What is CRO?
Conversion rate optimization, also called CRO, is the practice of improving the conversion rate in business, advertising, sales, or marketing. This is with the overall goal of getting a person to take action. The actual conversation rate measures the number of potential customers who take the action you are requesting, such as buying a specific product or clicking on your website. CRO is sometimes referred to as marketing optimization, at least in part. CRO would focus on things like getting more people to click on an email in addition to making a purchase from the landing page.
In spite of the term optimization, CRO is very different from search engine optimization as it is focused on human behavior whereas SEO is focused on machine behavior. Many Agencies such as this CRO Agency will specialize in both services. CRO goes hand in hand with key skills like web design, analytics interpretation, and copywriting. This is related to the fact that the majority of changes are to design or copy. This is also because the ability to understand analytics will show how impactful they have been to conversion goals and to offer ideas on where the conversion process should take place to make CRO changes so the biggest impact will be seen.
Tips to Increase Sales with CRO
There is a great deal of work that goes into launching, as well as building, an ecommerce business. Your main goal is to drive business to your site and encourage purchase. This is where CRO comes into play. Ecommerce websites tend to use conversions for an online sale, users adding to their cart, users adding to their wish list, email sign ups, shares on social media, and any KPI your company feels is valuable. In order to increase ecommerce conversion rates on your site, this guide is offering a few tips. First start by calculating your conversion rate.
Boosting Ecommerce Conversion Rates
There are a number of ways to boost your conversion rates once they have been determined. There are numerous tools to determine the rates. Some quick tips are shared below.
High Quality Images and Video
One of the easiest and best ways to CRO improvement is through the use of high-quality images and video. Think about what you want to see if you are shopping online. This means detailed, close-up images to show each customer just what they are getting.
Free Shipping
Big businesses such as Amazon have left people wanting simplicity and offering free shipping can give your potential customers what they want. Even if prices are slightly higher to cover paying for shipping, the customer is still more likely to purchase. However, prices must remain competitive. This is a psychological game, but one that works.
Coupons
Along with free shipping, offering limited time coupons will draw in shoppers. The limited time creates a sense of urgency that customers will not want to ignore.
Live Chat Software
Live chat software works for some, but not for others, but it should be considered. Live chat software is much more useful if you have someone who is available to answer questions as soon as a customer asks. Leaving a message that you are away for a time means this live chat option could turn customers off the site instead of help. So, while this will work for some sites, it would be a hinderance to others.
There are so many options when it comes to CRO, but you have to make choices based on your business needs. The ones listed are effective, but are by no means a complete list. Find what works for you to help your business succeed.
Image Credits: CRO from Wright Studio/Shutterstock