and concise?
Are there any distractions or elements that could confuse or overwhelm visitors?
Is the call-to-action (CTA) prominent and easy to find?
It can be helpful to create different variations of your landing page and conduct A/B tests to see which version performs better. For example, you might test different headlines, CTA buttons, or images to see which elements lead to more conversions.
It’s apparent by now that there are many different aspects of your website, and you need to test all of them separately to see what works best for you.
However, you can integrate these elements into one conversion funnel to see where users drop off and spend most of their time. This way, if something fails for some user groups, you can see what part of your site or service does not work well for them and how it can be improved.
And that’s why mapping the conversion funnel is so important.
A conversion funnel refers to a customer’s sequence of actions to complete an actionable goal. It helps you understand the path your website visitors take toward completing a desired action, such as purchasing or filling out a form.
Identifying these areas where visitors are dropping off or experiencing friction will help you make targeted improvements to increase conversions.
Start by identifying the different stages of the funnel.
This typically includes the initial landing page, product or service pages, cart or checkout page, and thank-you or confirmation page. Then, analyze the user behavior at each funnel stage using web analytics tools.
For example, you may find that many visitors are leaving your website after viewing the initial landing page without navigating further. This may indicate that you need to optimize the landing page to better align with the user’s expectations and needs.
Or, you may find that visitors are adding items to their cart but abandoning the checkout process. This could suggest usability issues with the checkout page or concerns about the payment process that you need to address.
Look at this example of analysis of a top-level conversion funnel in Bloomreach Engagement.
This example involves analyzing a top-level conversion funnel for an e-commerce website. The audit found that the website had a 4.6% conversion rate, with a significant drop-off between adding an item to the cart and purchasing.
After discovering the bottlenecks in the primary stage, you can closely examine the precise conversion points.
For instance, after a closer examination, Bloomreach found a significant drop-off between visiting the cart and entering personal details.
Almost 30% of the people who make it to the cart page leave without completing their purchase. However, entering personal details has a high conversion rate, indicating that the issue lies in the cart page.
By optimizing the cart page, Bloomreach Engagement could reduce this drop-off rate and improve its overall conversion rate.
The purpose of a CRO audit is not to draw conclusions but to learn.
After you’ve analyzed your site, dig for the insights that will help you improve it – the ones that will make a difference in how users interact with your website.
For example, if users bounce from the home page, you might try creating an engaging lead-in with an eye-catching introduction to your brand. Or, if users click away from a specific page, they may need more information there. If they’re clicking away from your website altogether, maybe they don’t think it provides enough value.
And here’s a quick overview of the tools you’ll need at every step of your CRO Audit process:
Pro Tip: Ensure you use the right metrics to measure success and optimize conversions. For example, if you optimize for conversions, track conversion rate, not just website traffic.
Optimization is not a one-time event but a continuous process.
Your website’s performance can change as the target audience changes, and new competitors enter the market, or search engine algorithms update.
Regular audits can help you stay ahead of the curve and ensure your website remains optimized for conversions.
To stay ahead of the curve, schedule for conducting regular audits. It could be every quarter or every six months. This will allow you to track progress over time and identify website performance trends.
You can improve your website’s conversion rate and overall performance by iterating and making changes based on your previous audit results.
Conducting a CRO audit is crucial for any business that wants to improve its website’s performance and increase conversions.
By following the ten steps CRO audit checklist outlined in this guide, businesses can identify areas of improvement, optimize their website’s usability, and ultimately increase their conversion rates.
Remember, conducting a CRO audit is not a one-time task. You must do it regularly to stay ahead of the competition and keep up with the evolving customer needs and trends.
Businesses can stay relevant and achieve sustainable growth by making data-driven decisions and constantly testing and refining their strategies. So, go ahead and start your CRO audits today to unlock the full potential of your website and boost your bottom line.
The benefits of Conversion rate optimization (CRO) for businesses are limitless. It allows us to increase website conversions, maximize return on investment (ROI), and improve user experience. By implementing CRO strategies, we can enhance customer satisfaction, generate higher online revenue, and reduce bounce rates. Additionally, CRO helps us enhance website credibility, make data-driven decisions, and improve marketing campaigns.
CRO helps businesses increase website conversions and maximize ROI. It also provides valuable insights into understanding customers better. Through CRO research and analysis, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their target audience and their preferences.
CRO allows businesses to take a data-led approach to understanding user experience. By conducting thorough CRO research, analyzing website data, and utilizing customer feedback, businesses can identify the pain points, needs, and desires of their customers. This valuable customer insight can then be used to tailor marketing strategies, optimize website design, and enhance user experience.
Through CRO, businesses can implement changes and improvements that address specific customer needs. By leveraging CRO data, businesses can make informed decisions about website layout, content placement, and navigation. This data-driven decision-making process helps businesses create a more personalized experience for customers. It leads to increased conversions and fosters customer loyalty.
It’s safe to say that CRO allows businesses to gather customer insights, understand user experience, and make data-driven decisions. Resulting in an improved overall online performance. By utilizing CRO research and analysis, businesses can gain a competitive edge, increase conversions, and deliver a more tailored and satisfying experience for their customers.
One of the key benefits of conversion optimization is the ability to decrease customer acquisition costs. By optimizing conversion rates, businesses can maximize the value of their advertising spending and improve the overall customer experience. This leads to higher conversion rates and lower acquisition costs.
A customer-focused CRO approach allows businesses to understand what their customers want and make their website easy to navigate. By identifying and addressing pain points, businesses can improve the user experience and increase the likelihood of conversions. These improvements not only lead to lower acquisition costs but also contribute to overall customer satisfaction.
When businesses optimize their conversion rates, they can make the most out of their existing website traffic. By understanding the needs and preferences of their customers, businesses can tailor the user experience, engage returning visitors, and provide personalized product recommendations. This targeted approach results in more repeat customers and higher conversion rates, ultimately boosting revenue and return on investment (ROI).
As shown in the table above, implementing CRO can have a significant impact on acquisition costs. By doubling the conversion rate, the number of conversions increases from 200 to 400. This results in a reduction in the acquisition cost per conversion from $50 to $25. These cost savings can be reinvested in other marketing initiatives or used to optimize the customer experience further.
Conversion optimization offers businesses the opportunity to decrease acquisition costs by optimizing conversion rates and improving the overall customer experience. By understanding customer needs and preferences, businesses can make data-driven decisions that lead to higher conversion rates and lower acquisition costs. Implementing CRO not only benefits the bottom line but also enhances overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Conversion optimization allows businesses to leverage their current website traffic to drive more conversions and increase revenue. By optimizing the website specifically for existing users and engaging returning visitors, businesses can create a personalized and seamless experience that encourages them to take action.
One effective strategy to leverage current website traffic is by providing personalized product recommendations. By analyzing user behavior and preferences, businesses can showcase relevant products or services to individual users, increasing the chances of conversion. This tailored approach enhances the user experience and makes visitors feel valued, leading to higher conversion rates.
Engaging returning visitors is another crucial aspect of leveraging current website traffic. By understanding their interests and needs, businesses can provide relevant content and offers that align with their previous interactions. This targeted approach not only increases the likelihood of conversions but also encourages repeat visits and fosters customer loyalty.
By leveraging current website traffic through personalized product recommendations and engaging returning visitors, businesses can significantly increase conversions and customer retention. This targeted approach not only drives immediate results but also fosters long-term growth and revenue generation.
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) plays a crucial role in improving website performance. By optimizing the user experience (UX) and addressing website bugs, businesses can create a seamless and efficient online environment for their users. This leads to higher conversions and ultimately boosts the overall performance of the website.
A key aspect of CRO is optimizing the UX design. This involves analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to gain insights into user behavior and preferences. By understanding how users interact with the website, businesses can make informed decisions on how to enhance the user journey and create a more intuitive interface.
In addition, identifying and fixing website bugs is essential for improving performance. Bugs can disrupt the user experience, causing frustration and impacting conversion rates. Through data analysis and thorough testing, businesses can identify and resolve these issues, ensuring a smooth and error-free browsing experience for their users.
As seen in the table above, implementing CRO strategies can lead to significant improvements in website performance. The bounce rate decreases, indicating that users are more engaged and find value in the website’s content. The conversion rate also increases, resulting in more successful conversions and, ultimately, higher revenue for the business.
Furthermore, the average session duration and page load time improve, indicating that users are spending more time on the website and experiencing faster page loading speeds. These enhancements contribute to a positive user experience, fostering trust and loyalty among visitors.
Conversion optimization is a powerful strategy that businesses can employ to boost revenue and increase return on investment (ROI). While the initial impact may be incremental revenue, CRO allows businesses to identify small opportunities that can lead to long-term strategies for improving website performance and conversion rates.
By analyzing user behavior and making data-driven decisions, businesses can optimize their websites and marketing campaigns to better cater to their target audience. This targeted approach helps improve conversion rates, leading to increased revenue and improved ROI.
CRO is not just a short-term fix but rather a continuous process of improvement. By consistently monitoring and analyzing data, businesses can identify areas for improvement and implement changes to maximize their conversion potential. This iterative approach allows businesses to stay ahead of the competition and make informed decisions that positively impact their bottom line.
Investing in CRO is a long-term strategy that pays off in the form of improved conversion rates and increased revenue. By understanding the needs and behaviors of their target audience, businesses can optimize their websites and marketing efforts to drive more conversions. The result is a higher ROI and a more successful online presence.
CRO not only helps businesses increase their website conversions and maximize their return on investment (ROI), but it also has a positive impact on search engine optimization (SEO). By implementing CRO strategies, businesses can improve their website’s performance, reduce bounce rates, and ultimately outrank their competition in search engine rankings.
One of the key benefits of CRO is its ability to improve user experience, which is a crucial factor in SEO. By analyzing user behavior and preferences, businesses can make data-driven decisions to optimize their website’s design and content. This leads to a more engaging and user-friendly experience, resulting in lower bounce rates and longer visit durations, both of which are important signals for search engine algorithms.
Furthermore, CRO allows businesses to identify and target specific keywords that are highly relevant to their target audience. By optimizing their website’s content, meta tags, and headings, businesses can increase their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This not only drives more organic traffic to their website but also helps establish their website as an authoritative source in their industry, further enhancing their chance to outrank their competition.
Here are some key CRO strategies that can help improve SEO and outrank the competition:
By implementing these CRO strategies, businesses can not only improve their conversion rates and drive more revenue but also enhance their SEO efforts to outrank their competition. Improved user experience and reduced bounce rates contribute to business success. Higher search engine rankings also position businesses for long-term growth in the digital landscape.
Conversion rate optimization empowers businesses like ours to make data-driven decisions. Through the implementation of A/B testing and multivariate testing, we gain valuable insights and analyze the data to optimize digital customer experiences. By utilizing these testing methods, we can make informed decisions that lead to continuous improvement in our conversion rates.
A/B testing enables the evaluation of various website versions to determine performance in conversions. Comparing two or more variants helps identify elements contributing to higher conversion rates. Through this process, we gain insights into what resonates with our audience. These data-backed decisions guide our optimization efforts in a way that helps us improve our website.
Similarly, multivariate testing enables us to test multiple variations of different elements on our website simultaneously. This approach provides us with a deeper understanding of the impact that various combinations of elements have on conversion rates. Through rigorous analysis, we can identify the winning combination and implement it to enhance the overall customer experience and drive conversions.
By leveraging the power of data-driven decisions and conducting comprehensive tests, we can optimize our digital customer experiences, increase our conversion rates, and ultimately achieve our business goals. Conversion rate optimization, through A/B testing and multivariate testing, empowers us to continuously improve and evolve, ensuring that we provide our customers with the best possible online experience.
In 2008, we introduced the Conversion Framework to all our projects at Invesp. We had done a lot of experimentation before, but this was our first comprehensive approach to understanding all the factors influencing whether a visitor converts to a website.
After developing the Conversion Framework, we realized we needed a process to apply it effectively. An efficient process is crucial to benefit fully from the framework we’ve created.
Over the years, we have been improving our CRO process. The process we developed for implementing our Framework in 2008 is way different than it looks now. The good thing is that it helps our clients achieve significant, repeatable, and sustainable increases in conversion rates.
Here is what our conversion optimization process looks like now:
Conversion optimization process
As you can see in the above image, we implemented the Framework successfully using a 14-step process:
To simplify understanding, we’ve categorized this conversion process into four sections using the acronym SHIP. Read this article carefully and try to learn every little detail. The process we are about to reveal is one that we tested on different types of websites:
We have also tested this process in many different verticals:
Let’s dive in to discover each step of the process.
JTBD customer interviews
The #JTBD interviews and analysis process is integral to our scrutinization phase. Unlike other conversion research techniques, JTBD reveals the specific moments and reasons customers consider purchasing a product or service.
The JTBD theory acts as a compass for our Optimization team, helping them navigate towards delivering more value to customers on the site. JTBD explains why customers hire a product or service, and we implement this framework to gain marketing insights and inform business strategy. Here’s how we do it:
We perform a series of JTBD interviews to uncover:
Understanding customers’ emotional and social needs allows us to improve our site copy. We incorporate customer verbatim—actual customer phrases—into key elements like value propositions and headlines. This ensures the site speaks directly to the targeted customers in a language they understand, resonating with their needs and experiences.
By embedding these insights into the site, we ensure it conveys a message that connects with our target audience emotionally and socially. Customers can easily identify their needs and feelings reflected in the site’s copy, making it more engaging and persuasive.
JTBD reveals more than why customers buy; it also uncovers the struggles, anxieties, and forces influencing their decisions. Knowing these obstacles allows us to address and mitigate the negative effects of customer anxiety. By understanding their journey and their challenges, we can refine our strategies to better support and guide them toward making a purchase.
A website expert review is a thorough analysis conducted by a professional with extensive knowledge in web design, user experience (UX), and conversion optimization. The aim is to identify areas on your website that need improvement to enhance its design, functionality, and overall user experience.
When running an expert review specifically for conversion optimization, we consider two main components:
Understanding Visitor Origin: Identify where visitors are coming from, what type of visitors you have, and what they see before clicking and landing on your website. We simulate this visitor journey to understand their perspective.
Evaluating the Page: Analyze the page by putting ourselves in the visitor’s shoes to think about what they might be experiencing. Additionally, we evaluate the page from a conversion optimization perspective.
During a conversion optimization analysis, we examine 185 different elements on the page. This includes:
The ultimate goal of a website expert review is to improve user experience and increase the likelihood of visitors taking desired actions, such as making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or watching a demo.
By conducting these expert reviews, we ensure that your website meets your visitors’ needs and aligns with your business goals to drive growth and success.
The next step in the process is crucial. This is when your site’s visitors tell you what works and what doesn’t on your website. You can read our detailed guide on conducting qualitative research.
How do you do that?
You ask them.
UX research isn’t just another part of conversion optimization; it’s the foundation of a successful CRO program.
Foundation for Success: Conversion optimization aims to enhance user experience. To do this effectively, you need insights directly from your users.
Understanding Users: Every product has a specific user base. Without understanding these users, achieving meaningful conversions is nearly impossible.
Tailored Methods: User research is multi-dimensional, with no one-size-fits-all approach. Every business is different, so our methods vary to fit each company’s unique needs.
Variety of Techniques: We use techniques like polls and surveys to gather user insights. The effort involved can range from a few hours to several months, depending on the depth of research required.
At this point, our two lists, ‘fix right away‘ and ‘testing ideas,’ are becoming larger, but we still need to add a few more items to them.
The next stop will be your analytics. Analytics provides a wealth of information on how visitors interact with the website and shows you where visitors are leaking. You can read more details on how to use analytics for conversion optimization here.
Qualitative Research Analysis
If you are looking to fix your website conversion rate, I can only assume that you have at least one analytics software installed on your website. Most larger companies have two or three different programs installed.
So, how do you track what areas of the website should be fixed?
While analytics programs are very powerful, we need to match our approach to all the power they provide.
Let me start by highlighting what not to do when using analytics.
If your analysis focuses on bounce and exit rates, then you are not doing a good job conducting your analysis.
If you spend most of your time reporting data (what are visitors doing on my website) vs. analyzing data (why are visitors doing this on my website), you are wasting your time.
Here is what you need to do:
Start by setting up several funnels on your website, tracking how visitors navigate from one area of the website to another.
Segment the behavior of your website visitors across different sources/mediums in these funnels. Your analysis should answer questions such as:
Which pages does Google organic traffic exit the website at?
How many pages per visit does Facebook organic traffic visit?
What is the average time on site for direct visitors?
How many sessions does it take a Google paid visitor to convert?
You may come up with many more questions like these. As you answer them, you start adding more items to your two lists, fixing them immediately, and testing ideas.
After focusing on your website, it’s time to analyze your competitors’ sites. This step is crucial for identifying opportunities to enhance your site and improve your average conversion rate.
Competitive Analysis
Select Competitors: Choose your top three to seven competitors.
Simulate Buying Experience: Navigate their websites as if you were a potential customer intending to buy from them.
Evaluate Key Elements:
This analysis should generate a list of 10-20 items to add to your testing ideas list. These insights can help you improve website performance, refine landing pages, and optimize your conversion funnel. By learning from competitors, you can make data-driven improvements that boost your average conversion rate and provide better value to potential customers. You can read more about conducting CRO competitive analysis in this article.
Usability testing is essential for understanding user behavior and optimizing your website to increase conversions. While usability testing can be complex, following a structured approach can help you gather actionable insights and improve user experience.
Define Your Goals
Purpose: Clearly define what you want to achieve. Are you looking for qualitative insights, quantitative data, or to address specific design issues?
Focus: The more focused your tests are, the more accurate and relevant your results will be. Avoid overloading the test with too many questions, leading to errors and misinterpretations.
Determine and Recruit Users
Target Audience: Ensure the participants closely match your website visitors and target market to get valuable insights.
Sample Size: Decide on the number of participants based on your budget. The number of users can significantly affect the reliability of your results.
Choose the Test Format
In-Person Testing: Includes silent observer (natural), think-aloud, and constrictive interaction methods.
Remote Testing: Includes moderated and unmoderated tests, allowing you to gather data from users in their natural environment, including on mobile devices.
Define the Tasks
Task Design: Be careful not to create biased tasks. Tasks should be a mix of open/exploratory and closed/specific to cover a range of user interactions on your web page.
Desired Actions: Ensure tasks reflect the desired actions you want users to take, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Build Questionnaires
Pre-Test Questionnaire: Collect background information (e.g., age, gender, educational background, experience with the system) to understand your users better.
Post-Test Questionnaire: Gather feedback on user experience, including ease of use and satisfaction. This helps identify pain points and areas for improvement.
Try a Dry Run
Pilot Test: Conduct a rehearsal to ensure everything runs smoothly during the actual test. This helps estimate the time needed for each task and allows you to prioritize tasks based on their importance.
Report the Findings
Data Analysis: There is no single method for analyzing data. Summarize difficulties encountered by users and identify common issues.
Classification and Prioritization: Classify problems by severity and importance. Address the most critical issues first to improve user experience and create satisfied customers.
Understand User Behavior: Gain insights into how users interact with your web pages and identify pain points.
Improve User Experience: Address issues to create a smoother, more enjoyable experience, leading to satisfied customers.
Increase Conversions: By optimizing your site based on usability test findings, you can guide users more effectively toward desired actions.
Enhance Mobile Experience: Ensure your website performs well on mobile devices, catering to a growing segment of users.
By following these steps, you can conduct thorough usability testing that helps improve your website’s performance, user satisfaction, and conversion rates.
When addressing conversion problems on your page, it’s crucial to distinguish between functionality issues and optimization opportunities. Any breakdown in functionality must be fixed immediately. We prioritize fixes for conversion issues based on potential conversion rate uplift and implementation cost.
Create A Conversion Roadmap
Potential conversion rate uplift is the expected conversion rate uplift by running an A/B test. This value will range anywhere from 3% to 30%. Our experience has been that 90% of your A/B tests will generate an uplift anywhere within that range.
Implementation cost is the estimated cost of implementing a test. This, of course, will vary from one website to the next.
The trick to calculating the implementation cost is determining the number of hours it will take to implement an A/B test on your website.
These are the three different types of tests you would want to run:
Element level changes: In these types of tests, you change an element on the page. The best example is trying different headlines, images, and call-to-action buttons (CTAs). Element-level changes do not require much time to implement, and most will take less than 8 hours to complete. We usually assign a value of -5 to these types of tests.
Page-level testing: In these types of tests, you change the page’s layout. These tests are more complicated to implement compared to element-level testing. We estimate these tests to run anywhere from 3 to 5 days to complete the implementation. We usually assign a value of -10 to these types of tests. Typically, you do the following:
Adding new elements to the page
Removing elements on the page
Changing the behavior of some existing elements
Changing the location of some existing elements
Visitor flow testing: You change how visitors navigate your website in these tests. Good examples of these tests include going from a single-step checkout to a multistep checkout (or vice versa) and changing website navigation. These tests are the most complex to implement. It might take a good developer anywhere from 8 to 12 days to implement. We usually assign a value of -15 to these types of tests.
To prioritize problems on the page, we typically use a 25-point framework to assign different priorities to different problem points. We will be releasing this framework in an upcoming article, so make sure you stay tuned!
The hypothesis is a critical component of testing. Ultimately, you’ve done your homework and your research. You’ve selected the page and identified the problems on the page. Logically, the next step would be to come up with the solution.
A/B Testing Hypothesis
Here is our template for A/B test hypothesis statement:
Because we saw (qual & quant data), we expect that (X change) will cause (Y impact). We’ll measure this using (data metric)
So, based on the goal you are trying to achieve on the page, you need to theorize what will improve the page and the site conversions accordingly.
Let’s take an example.
You identified no clearly defined benefits on a landing page for a paid campaign you are running.
Data from the qualitative poll you ran tells you that visitors complained about the lack of information on the landing page. You also look at heat maps and notice that some visitors hover near or at the description to find more information about the offer.
So, your goal is to make the information easier to find and scan on the page.
And your hypothesis: By providing visitors with greater accessibility to easy-to-read benefits, you will better persuade them with the information they lack to proceed, thus increasing conversions.
We have come a long way and are almost ready to start testing. You have identified the possible conversion problems on the page; you prioritized these problems, and finally, you created a hypothesis statement on how to fix these problems.
In this next step, you implement the hypothesis by creating new designs.
Create New Website Designs
Creating a design that fulfills the hypothesis can be challenging sometimes. You must be careful that your new designs are driven by the hypothesis; otherwise, you will introduce variables you won’t be able to account for in your results.
The challenge will always be the number of variables that have or don’t have anything to do with the hypothesis.
There are no hard-set rules here. Ensure that your design focuses on implementing the hypothesis and solving your identified problem. Avoid the temptation to make more changes.
In our conversion optimization process, developers play a crucial role. They are responsible for taking the designs created by our designers and implementing them on the website.
This implementation is particularly important when conducting A/B tests, which are experiments designed to compare two web page versions to determine which performs better regarding user engagement and conversion rates.
It’s important to understand that there is a distinction between developers who work on A/B testing and those who handle regular development tasks. A/B testing developers possess specialized skills and experience that enable them to set up and execute these tests efficiently.
They need to be adept at integrating testing tools, managing variations in the user experience, and ensuring that the tests run smoothly without affecting the website’s overall functionality.
Here’s how the process works:
Design Handoff: Our designers create the new design variations intended for testing. These designs are based on data-driven insights and aim to improve specific metrics such as click-through rates, sign-ups, or sales.
Developer Implementation: Once the designs are finalized, they are handed over to our A/B testing developers. These developers have the expertise to convert these designs into functioning web pages or elements. They ensure that the original (control) version and the new (variant) version are set up correctly for the test.
Setting Up the Test: Our developers use specialized A/B testing tools (like Optimizely, VWO, or FigPii) to set up the test. This involves configuring the test parameters, such as the percentage of traffic that will see each version and the specific metrics that will be measured.
Quality Assurance (QA) is a critical step in our A/B testing process, ensuring that new variations are functional and user-friendly before they go live. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how our QA process works and why it’s essential:
1. Functionality and Usability Testing
Before we launch any new variations, we conduct thorough functionality and usability testing. This ensures that every feature on the website works as intended and provides a seamless user experience.
2. Significant Investment in QA
We have heavily invested in our QA processes because we understand the importance of preventing any disruptions in a live environment. Each test we conduct undergoes rigorous QA to ensure that it does not cause any issues in production.
3. Multiple Layers of QA
Every test we launch is reviewed by multiple QA specialists on our team. This multi-layered approach helps catch potential issues early and ensures the test is robust and reliable.
4. Client Review
Before deploying any test, we always ask our clients to review it. Your feedback is invaluable, and this step ensures that the test aligns with your expectations and goals.
5. Standardized QA Process
A standardized QA process is essential in a high-testing velocity program, where dozens of tests are launched, and changes are made constantly. This helps maintain consistency and reliability across all tests, preventing any potential breakdowns in production.
6. QA Involvement in the CRO Process
Our QA specialists are deeply involved in the entire CRO process. They are briefed together with the development team to understand the objectives and concerns of both the CRO specialists and developers.
7. Documentation and Initial Conversations
While well-written documentation and design briefs are important, initial conversations between the CRO team, developers, and QA specialists are crucial. These discussions help everyone understand the goals and potential challenges, ensuring a cohesive approach to testing.
8. Functionality Testing
Functionality testing is a key aspect of QA. It involves verifying that all features on your website work as intended. This includes checking forms, links, navigation, and any interactive elements to ensure they function correctly and provide a positive user experience.
Your developers can handle the QA tasks if you’re on a low budget. While this is not ideal, it’s a viable option for smaller projects. However, for optimal results, having dedicated QA specialists is recommended. You can read about Quality Assurance for A/B Testing in detail in this article.
We are finally here. Now, you are ready to conduct your A/B test (or multivariate test). You split the page visitors between the old design and the new design. You let your visitors judge the quality of the designs.
We have written in the past about A/B testing, multivariate testing, the difference between them, and split testing best practices.
Conducting AB Tests
Here are a few items that you want to keep in mind:
There are several A/B testing tools & technologies. At a very high level, they all do the same job. Choose one that speeds up the process of implementing the test on your website.
Examine carefully how many conversions your website gets in a month. The number of conversions impacts how fast you can implement a test.
If you are looking to implement a full website testing program where you will be testing several pages, multiple tests, for a few months, then you will need to have a minimum of 200 conversions per month.
If you are focused on optimizing specific landing pages, you need to determine the number of conversions each landing page generates. If you have 200 conversions or more, then you can start doing A/B testing.
If you do not have enough conversions (less than 200 conversions per month), you can still conduct A/B testing, however you will be conducting micro testing as opposed to macro testing.
You can always request a free A/B testing account on FigPii, which provides you with an easy-to-use A/B testing tool, heatmaps, and video recording.
You ran your A/B test, and it came to a conclusion, and you have a challenger that beat the original design.
So, what’s next?
Most companies would move to the next test, and you will do that. But you have to do a post-test analysis.
A/B test analysis
Here are the 3 questions you will have to answer:
What assumptions did we make for website visitors before launching the test?
Did the results from the test validate our initial assumptions?
What additional information did we learn about our website visitors from running this test?
As you answer these questions, you will begin to know your visitors at a deeper level. You will make new assumptions about them. You will learn that they are impacted by certain messages, copy, and design in a powerful way. What should you do next? You create new tests to validate your new assumptions. Find out more about how to analyze A/B test results here.
Finally, you must share, educate, and document what you have learned.
Sharing, educating, and documenting your learning during this whole process is not something you should overlook. These final steps in our conversion optimization process are crucial for sustaining improvements, empowering our partners, and ensuring transparency.
This step can help you understand and replicate successful strategies, make informed decisions, and maintain high conversion rates without constant external support.
Documentation creates a reference for continuous improvement, building a valuable knowledge base for training and ongoing education. It also proves ROI by clearly demonstrating results, enhancing collaboration, and facilitating compliance with industry standards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r-NEn1j8Mk
By doing this, we ensure immediate results and equip your team with the tools and knowledge to optimize conversions long after our engagement ends. This approach ensures enduring and scalable value creation.
The average conversion rate for an ecommerce website hovers around 2-3%. But that’s not the ceiling.
Some of the companies we work with have managed to go well over 9%, following our conversion optimization strategies.
To achieve such impressive results, it’s essential to implement best practices that target key areas of your site. This includes optimizing for mobile devices, which are increasingly the primary way customers interact with your store. A mobile-friendly design can significantly increase conversions by providing a seamless shopping experience.
Focusing on your product pages is crucial. Clear, high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and customer testimonials can build trust and persuade visitors to buy, thereby boosting your site’s conversion rate.
It’s also important to set clear conversion goals and continuously test and refine your strategies. By doing so, you can ensure you’re on the path to consistently increasing conversions. Remember, the right approach can turn the average into the exceptional, helping your site reach and exceed its full potential.
This article will look at the top CRO best practices that will help take your optimization efforts to the next level while helping you achieve more conversions.
Increasing conversion rates doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and patience.
Some marketers rush into setting up conversion optimization programs because they’ve heard success stories. But when they don’t see immediate results, they get disappointed and lose money.
It’s better to set realistic goals. In our experience working with many companies, we’ve found two important things:
A good CRO program should aim for at least a 30% increase in conversions each year.
A solid program should offer more than just increased conversions. It should also provide valuable insights and learning experiences that can be used across different marketing channels. This way, the benefits of the program are multiplied.
Seven out of ten CRO programs fail due to insufficient resources project owners allocate. This has been a persistent challenge across various industries worldwide, even after a decade of observation.
It’s surprising that inadequate resource allocation remains prevalent, with some still hoping for success without the necessary support. However, simply flooding a project with resources for endless testing isn’t the solution.
Success lies in finding a balance between under-budgeting and excessive spending.
Before initiating a CRO program, it’s vital to assign sufficient resources to handle one to two split tests monthly. This might mean reprioritizing other projects, but it’s the only way to effectively increase conversion rates.
Before diving into your conversion rate optimization program, make sure you’re equipped to handle any technical issues that may arise.
Bugs can be a major obstacle to achieving high conversion rates. By resolving them promptly, you increase your chances of success.
Let’s say you’re all set to launch your optimization project but hit a roadblock because of technical issues. Why does this happen? Different platforms have their own limitations, and overlooking these can lead to plans that are either impossible to implement or overly complicated.
Prioritize understanding the technical landscape of your platform to avoid unnecessary setbacks and frustration. It’ll save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
Launching random tests without a clear conversion rate optimization process won’t lead to meaningful improvements. Unfortunately, many companies fall into this trap, testing different pages without considering conversion rate optimization strategies.
To succeed, invest time upfront to understand your visitors and identify where your website is losing them. Determine which pages have the most potential for improvement and which should be untouched.
Prioritize key pages and create a conversion rate optimization roadmap that spans about six months. This roadmap should outline 8 to 15 tests, focusing on the pages that matter most for your business. This structured approach increases your chances of achieving significant results.
Over the past twenty years, we’ve conducted various tests, including A/B and multivariate tests, and found different ways to leverage our testing practices effectively.
One valuable practice is to validate your test results by pitting a winning design against the control in a head-to-head A/B test. This ensures that your results aren’t simply outliers and gives you confidence in the effectiveness of your changes.
By re-testing winning variations against the control, you can minimize the influence of external variables that may affect your test results, leading to more reliable and trustworthy outcomes.
Mobile optimization should be a top priority for any e-commerce website. With the majority of users now accessing websites through mobile devices, ensuring a seamless and responsive mobile experience is crucial for increasing conversions.
Start by using website optimization techniques tailored for mobile users. This includes ensuring fast load times, easy navigation, and a user-friendly interface. Tools like Google Analytics can help you understand how mobile users interact with your site and identify areas for improvement.
Incorporating CRO tools into your strategy can also enhance your mobile optimization efforts. These tools allow you to conduct detailed CRO tests, helping you determine what changes will most effectively boost your site’s conversion rate. Focus on leveraging your existing traffic by making incremental improvements that lead to significant gains.
A robust CRO strategy that prioritizes mobile users will improve the user experience and drive higher conversion rates. By continuously testing and refining your mobile site, you can stay ahead of the competition and meet the evolving needs of your customers.
Regarding conversion optimization, focusing on the bottom of the funnel (BOFU) is a strategic move that can yield significant results. At this stage, visitors are close to purchasing, so optimizing here can directly convert visitors into paying customers.
Start by gathering data to understand user behavior at this critical point. Use tools like Google Analytics to track how users interact with checkout pages, product detail pages, and any final steps before completing a purchase. This data will help you identify any friction points that might be preventing conversions.
Once you clearly understand user behavior, you can begin to test ideas for improvements. Conduct A/B tests on elements such as call-to-action buttons, checkout processes, and form fields to see what encourages most conversions.
An effective optimization strategy at the bottom of the funnel should also include techniques to build trust and reduce hesitation. This might involve displaying customer testimonials, offering guarantees, or simplifying checkout.
By prioritizing BOFU optimization, you can maximize your existing traffic and significantly improve your site’s conversion rate. This focused approach ensures that your efforts are targeted where they can have the highest impact, ultimately leading to more conversions and higher revenue.
Following simplifying your conversion funnel, the next step is embarking on A/B or split testing. This technique involves displaying two variations of a landing page to separate groups of users to identify which one yields better conversion rates. It’s essentially conducting an experiment to gain insights into user behavior and make data-driven decisions.
The process is crucial for enhancing conversion rate optimization. Imagine refining your website by leveraging actual feedback from users interacting with different versions of a web page. This is what makes A/B testing so powerful, as it serves as an invaluable tool in boosting conversions.
Remember that A/B testing should be a continuous practice rather than a singular event. Consistent experimentation via split tests confirms if various strategies are working effectively and keep your conversion funnel finely tuned. You can utilize these tests to assess multiple components on landing pages, such as CTAs — including buttons, forms, and images — which assists you in pinpointing optimal methods for addressing user pain points and amplifying conversions.
Shifting gears, let’s explore strategies to boost the number of visitors to your website. The pivotal role here is played by Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which has the power to increase your site’s visibility on search engines and, in turn, raise traffic levels with a knock-on effect on conversions.
To kick things off, strategically placing pertinent keywords within various elements of your web pages, like titles, headers, and meta descriptions, can clarify the intent of your content for search engines and thus help you climb up in rankings. Enriching user experience through engaging content that minimizes bounce rates and incorporates multimedia features will make your website more appealing and signal its quality to search engines.
On another technical front lies SEO practices such as producing an XML sitemap for better indexing by search engines or optimizing image files; these contribute significantly towards making content discoverable. Also imperative is ensuring mobile responsiveness for seamless access across devices alongside acquiring backlinks from reputable sources, which bolster credibility and are decisive ingredients in boosting search engine positioning.
Maintaining pace with evolving SEO trends remains crucial. Take voice optimization — adapting to this growing mode could secure continuity and progression in staying visible amongst results produced by the ever-changing algorithms of today’s powerful search platforms.
Every step in the journey of conversion rate optimization should be measurable. Without proper tracking and assessment, it’s impossible to ascertain whether your efforts yield results or if you need to pivot your strategies. Let’s explore how success can be monitored and measured within the context of conversion rate optimization.
To begin with, determine your conversion goals, as these will differ from one company to another depending on their ultimate objectives – increasing sales figures or boosting newsletter subscriptions. Following goal setting, track your site’s conversion rates by dividing the number of successful conversions by the total number of visitors and then expressing this figure as a percentage for simpler interpretation.
Understanding that effective CRO requires ongoing effort is crucial. It isn’t simply a one-off task. It involves continuous evaluation and adjustments based on website performance data to ensure consistent improvement in conversion rates over time. To gauge the impact of your CRO initiatives accurately, consider various indicators, including changes in overall conversion rates along with metrics like average page visit duration and bounce rates.
We’ll next explore an essential element in enhancing your conversion rate: Calls to Action (CTAs). A CTAs effectiveness lies in its ability to smoothly navigate users through the stages of your conversion funnel toward taking prompt, decisive action.
Effective CTA strategy hinges on simplicity, including compelling action verbs, crafting a sense of urgency, and utilizing creativity that encourages visitors toward the desired action. Enhance visibility by incorporating contrasting colors and setting aside ample negative space around CTAs—this can significantly boost visitor engagement.
To increase their appeal, infuse CTAs with enticing language and offers such as free materials or other incentives. Harnessing the insights from A/B testing is invaluable. It aids in identifying superior configurations for elements like button placement or wording that drive user interactions forward.
Remember that impactful Calls to Action are fundamental for steering potential customers down your conversion funnel until they reach the endpoint—be it making a purchase or completing another targeted outcome.
Effective CRO tests should always be grounded in a solid hypothesis. A hypothesis-driven approach ensures that your efforts are focused and based on insights rather than guesswork.
Start by thoroughly understanding your target audience. Gather data on your website visitors’ behavior, preferences, and pain points. Use this information to identify specific areas where improvements could encourage more conversions.
Next, develop a hypothesis that links a proposed change to a potential outcome. For example, if you notice that visitors are abandoning their shopping carts, your hypothesis might be: “Simplifying the checkout process will reduce cart abandonment rates and increase conversions.”
Once you have a hypothesis, incorporate it into your overall marketing strategy. Plan your CRO tests around it, ensuring that each test is designed to validate or refute your hypothesis. This approach not only provides clear direction but also allows for more meaningful analysis of the results.
You can systematically improve your website’s performance by basing your CRO tests on well-founded hypotheses. This methodical approach helps you make informed decisions, leading to more effective optimizations and better outcomes for your conversion goals.
To sustain the momentum after effectively transforming visitors into customers, it’s critical to employ efficient post-conversion tactics.
Communicating consistently and constructively with clients is essential as this helps preserve and enhance those relationships. Strategies worth considering include:
Prompt responses to client inquiries
Taking the initiative in providing updates and insights via multiple platforms
Exceeding client expectations by offering added value through free advice or sharing specialized knowledge
These approaches help build trust, loyalty, and customer satisfaction.
Maintaining contact with clients following a service or sale and fulfilling commitments made are key aspects of proving dependability and cementing stronger bonds with them. Utilizing tools like a thank-you page or popup once users complete a form can affirm their actions were recognized while also opening doors for additional interaction opportunities.
To sum up, the refinement of your conversion rate is a tactical endeavor requiring adjustments across multiple facets of your online footprint. This entails streamlining the conversion funnel and employing A/B testing, as well as boosting visibility with SEO tactics and fostering post-conversion customer relations—all pivotal moves for elevating your return on investment. It’s now time for you to apply these valuable insights and witness a significant uplift in your conversion rates!
The conversion funnel represents the journey a user embarks upon from their first encounter with a website up to the moment of achieving a desired action, such as completing a purchase or registering an account. This tool is instrumental for companies in grasping and enhancing the customer’s path towards conversion.
Split testing, or A/B testing as it’s commonly called, consists of showcasing two different versions of a web page to separate sets of users in order to ascertain which one achieves a superior conversion rate.
This process is instrumental in refining the website’s functionality for enhanced overall effectiveness.
Incorporating SEO techniques such as integrating keywords, crafting high-quality content, optimizing technical SEO aspects, and acquiring backlinks from reputable sites can substantially improve your website’s visibility and draw in an increased amount of traffic.
To gauge the effectiveness of your conversion rate optimization (CRO) initiatives, it’s essential to establish conversion goals and ascertain your conversion rate. Continual examination and enhancement of website changes are necessary.
It’s vital to maintain constant vigilance and modification for sustained progress in CRO outcomes.
CTAs are vital in navigating visitors along the conversion funnel and eliciting prompt action, making them key components for achieving website conversions as part of CRO efforts.
Have you ever felt frustrated when you spend a lot of effort and money driving traffic to your website only to find that few visitors buy or sign up?
It’s like throwing a party and realizing too late that your guests aren’t enjoying themselves enough to stay.
That’s where Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) steps in as your strategic party planner.
In this article, we’ll learn about the CRO process, how to implement it, and where to start. First, we’ll start with the basics: what is conversion rate optimization?
Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who complete a desired website action while visiting a website. This desired action—aka conversion—can be anything from purchasing to signing up for a newsletter or downloading a white paper.
Video Source – What is Conversion Rate Optimization? | In 7 Minutes!
By measuring conversion rates, you determine if your pages are persuading visitors to take the action you want them to take.
The higher the conversion rate is, the better your design and copy are at reaching and engaging potential customers.
The key metric in a CRO process is the conversion rate itself.
The “conversion rate” is the number of conversions divided by the total number of visitors expressed as a percentage.
If you have 1,000 visitors to your website and 50 sign up for your email list, your conversion rate for email signups is 5%.
Additionally, a website can have many potential goals or the desired actions you want your customers to take, so you may have multiple conversion rates on your site to measure and track.
You can also categorize your conversion rate goals into Micro and Macro Conversion Rates.
Related Articles: The Average Website Conversion Rate By Industry
The overall CRO process isn’t just one plug-and-play technique.
A typical CRO process entails several elements:
These are just some elements you must consider for your CRO process. But that’s not all.
To wow your customers and compel them to take the intended action, you must implement the CRO process with your customers in mind.
That’s where the customer-centric CRO process comes into the picture.
The customer-centric CRO approach differs slightly from the traditional CRO methods.
While traditional CRO processes often focus more broadly on optimizing web pages to increase conversions, the customer-centric CRO approach always considers the audience user’s experience.
Here are some critical elements of a customer-centric CRO strategy:
Segmentation: Divide your target audience into segments based on their behaviors, demographics, or purchase history to provide more targeted and relevant experiences. Netflix does this effectively by showing different shows and movies based on regional preferences and viewing habits.
By understanding different conversion rate formulas, businesses can evaluate their online campaigns’ effectiveness, identify improvement areas, and make data-driven decisions about their marketing and website design.
Here are different conversion rate formulas:
To calculate the conversion rate, divide your conversions (or leads generated) by the number of visitors (or web traffic) and then multiply that by 100 to get the percentage.
Leads Generated ÷ Website Traffic x 100 = Conversion Rate %
For instance, suppose you own an e-commerce website that sells merch for the Lord of the Rings.
In September, you had 75,000 site visitors, and you made a sale of 3,000 shirts.
Using the above formula – 3000/75,000 X 100 = your average conversion rate will be 4%.
The conversion rate optimization process can seem simple to some: change a few colors here and place more buttons there, and you’ll see more conversions.
In reality, meaningful CRO results require adhering to research-driven testing processes that remove random chance from your results, leaving you with substantive data to act on when deciding how best to engage with your audience through your site or app.
At a very high level, the conversion rate optimization process involves the following:
This phase consists in understanding your website’s strengths and weaknesses.
It includes:
The next step is prioritizing and planning, which involves creating a conversion roadmap and problem analysis.
Here’s a quick overview:
These are some of the indispensable conversion rate optimization steps.
We cover this in more detail here:
How to Run a Successful Conversion Rate Optimization Program by Invesp
Your website has different areas and landing pages, all of which should work together to encourage visitors to purchase.
On an ecommerce website, here are five areas where you can start implementing conversion optimization:
The homepage is a crucial web page of your site, making it a prime candidate for a CRO strategy. In many cases, it’s the first touchpoint for first-time visitors to your site. When properly designed and optimized, the homepage can guide your website visitors to other essential pages.
Here is a list of elements you can optimize on an e-commerce homepage:
The category page bridges your site’s homepage and other pages, like the product pages. Category pages should be efficient and well-organized to ensure visitors can easily navigate your site to find the needed products. With that in mind, testing these pages can be very valuable.
Here’s a list of elements you can optimize on e-commerce category pages:
A product page is the key to any e-commerce site’s success. It is where website visitors decide whether to buy your product or service. Naturally, it’s where you make your money. An unoptimized product page is a revenue drain for any e-commerce business.
CRO offers numerous methods to enhance a product page’s performance and boost revenue:
Look at this product page from Daily Harvest, for instance:
You first see mouthwatering images of actual products showcasing their fresh ingredients. This instantly grabs your attention and makes you want to learn more.
It’s also easy to navigate. You’ll see clear CTA buttons and options to subscribe and learn more about the product’s ingredients and nutritional value. Everything is user-friendly and encourages exploration.
On an e-commerce cart page, website visitors pile up all the items they intend to purchase. It’s like a physical shopping basket where you drop the desired items.
The experience many shoppers have with cart pages can determine whether or not they buy everything they added to their proverbial basket or abandon it.
Here are some common cart page complaints that you can optimize:
The checkout page is any page shown to site visitors when they want to pay for their order. It is the online version of the physical checkout counter. You could lose valuable business if the checkout page is too cumbersome, unclear with important information, or broken.
Here’s an example of an excellent checkout page from Allbirds:
What makes this checkout page so unique?
This page offers the convenience of guest checkout, provides a wide range of payment options, ensures transparent pricing, and clearly outlines shipping details.
Even if your product page is easy to navigate, users might bounce once they encounter friction and issues paying for their orders.
Here are some issues that you can optimize on checkout pages:
Yes, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is worth it. It helps businesses improve their website or landing page performance, increase customer engagement, and boost conversions, leading to higher revenue and better ROI (Return on Investment).
Some prominent use cases and examples of conversion optimization can be:
Conversion Rate Optimization benefits any business or website owner looking to improve online performance. It is especially crucial for e-commerce websites, online service providers, lead generation sites, and companies with an online presence.
These businesses can increase sales, acquire more leads, and enhance their online success by optimizing their conversion rates.
A conversion rate is a percentage that indicates the number of users who completed a specific action on a website. It is divided by the total number of visitors to the site and then multiplied by 100 to get a percentage.
For instance, if a website had 500 visitors in a day and 50 made a purchase, the conversion rate for that day would be (50/500) * 100 = 10%.
SEO conversion rate refers to the percentage of website visitors from organic search traffic who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
To calculate it, first, define your conversion goal and track the number of visitors who complete this action from organic search. Then, divide the conversions by the organic traffic to your website and multiply by 100 to get the SEO conversion rate percentage.
Yes, the conversion rate does indirectly affect SEO. Search engines like Google do not use conversion rate as a direct ranking factor. However, they consider user experience metrics influenced by the conversion rate, including bounce rate and dwell time.
A website with a high conversion rate often provides a better user experience, leading to lower bounce rates and longer dwell times. These positive user signals can indirectly contribute to higher search engine rankings.
The Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) framework is a systematic approach used to improve a website’s performance in terms of conversions.
It involves a series of steps, including:
The CRO framework optimizes website elements like headlines, images, forms, and buttons.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) isn’t just about boosting sales—it’s about enhancing the overall user experience to convert visitors into loyal customers.
Implement analysis and creative testing to discover what truly resonates with your audience. Whether tweaking your site layout, refining content, or integrating user feedback, every step is essential to optimize your site and provide your customers with the best user experience. These steps will also help you make the most out of your conversion rate optimization efforts.
Remember to take assistance from analytics and conversion optimization tools like Google Analytics, FigPii, and more.
Investing in the CRO process will improve your site’s conversion rate while paving the way for sustainable growth and stronger customer connections.
