Whether it is CRO Dallas, or CRO in any other of the major cities in the United States, conversion rate optimization is a critical element for the success of any website that wants to make money or have an impact in any way. CRO is a tactic that helps to minimize guesswork and maximize facts in order to create a better user experience for the guests that visit a website.
Through a series of tasks that involve data analysis and website updates a website can be groomed and shaped into a powerful medium between the users that visit the site, and the administrators that run the site.
Here’s how it works.
Conversion Rate Optimization
When people use the word “optimization” it usually means to optimize, or to improve something so that is more efficient or successful. When developers optimize images for faster load time, they are making edits and changes to the graphic that keep it as good looking as possible, but lessen the size of the file so that it loads easily into the view of the users on a website.
Conversion rate optimization is simply where a team of experts get together and use data to tweak certain aspects of a website to make it easier for users to convert.
A conversion, in terms of web development, is when a person that is browsing the website converts from a visitor into a paying customer. To optimize a website to improve the rates of conversions is known as CRO https://www.webloftdesigns.com/, or conversion rate optimization.
The conversion rate is the percentage of people that visit the site compared to the number of people that visit the site and purchase a product or service. If 10 out of every 100 people convert from browsers to buyers the site will have a 10% conversion rate.
Some of the factors that can affect the conversion rate of a website are:
- User experience
- Images
- Headings
- Calls to action
In order to accurately optimize a website for conversion rates, there has to be a well-planned strategy that addresses the unique needs of the business.
The User Experience
In general, the user experience can be relative to each user. Some users want to see types of images that others would rather not see. In order to create a great experience for users, the website has to understand its target market and the type of audience that may be visiting the site.
For example, men searching for high-performance automotive parts will not be looking for the same thing as women looking for high-quality makeup products. The types of content and images that would attract either visitor will be different.
In addition to the immediate images that will be available for the users there are also other factors that help to make a better experience:
- Ease of navigation
- A clear path to the objective
- Descriptive titles and headers
- A trustworthy feel
When a visitor finds a website for the first time they will notice things that stand out to them. If something stands out that looks untrustworthy or spammy the person will most likely bounce away to the next search result.
Creating a user experience that is attractive and pleasant for the user is one of the most important factors of conversion rate optimization. The only way most users will convert is if they trust the place they are visiting.
Optimizing for Conversion Rates
A successful website is not a one-time build-and-go solution. Although it would be nice for business owners if a website was an automatic means of constant revenue, this is not how it works.
In order for a website to convert as many visitors as possible, it has to be tweaked and updated in a way that is beneficial for the success of the site. Conversion rate optimization is a strategy that works over a period of time. Once a website is established and live, the people that visit it will provide data that will be crucial for the developer to analyze and make changes in order to better fulfill the needs of the visitors.
- Data analysis
- Comparison testing
- Visitor feedback
- Understanding the audience
After the website has been live for 90 days or so the developers can get a good idea about how visitors behave once they get on the website.
Data Analysis and Web Platforms
The most powerful tool when it comes to great optimization is data analysis. If a website has data recording software such as Google Analytics installed on the site the webmaster can see a plethora of information about the people that visit the site.
- GEO location of the visitors
- Source of where visitors found the site
- Pages visitors visit
- Length of time visitors spend on pages
- Most popular pages visitors land on
Based on this kind of data a developer can use quantitative information in order to create a better environment for users.
Another way developers can get data regarding visitors is to set up a questionnaire, or a form that asks users directly about their experience while they were visiting the site. By acquiring qualitative information such as what the users are looking for and why they visited the site the developer can make adjustments to the content within the site to help to direct future users towards the goal of conversions.
Implementing Changes for Optimization
Although optimizing a website for conversions is a great skill and involves a certain amount of planning, there is no way to read the minds of the users and know exactly what they want. Implementing changes to the site can be a bit of a trial and error process.
One of the more common methods for determining what works and what does not work for conversions is to do an A/B test for a specific plan. Out of A and B, the best results will be implemented as a way to improve conversion rates.
For example, let’s take a look at these two factors:
- Option for the user to purchase directly
- Option for the user to get more information
Although these are generic options the general idea is to put both options out there and use data analysis to determine which option got more of a response. If the users wanted more information about the product, the developer could word options in a manner that is appropriate for the response.
Another example is to use calls to action on different color backgrounds. Say the background of red and the background of blue are tried against each other. Determining which color users prefer would be based on the number of users that clicked on the color.
When the data shows which choice is best for the benefit of the website, the developer can implement the changes, but continue to collect data based on the new changes. It is a never-ending process.
The Ultimate Goal
The ultimate goal for any website that is implementing a conversion rate optimization strategy is to generate as many conversions as possible. The higher the conversion rate, the more successful the website.
Conversion rates can be based on whatever the business specifies. Some establishments merely consider a conversion when the user fills out a form or downloads a file. Other conversions could mean a sale or a set appointment.
Whatever the goal is that is specified in the creation of the website and the planning of the campaign will be the conversion goal. With the right planning and some skilled analysis, any website can be constructed and maintained in a way that constantly reaches that ultimate goal.