CRO

What does CRO mean?

CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) is a term for conversion rate optimization of a website. In other words, it is a term for ongoing optimization to ensure that more website visitors take a value-adding action. This could be buying a product, signing up for a newsletter or downloading a brochure.

We've all visited websites that we immediately think are doing great. They promote exciting content that we are interested in reading and have therefore visited the website to read. The merchant sits there and claps their hands because they think we'll end up making a purchase - but when it comes down to it, we end up shutting the site down.

It happens often, and as webshop-owner is left with a long nose. What is the reason why the user doesn't end up making a purchase? In many cases, it's because the company has focused so much on external marketing that they have "forgotten" to optimize the user experience to convert.

Just because you've attracted a customer, it doesn't mean they're willing to throw money into your business or take a value-adding action. In fact, only a small percentage of users who land on your website will take the action you want, whether it's completing a transaction or signing up for a newsletter.

Similarly, the fact that you are reading this particular post is of little value to us. The value only arises the moment you, for example, download our SEO book and sign up for our newsletter. We would of course like to encourage you to do so 🙂

Example of a CRO optimization process.

What does it mean to convert?

In the simplest way of explaining what it means to convert, it simply means when we turn one thing into another. In marketing, conversion refers specifically to people performing a certain desired activity that furthers your business goals.

For example:

• Curious readers become eager subscribers to your newsletter
• People download the guide or e-book you've created
• Window viewers become paying customers

Conversion Often considered the final step in what's called your sales funnel, you may have several smaller conversions along the way as a user goes from being a curious reader to signing up to receive your newsletter.

However, not every action a user takes represents a conversion.

Conversion is not:

• People clicking through from the search engine or social media to your website
• People clicking around your website

While they are both desirable actions, neither behavior indicates that a user is moving closer to subscribing or buying something from you.

Signs that you should focus on CRO

• You're getting tons of traffic, which you obviously think is good. However, you are experiencing low and perhaps even declining conversions. In other words, users are finding you. Your Google Analytics dashboard looks great. Yet sales are very slow. This indicates that something is going wrong in your funnel just before conversion and you need to fix it. High traffic = low conversions is a clear indication.
• You can't identify where people fall out of sales funnel. You see that people don't fill in all the information in your sign-up window, people abandon their baskets, etc. But you don't see a pattern to it all. This indicates a lack of analytical tools and possibly a lack of understanding of the customer journey. This is where you may need outside help. "But I can't afford to do that, I'm not selling enough" you might think, but the fact is that you can't afford not to.
• Consumer psychology is a new concept for you. Most marketing depends on your understanding of consumer behavior. You can't sell to people you don't understand. If this is the case, you should take courses or get outside help to learn how to understand consumer behavior.
• Your website is outdated. Back in 2010 you invested a significant amount of money in your website, and maybe you still think it looks great. Unfortunately, it's just not good enough anymore because it's (maybe) not responsive! Just back in 2014 mobile-optimized design Still considered groundbreaking. By 2020, around 67 percent of the world will access the internet via a mobile device... And they won't waste their time on your website if it's not responsive.
• You've just updated your website or are in the process of optimizing it. Make sure to include someone on your development team who knows CRO and start with a high converting web presence.
• Customers complain. They may not complain to you, but they still complain. If you've recently come across a Trustpilot review talking about how hard it is to do something on your website, it's definitely time to optimize.

Frequently asked questions