Conversion rate optimization is about setting up your product or service for success so that when people visit your website, they’re more likely to convert. Let’s look at some definitions:

A conversion is when your end user takes the action you would like them to take, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, getting in touch to schedule a call, signing up for a newsletter, or whatever else your site goals are.

Conversion rate is the percentage of people who visit your website or landing page who perform your desired action.

Conversion rate optimization is the series of steps you take to maximize your conversion rate.

Conversion Rate explained

For example, let’s say you’re looking for clients for your fitness coaching services. Your website is designed to encourage potential customers to sign up for a 1-on-1 coaching call to see if you’re a good fit for each other. 235 people visited your website this month, and 5 people filled out the contact form to schedule their coaching call.

A conversion is when a potential customer fills out that form.

Your conversion rate is:

3 people who converted / 235 people who visited your website * 100 = 1.3%

Conversion rate optimization is the process of improving that 1.3% so that more people fill out that form in the future.

Why should I care about Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

CRO increases profits.

When you’ve optimized your conversion rate, the same number of visitors to your site results in more sales or leads, which means more profits.

CRO is often cheap or free.

There are many things people can do to improve conversion rate that don’t cost a cent. Sometimes a small change like moving a Buy Now button makes a big difference.

CRO means more bang for your buck.

With CRO, you can increase profits without increasing traffic or paying for ads.

“The $300 Million Button”

If you’ve ever checked out of an ecommerce store for the first time, you might have experienced the irritation of being asked to sign up for an account with a brand you barely know. One study found that 30% of users abandon their cart when they are required to create an account to check out.

The solution? Allow users to checkout as guests.

Imagine if the 30% of users who abandon carts in your store stopped abandoning them and went on to make a purchase! In this example, by allowing users to checkout as guests, the number of purchases went up 45% and the company made an extra $300M that year.

How Do I Start?

It’s never too late to start working on CRO, and the best steps for you to take are going to be different from someone else’s. Here are a few examples of basic CRO wins you can start working on today.

  • SITE SPEED

    No one likes waiting for a site to load, and the less familiar users are with your business, the less patience they’ll have the first few times they visit. Use a tool like GTmetrix to see how fast your site loads. They’ll provide you with steps to make your site run faster along with estimates of the impact each step will have.

  • SOCIAL PROOF

    People want to know that your products or services are as great as you say they are, and they’re not just going to take your word for it. In fact, 72% of consumers will only take an action towards conversion after reading a positive review (source). Make sure your site includes social proof in the form of reviews or testimonials that potential customers will read.

  • MAKE IT EASY

    The last thing you want is someone who’s ready to make that conversion…but can’t figure out how to do it. Look at your site from your user’s perspective and ask yourself, how easy is it for me to convert? If you want someone to schedule an intake call, how easy is it for them to find that form? If you want someone to make a purchase, how easy is it for them to find the right product and go through the checkout process? Use what you find out to make adjustments.

At Brillity Digital, we use CRO to improve our clients’ conversion rate and get them more leads, sales, and profits. If you’re ready to start seeing the results of a strategic CRO project, reach out!