Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is the practice of using
a combination of analytics and feedback to improve the performance and user
experience of your website. Your conversion rate is calculated by dividing the
total number of conversions by the number of visitors to your website. A
conversion is classed as an action that you want your customers to perform,
whether it is making a purchase, subscribing to your newsletter or visiting a
certain page of your website.
CRO techniques can be used to improve any Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) but are mostly used to acquire new customers, increase sales
and attract new members to your database. Employing conversion rate
optimisation is a great way of gaining the best return in investment (ROI) when
it comes to your website and helps increase your customer numbers without
additional costs.
Developing a Conversion Rate
Optimisation Strategy
Once you have calculated your website’s conversion rate it
is then best to analyse it using an initial set of metrics. Firstly, begin by
looking at the bounce rate of your site – how many people leave after visiting
just one page? Secondly, take a look at the exit rate and determine which page
most people leave your site on and the average amount of time they spend
browsing your website. If there are certain pages that keep cropping up when
determining the exit rate of your website, this can act as a red flag to warn
you of potential user issues on these pages.
A good conversion rate optimisation strategy will also aim
to improve the overall user experience of your website. To lay the foundations
for this there are a number of areas you should examine, such as general
usability and the conversion funnel. The conversion funnel is simply the path
that a user takes on your website to achieve the conversion, or goal, you want
to measure. So, if you want your visitors to make a purchase, how many pages
and clicks does it take for them to reach the checkout page? The conversion
funnel should be made as simple as possible so that users do not become
frustrated and abandon their journey.
When optimising your website for conversions you should also
use A/B testing techniques and user testing to make sure its usability is as
easy as possible. Ensure that the website’s graphics are clear and do not
obstruct any important information, ensure that your calls to action are
suitably placed and easy to see and if operating an ecommerce website, establish
whether the checkout process is easy to follow.
Once you have
identified any problems users may be encountering on your website you can then
begin to rectify these issues, making the site easier and more enjoyable to
use. Using
Google Analytics you can also set
up goals and funnels metrics to monitor the success of your CRO strategy. A
Google analytics goal measures the time it takes for users to complete a
specific action on your website, whilst the funnel tracks the pages and clicks
they made in order to achieve this goal.
Simplify your conversion rate
optimisation
There are a number of online resources and software packages
available to help you develop and execute your conversion rate optimisation
strategy. Software programs such as
Crazy
Egg show you a detailed ‘Heat map’ which highlights the most active areas
of your website in terms of clicks and engagement. This then allows you to see
areas of the site that may be under performing, or calls to action that are
being missed or ignored.
Whilst software applications such as
Wingify provide an easy way to perform A/B
testing in order to “Tweak, optimize & personalize your website and apps
with minimal IT help.” With full statistical reports, heat maps and user
insights Wingify is a great starting place for those who are new to conversion
rate optimisation.
Labels: click map, conversion rate, CRO, heat map, KPIs, ROI, user experience
