What is CRO?

Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is a method which focuses on increasing the rate at which your users complete a specific task on your site. This could be as simple as entering an email address to receive a newsletter, but in the world of DTC it is most frequently related to maximising how often your users purchase or subscribe to your product.

Your site may have high levels of traffic and strong first or second interactions, but maintaining high levels of engagement at all stages of the shopping funnel is key to a healthy conversion rate. CRO is the specific process of ensuring this happens.

What happens if I leave my site exactly how I originally designed it?

Brands are becoming increasingly savvy about the need for a website which has an engaging, intuitive and fun user experience (UX). By investing in considered UX research and the design of an innovative user interface (UI), you are more likely to end up with a site which your users will enjoy using, return to and advocate for. 

However, it is important to remember that user behaviour is fluid, and as this evolves so must your site. If you are unable or unwilling to keep a close eye on the user data which is being gathered every time someone lands on your site, you might be missing out on identifying key areas for improvement. 

This could relate to the navigation, information architecture, or simple colour choices of your buttons, but by constantly evaluating how well these areas are performing you can gain insights into how to optimise your site’s conversion rates.

What is an effective CRO strategy?

Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data sources is a great way of minimising assumption-making about user behaviour, and ensuring any changes you would like to make are going to have a positive impact on your conversion rate.

Analytics tools can provide a holistic, top down approach to your user research, and highlight exactly where your users are ending their journeys on your site. To support this, heat-mapping tools and focus groups can really help you narrow down on specific user problems related to the shopping flow. These two research methods combined will give you the best chance of solving problems related to your conversion rate.

When is the best time to undertake a CRO audit?

A CRO audit can be undertaken at any point in time, however to get the best results we often like to have 3+ months of user data to analyse. Our CRO audits often take place on sites which have been redesigned within the last year, and with clients who are now looking to ensure its potential is being maximised. 

If your current DTC site is a little older than this, it would likely benefit from a wider UX audit. This is aimed at ensuring your products and brand are being showcased as well as they can be, and on a site which is current and intuitive. Thereafter we can focus more specifically on the all important conversion rates. 

Do I need a CRO agency?

As a conversion rate optimisation agency we specialise in both UX and CRO audits for exciting DTC clients. Our expertise in gathering data and problem solving means we have a successful track record in ensuring our clients’ sites are working as hard as they can do to convert their users. 

If you think your site could do with a CRO or wider UX audit, book a consultation with our team to discuss your options.