A more user-centric definition of CRO

Conversion Rate Optimization is the process of increasing the number of specific actions performed on your website– which can be defined as purchases, newsletter signups, registrations for an event, etc. CRO strategies involve knowing your audience in order to develop successful new elements for your site, optimize the ones already there for usability, test the elements, and ensure that your website caters efficiently to a higher percentage of visitors.

Statistically, 79% of generated leads never become sales, which is largely due to a lack of CRO strategy.

Conversion Rate Optimization focuses heavily on conversion percentages and benchmarks, relying heavily on numerical data. While this is necessary, it’s critical to keep the user in mind when considering the numbers and adopting a holistic approach. We must understand what influences our users and how their experience and reactions affect the numbers we see on our end. So, truthfully, a successful CRO strategy is about the people, which convert to numbers.

In other words, the conversion is only the final step, and we need to carefully evaluate and develop all steps that lead to it and how our users’ experience and influences affect them all. What drives them to the website? What barriers drive them away. What hooks keep them engaged? What stage of the funnel are they currently in? Conversion rates are 73% higher for marketers that target leads based on their position in the funnel and 80% higher when pain points are addressed specifically on landing pages. You can only achieve these strategies successfully if you know your audience.

There are dozens of other moving parts to take into consideration too, including but not limited to bugs, slow loading time, low-resolution graphics, irrelevant graphics, weak copy, etc. To learn more, Book A Call.

what about the average conversion rate?

Typically, the average rate is between 1% and 4%. But it’s impossible to gauge your site’s success against an average, since conversion rates depend heavily on a variety of factors such as ad clicks, checkout completions, email and newsletters signups, etc.

So you need to think about what is most important to your users and what numbers you need to achieve for your own business’ success and then develop a strategy that marries the two for the best results. 

Be Wary of CRO “Best Practices”

Many will tell you that going off of a checklist of CRO Best Practices will ensure your conversion rate increases. Some of the things commonly on these checklists include:

• Bold-colored CTAs

• Placing CTAs at the top

• Using urgent language and tone for sales

• Covering your site with testimonials

While these things can be helpful, you have to remember they are very generalized best practices that don’t take specific audiences into account. They can be accessories to your strategy, but they shouldn’t be your primary strategy. 

Your primary strategy should be built around getting to know and understand your users and customers and their wants, needs, patterns, etc. Once you do, even things like your website design will start to make sense, and you’ll be able to more easily recognize what things need to change to convince your users that your brand/product/service is for them.

References:

https://www.optimizely.com/optimization-glossary/conversion-rate-optimization/

https://www.hotjar.com/conversion-rate-optimization/

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/conversion-rate-optimization-guide