As both business owners and marketers, we want to use all of the methods that we have at our disposal to create an efficient website for our company or our clients. That includes CRO.
If you’re wondering “What is CRO?”, everything you need to know is in this post. Keep reading for a complete introduction to this handy practice.
What Is CRO?
CRO is short for conversion rate optimisation, which is exactly what it says on the tin; it consists of refining a website to improve its conversion rates.
A conversion is just an action that you want your customers to perform while on your site. For example, if you run an e-commerce business, this action might be a user buying your product. Or, it could be something as simple as a consumer signing up for your email newsletter.
So, CRO involves making tweaks and changes to your site to ensure more visitors perform the activities you’re aiming for. It’s as straightforward as that!
Why Is It Beneficial?
Conversion rate optimisation can be extremely beneficial for your business for several reasons. Mainly, if more customers are completing your chosen goals, it’s probable that you will see an increase in revenue.
Effective CRO is all about improving the user experience on your site and removing any potential friction points. This makes sure that it’s as easy as possible for customers to execute your desired action.
Plus, a successful CRO strategy can have various secondary effects for your company. For instance, you may notice an increase in returning users, an increase in average order values and reduced exit and bounce rates.
How Can I Do It?
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Set Goals
Firstly, you will need to define your goals. What is it that you require from your customers? Then, think about how each page on your website is contributing (or not contributing) towards this.
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Do Your Research
Next, you need to investigate which elements of your site aren’t working. Why aren’t customers reaching the target you set out in step one? Do you have a high exit rate? If so, why is this? Is it clear what the user is supposed to do next? Put yourself in your target audience’s shoes and ask yourself these questions.
At this step, you can utilise expert research, analytics data and other tools (including visitor recordings and heat or scroll maps) to help you propose your hypotheses.
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Test, Test, Test
Then, you’ll want to put each hypothesis to the test. This is where A/B and multivariate tests come into play; these will enable you to identify some potential solutions to your site’s friction points.
Finally, based on the outcome of these tests, you’ll decide whether to implement the changes to your site or not. Remember, testing is very important; never apply a change without testing it first, as it could easily make the problem worse.
A Golden Opportunity
Now you’ve been introduced to this intriguing marketing strategy, you’ll likely want to put it into practice. If you think you could benefit from conversion rate optimisation, email us at hello@itworksagency.com and book a free CRO consultation with one of our experts.
Need convincing further? We recently provided an 11% conversion rate increase for one of our clients, using just two simple tests on their cart page. Click here to read more about it, or get in touch, today.