Conversion rate optimisation
What is conversion rate optimisation (CRO)?
Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is the process of improving your website and content to increase the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, also known as a conversion. Examples of conversions include clicking a link, completing a contact form, signing up for a newsletter, downloading a file, or making a purchase. Rather than solely aiming to attract more visitors, CRO focuses on making the most of your existing traffic. It’s about creating an experience that guides people towards the actions you want them to take.
How do I calculate my website’s conversion rate?
Your conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who complete a specific action.
Conversion rate (%) = (Total conversions ÷ Total visitors) × 100
You can also use sessions instead of visitors for a more granular view.
Key components of CRO
- Conversion rate: This is the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action. It’s one of your most important metrics for understanding the effectiveness of your site and marketing.
- Website visitors: Visitors come to your site via different channels, organic search, paid advertising, social media, email and more. Understanding where they come from, what they do on your site, and what they value will help you improve their experience and boost conversions.
What are the benefits of CRO?
- Increased revenue: Generate more sales, subscriptions or leads from existing traffic without spending more on ads.
- Better user experience: CRO often involves improving design, messaging and usability, which benefits all visitors.
- Stronger loyalty and trust: Personalisation and intuitive design encourage return visits and build credibility.
- Cost-effectiveness: Optimising the experience for existing traffic is often more affordable and sustainable than acquiring new visitors.
How do I optimise my site’s conversion rate?
Successful CRO is built on knowing your audience and testing your ideas.
Collect data
- Conduct user research: Gather insights into your audience’s motivations and pain points through surveys, interviews and polls.
- Analyse visitor behaviour: Review where visitors come from, which pages they spend time on, where they leave the site and what devices they use.
- Run A/B tests: Test variations of design, messaging and CTAs to see which versions drive more conversions.
Make the changes
- Optimise landing pages: Ensure pages have clear calls to action, relevant content and intuitive design.
- Improve site performance: Ensure your site loads quickly and works smoothly across all devices.
- Personalise content: Deliver tailored messaging, product recommendations or offers that suit individual visitors’ preferences and behaviour.
