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Conversion rate optimization is the neverending battle your business takes part in online. Increasing your conversion rate radically increases your business, so its importance can’t be overstated. The fact is only roughly 22% of businesses report being satisfied with their current conversion rates. For being so important, it is also one of the most abstract […]
Conversion rate optimization is the neverending battle your business takes part in online. Increasing your conversion rate radically increases your business, so its importance can’t be overstated. The fact is only roughly 22% of businesses report being satisfied with their current conversion rates. For being so important, it is also one of the most abstract factors in marketing. There is no “one size fits all” checklist you can go down and, magically, your website conversion optimization process is complete.
Website conversion optimization is the long game. You may see an increase in conversions from slight adjustments here and there, but that’s a short-sighted strategy and will peak quickly. Conversion rate optimization begins with hypothesizing what will increase your conversions and testing to see what performs best. There’s a large factor of really getting into your audience’s head and considering what will influence their decisions most.
What can you do to present solutions to their problems?
Have you been trying to increase your website conversion optimization but just aren’t seeing the results you want? Not seeing the results you were expecting? It’s not about casting a wide net to catch everyone at once. Conversion optimization is most effective at a highly focused level. The famous saying “Jack of all trades, master of none” comes into reality here in a big way. If you’re trying to speak to everyone at once, you’re not talking to anyone in particular.
Since 90% of searchers are undecided about brands before beginning their searches, it’s important to connect meaningfully. That could be through compelling content, specific landing pages, or any number of ways that show you have what they need. One factor to consider? Sometimes they don’t know they needed something until you show them!
We’ll cover some of the best tactics for conversion optimization further on in this post. First, however, let’s examine why conversion optimization services are necessary for your business and what it is.
You’ve heard the term “conversion rate optimization” before but do you really know what it is? Conversion rate optimization, often shortened to CRO, is the process of increasing the percentage of website traffic who complete desired actions. If you’re an ecommerce site, this doesn’t just mean completing the sale, however. That’s where confusion often lies. Business owners fail to see that conversions can happen at any stage in the funnel. A conversion may also be something such as opting in to an email list, downloading your ebook, or creating an account.
This may sound like a small victory but consider this: if your conversion rate optimization increases sales conversions from 1% to 2%, you’ve doubled your business. The same holds for increased leads and other factors. Some conversion optimization services promise outlandish percentages but don’t be fooled. The global average for e-commerce conversion is between 1% and 3%.
By its nature, website conversion optimization builds your relationship with your website visitors. This not only increases conversions now but also develops the ongoing relationship for later. Customers are what make your business successful. Without them, you don’t have one!
In 2016, Econsultancy stated that for every $92 spent acquiring customers, only $1 was spent trying to convert them. Why so low when its effects are so important? According to MarketingSherpa, 74% of conversion rate optimization programs will increase sales. The increased amount and continuing increases rely heavily on continued efforts of website conversion optimization.
So you’ve got it: conversion rate optimization is important. What should you do now? The motto when it comes to conversion optimization services is typically “test, test, and retest.” When you think you’ve tested enough, test something else. There is no end to conversion optimization. You don’t reach a goal and say “okay, I made it. I’m done.” Knowing where to begin, however, can be daunting for those new to conversion optimization. Have no fear! We’re here to present some of the best methods for website conversion optimization that will get you on the path to increased conversions.
Conversion rate optimization hinges on increasing conversions from website visitors. How do you expect to increase conversions if your visitor doesn’t know what you offer? More specifically for CRO, you need to show your customer what you offer that they need. This can be a product that they want, a solution to a problem they have, or any number of things. All the conversion optimization services in the world are useless if you aren’t presenting your value.
Add testimonials to give validity to your value propositions. Use your value props to sell solutions. Your product or service comes with awesome features but… why do they matter? What do they solve for the customer? How does it benefit them if they convert?
As we said before, the name of the game in conversion rate optimization is test, test, and retest. Never settle for “good enough” when there are always ways to improve. That being said, you don’t need to change your site every other day without cause. Focus on your primary pain points and A/B test solutions. Try variations of landing pages to see what converts the most then focus your efforts there. One test at a time isn’t the way to go; test out variations on all your landing pages. This puts you ahead of the competition as only 52% of companies and agencies that use landing pages also test them to find ways to improve conversions.
Of these, 44% are using software to split test. Be sure, however, that you’re only indexing necessary pages and not competing with your SEO in a negative way.
When testing, don’t just throw up any variation you can think of. Always make a decisive, specific plan with a goal in mind. Testing without a clearly-defined goal is shooting in the dark. How can you expect to empirically determine what works best when you don’t know what you’re testing?
A recurring issue amongst websites is a lack of landing pages. More landing pages equal more conversion opportunities, and also adds to the variation on your website. As previously mentioned, if you try to speak to everyone, you’re speaking to no one in particular. This is visible with your landing pages. Having too much information or irrelevant information will lead to a higher bounce rate. In fact, companies have seen a 55% increase in leads after increasing their number of landing pages from 10 to 15. That’s substantial! Speaking of landing pages:
Streamlining your landing page cannot be overstressed. Ensure you’re providing relevant information for your website visitor but keep to the topic. Each landing page should stand on its own. Take away distractions that may lead to loss of interest and a higher bounce rate. Consider leading directly to services instead of categories. For an e-commerce site, consider bypassing a cart and sending them directly to check out instead.
If your visitor is coming to your page, don’t make them work for what they’re looking for because chances are they won’t. Offer them exactly what they’ve searched for immediately. Give them the incentive to convert right away. Keeping relevance also provides further incentive to explore your site further. After all, if the page they landed on was direct and clear, it stands to reason other pages would be, too. This will lead to a lower bounce rate.
To help keep your landing page simple, give only one offer on each page. Multiple offers on one landing page become overwhelming and very sales-y. You want your landing page to feel personalized. The usage of the video has become exceptionally successful. Using videos on landing pages has reported increased conversions by 80% or more.
Creating engaging, dynamic content is a prime way to improve conversion rate optimization efforts. We all know the phrase “content is king” but underestimating the significance of that statement will cut your CRO efforts off before they get started. Having a simple list of products for sale or a bullet point of services won’t create the conversions you are hoping for.
Creating awesome content that converts is essential! This could be a video you’ve placed on landing pages, an informative blog to help guide your target through the sales funnel, etc. Great content gives your website authority and builds trust with visitors. No one is going to purchase goods or services from someone they don’t trust. That trust has to be built. Since conversions can be any goal along the funnel, don’t neglect conversions higher up. Repeat visitors are more likely to reach your ultimate conversion (or macro-conversion).
Overall, conversion rate optimization is the key to build and scale your business. Remembering to capture conversions throughout the entire sales funnel is paramount. You can use streamlined landing pages, visuals, converting content, and optimized copy to give visitors a personalized feel. Truly, there is no easy checklist conversion optimization services use to fix everything. It takes testing, relying on data, and experimenting to get the results you seek. Always begin with a clear goal in mind for each conversion you seek.
Conversion rate optimization is not one-note. Though not directly associated, CRO and SEO can intersect in various ways. Some argue they play against each other however, with careful adjustments and techniques, they should not.
In terms of A/B testing, this won’t lead to penalizations for duplicate content when properly implemented. When in doubt, add a canonical tag. Instead of 301 redirects, use 302s. A/B testing is encouraged. Knowing which page will better serve website visitors is ultimately better for rankings. After all, it’s all about creating a better UX for visitors to increase conversions in the end, isn’t it?
Unclear goals result in a waste of time, money, and effort.
As always, Brenton Way is here to help you with our conversion optimization services! Contact us and let’s discuss how we can improve your CRO and grow your business.
