Getting Started With Conversion Rate Optimisation

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the practice of understanding how users interact (or don’t!) with your website and making data-driven adjustments to improve performance.

This process involves…

• Analysing user behaviour
• Identifying friction points
• Testing hypotheses
• Applying changes that lead to better outcomes

Instead of investing heavily in bringing more traffic to a site which could be a leaky bucket, CRO maximises the potential of the visitors you already have.

CRO isn’t about following a one-size-fits-all strategy; the tactics that work for one website may not apply to another. Ideally, you should tailor your CRO efforts based on its unique data, ensuring the best possible results.

By focusing on improving conversions, you can deliver measurable growth and get the most from your digital marketing efforts.

How to Approach CRO

Instead of debating the effectiveness of different design elements or features, CRO relies on testing and analysis to determine what drives better results.

When looking to make improvements, it’s important to focus on the areas that will have the biggest impact.

Consider the sections of your site that will generate the highest returns, whether that’s optimising landing pages, checkout processes or key calls-to-action.

Not every element needs to be tested, and some changes, especially minor edits, can be too small to measure effectively. Always ask yourself: Is this test worth the effort? Will it bring back a meaningful return?

The long-term gains from successful tests far outweigh the occasional short-term setbacks. A test that leads to a lifetime of increased conversions is well worth the risk of a single bad day.

➡️ Download our free CRO briefing and tracking document to help get started (.docx file)…

The Scientific Approach and CRO

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) follows a methodical, scientific approach to improve website performance. The process is built on data analysis, hypothesis testing and experimentation.

By using this structured approach, businesses can make informed changes that are more likely to produce measurable improvements.

1. Collect the Data

Start by gathering data from various analytics tools. This could include user behaviour metrics, such as bounce rates, form abandonment rates or session recordings.

The goal is to identify underperforming areas on your website or parts of the user journey where visitors are dropping off or not engaging with.

Here are some powerful CRO related software, that are either free or won’t break the bank.

• MS Clarity – Behaviour analytics
• Matomo’s Form Analytics
• Mida.so – A/B testing
• Zuko – Form analytics
• VWO – A/B testing (has a free plan but prices go up very quickly)

The example below uses data from Google Analytics and form analytics for an imaginary lead gen company and their five products – note this is dummy data to illustrate my point.

2. State the Problem

Before making any changes, clearly define the problem you aim to solve. This step involves understanding what’s not working and what needs to be improved.

For instance (if the data takes you there) you might focus on increasing the number of users who start interacting with a form and who go on to complete a purchase.

Our free trial checkout process asks for too much personal information before purchase.

Being specific about the problem ensures that your optimisation efforts are focused and measurable.

3. Develop a Hypothesis

After defining the problem, create a hypothesis that predicts the outcome of your proposed changes. Here are some examples:

Cutting the number of fields a customer has to complete to activate their free trial will reduce form churn.

Continuing to market the brand and product benefits in the checkout will reduce a prospect's perceived risk and increase conversions.

Your hypothesis should also include the uplift you expect from your change, based on quantifiable numbers. This then allows you to prioritise your resources to focus on what you expect to have the biggest returns. For example:

If we increase conv% by 15% (from 3.64% to 4.19%), we'll convert an extra 27 users per month = additional £114k/year ((27*£350)*12).

4. Run an Experiment

Once the hypothesis is established, the next step is to test it through an experiment. This could involve A/B testing, where two versions of a webpage (the original and the modified version) are shown to different segments of visitors.

By comparing how each version performs, you can determine if the changes lead to a better outcome. The key is to ensure that the experiment is controlled and based on sufficient data to draw reliable conclusions.

5. Analyse the Results

After running the experiment for a sufficient period, analyse the data to see if the hypothesis was correct.

Did the new version of the webpage outperform the original? Did the changes lead to a measurable improvement in the targeted metric, such as conversion rates or form completions?

This analysis will help decide whether the new version should be permanently implemented or if further testing is needed.

6. Draw Conclusions

Finally, review the results and decide the next steps. If the experiment was successful and met or exceeded the predicted outcome, the changes can be rolled out site-wide.

If the test didn’t deliver the expected results, consider tweaking the hypothesis or trying a different approach.

The conclusion phase is crucial in refining your CRO strategy and learning what works best for your website.

Key Metrics for CRO

Effective Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) begins with identifying the right data sources and tools to understand user behaviour and discover opportunities for improvement.

CRO Metrics

Conversion Rate

The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action (purchase, sign-up, etc.). Conversion rate is the primary measure of success in most A/B tests. It shows how effectively each variation encourages visitors to take the intended action.

Form Completion Rate

The percentage of users who complete a form after starting it (e.g., lead generation, checkout process). For tests involving forms (e.g., sign-up forms, checkout), this metric will show how well different versions are encouraging users to complete the process.

Cart Abandonment Rate

The percentage of users who add items to their cart but don’t complete the purchase. A lower abandonment rate might indicate an improvement in user experience or checkout process in a given variant.

Average Order Value (AOV)

The average amount spent by customers in a single purchase. If your A/B test is related to pricing, promotions, or bundling strategies, monitoring AOV is important. It can also indicate if certain variations encourage higher spending.

Bounce Rate

The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A higher bounce rate on a particular variant might suggest that changes are discouraging users from exploring more pages. Lowering the bounce rate indicates that the variation is more engaging.

Time on Page (or Session Duration)

The average amount of time users spend on a particular page or the entire site. Higher time on page or session duration may suggest that the content is engaging, which could indirectly lead to conversions.

Engagement Metrics (Pages per Session)

The number of pages a visitor views during a single session. It’s especially relevant if your goal is to increase exploration or product discovery.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of visitors who click on a specific link, button, or call-to-action. Useful for measuring engagement with specific elements, such as banners, CTAs, or product listings. High CTR in a variant might indicate better design or content, even if it doesn’t lead directly to conversions.

Churn Rate

The percentage of users who stop using your product or service over a certain period. For subscription-based services like web hosting and domain names, churn rate helps to measure the long-term impact of your test on customer retention.

Areas of your website to investigate

When optimizing your website for conversions, it’s important to take a holistic approach, addressing various elements that directly impact user experience.

Checkout/Form Optimization

Forms play a crucial role in capturing leads, but poorly designed become a major obstacle, driving users away before they complete the process. A smooth, user-friendly form experience significantly boosts conversions. Here’s some ideas on how to refine your forms for better results:

• Reduce friction by limiting the number of fields to only those that are absolutely necessary. Lengthy forms often overwhelm users, so focus on gathering just the essential information.
• Implement auto-fill and smart defaults to minimize user effort, speeding up the process by allowing browsers to input information automatically.
• Provide contextual guidance through tooltips, inline validation, or placeholder text. These visual cues help users understand what’s expected from each field, reducing errors and frustration.

Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

A well-designed CTA is one of the most important elements of your website. It drives the user toward completing a conversion, whether it’s signing up, making a purchase, or downloading content.

• Use strong, action-oriented language that encourages immediate action. A phrase like “Get Started” or “Claim Your Free Trial” is often more compelling than generic terms like “Submit” or “Click Here.”
• Ensure your CTA is highly visible and strategically placed on the page. CTAs that are prominent and easily clickable—without feeling pushy—tend to perform better. Use contrasting colors to make them stand out, and place them above the fold, but don’t be afraid to include additional CTAs further down the page to capture scrollers.

Optimizing for Mobile Users

With mobile traffic frequently accounting for a significant portion of total visitors, optimizing the mobile experience is essential. Many mobile users will abandon your site if it’s not easy to navigate or if it takes too long to load.

• Responsive design is a must. Ensure your site automatically adapts to different screen sizes and orientations, providing a consistent and enjoyable user experience across all devices.
• Simplified navigation is critical for mobile users. Make sure that menus are easy to access and that buttons are large enough to be tapped without difficulty. Avoid cluttered layouts that can overwhelm smaller screens.
• Streamline mobile forms and checkout processes. Mobile users should be able to complete actions—such as filling out a form or making a purchase—quickly and easily. Avoid excessive scrolling and zooming by breaking up long forms into shorter steps or using one-click checkout options for returning users.

User Experience (UX) and Trust Signals

Beyond just technical optimization, user experience plays a significant role in conversion rates. Building trust and making the user feel secure during their journey can lead to higher engagement and conversions. Some additional areas to focus on:

• Build trust through design and content. Use trust signals like secure payment badges, customer testimonials, product reviews, and privacy assurances to make visitors feel confident about their decision to convert.
• Ensure your website has a clear, logical flow with easy navigation. The user journey should be intuitive, leading them from browsing to conversion with minimal effort.
• Reduce cognitive load by using whitespace effectively and minimizing distractions on key pages. Simplicity often leads to better user experiences, making it easier for visitors to focus on your CTA.

Beyond Landing Pages: CRO At Every Customer Touchpoint

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) doesn’t stop at your website. For maximum impact, it should extend across all customer touchpoints.

From email marketing to customer support, each interaction plays a vital role in shaping the overall user experience and driving conversions. Here’s how CRO can be applied beyond your website:

Email Campaigns

Emails are a direct way to engage with your audience, and optimising them for conversions is essential. A well-crafted email with a compelling call-to-action (CTA) can drive traffic back to your site or encourage purchases. To optimise email campaigns:

• A/B test subject lines, content, and CTA placement to see what resonates most with your audience.
• Personalisation: Tailor the message based on the recipient’s past interactions with your brand.
• Optimise for mobile: Given the rise in mobile email use, ensure your emails look great and are easy to navigate on smaller screens.

Product or Service Onboarding

Onboarding is a crucial phase in the customer journey. Whether you’re guiding users through a software setup or helping them get started with a service, an optimised onboarding process can significantly boost engagement and reduce drop-offs.

• Simplify the onboarding flow: Break the process into easy-to-digest steps.
• Provide clear guidance: Use tooltips, tutorials, or videos to help users navigate complex features.
• Measure engagement: Track where users abandon the process and test improvements to keep them moving forward.

Customer Communications and Notifications

Automated notifications, such as order confirmations, shipping updates, and even abandoned cart reminders, are all opportunities to reinforce trust and encourage further engagement. To optimise:

• Test the timing of abandoned cart reminders to maximise recovery rates.
• Ensure clarity and simplicity in your communication—confusing language or too much information can overwhelm customers.
• Use incentives: A discount in a cart reminder email can often prompt the user to complete their purchase.

User Experience in Control Panels and Dashboards

For businesses offering software or platform services, optimising the user experience in control panels or customer dashboards is essential. A poorly designed interface can frustrate users and discourage them from using your product fully. To optimise:

• Simplify the interface: Ensure the most important features are easily accessible.
• Test user flows: Regularly test and improve how users interact with your platform, ensuring they can quickly achieve their goals.
• Provide real-time assistance: Consider integrating help features, like live chat or tutorials, directly into the dashboard.

Final Thoughts

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is an ongoing process that delivers long-term benefits for businesses by making the most of existing traffic. Rather than relying solely on increasing visitors through costly traffic-generation strategies, CRO helps businesses turn more of those visitors into customers or leads, offering a much higher return on investment.

The key to effective CRO is a data-driven approach. By consistently collecting insights and running experiments, businesses can identify the changes that drive real improvements in conversions. It’s important to remember that not every test will yield success, and that’s okay. CRO is about continual learning and refinement.