As you’re here, you probably have 1 of two questions.
- What is CRO (conversion rate optimisation)?
- What does a CRO service look like?
What is conversion rate optimisation (CRO)?
Let’s address the first question first. CRO, or conversion rate optimisation is the process of continually optimising (improving) a site’s performance, with a focus on improving its conversion rate*. This is typically done by coming up with hypotheses for changes that would improve the user experience which are then tested in a scientific way. Not every hypothesis will be proven correct, but this is OK as long as something valuable is learnt which informs future tests.
*In case you were unsure, conversion rate is simply the percentage of your users (website visitors) who ‘convert’ (perform the action you want them too) on your site.
Simple right? Now let’s move on to what a CRO service looks like. Not all agencies or CRO consultants follow the exact same process which is why we will break down what our own Full Service CRO looks like to give you a good idea of what to expect.
What does conversion rate optimisation (CRO) involve?
An evaluation of important pages on your site
You can’t run a test without first understanding what’s going wrong. Those who run tests blindly are doomed to fail. That’s why our first step is to take a look at your Google Analytics data for the key pages on your site to try and identify any potential weaknesses.
We then conduct a heuristic evaluation similar to that carried out when we do a site audit. Where possible, we like to also look at heatmaps within Hotjar (our preferred heatmapping tool and heatmap partner) or other similar software such as Microsoft Clarity.
We integrate these three elements to evaluate the pages and build a list of suggestions for rectifying issues or further optimising what exists currently. These suggestions are then added to a backlog within a Trello board our clients have access to.
Prioritisation of suggested improvements and hypotheses formulation
Next, we like to give each suggestion in the backlog a score as to where we think it should sit in terms of priority order. We use the ICE scoring method to help us assign a value to each idea. We then review the suggestions and their scores, coming up with hypotheses for testing.
If we need to group a couple of suggestions together within a hypothesis because low traffic volumes would make it a very long process to test them individually, this is when we do it. We move the suggestion cards into an ‘in progress’ list in Trello and get sign off from the client that they are happy with this course of action.
Creating design elements and development
After we have our hypothesis and we know which suggestions we are working on we usually need to create some visual to pass to a developer to build. Occasionally, a test won’t require design, and we can skip straight to development. But usually, we are briefing our highly skilled UX designers to start creating a component or two in Figma that are likely to improve the user experience.
Once the designs are ready, they either go to our specialist Shopify and WordPress developers, or are passed to our client’s developers.
All designs and development work is inspected by us to make sure it meets the brief and will function correctly when it comes time to test.
Testing
We are Convert certified, Webtrends Optimize partners and Shoplift partners so we can help you pick the right testing software for your needs. Once you’ve decided on software, we get this up and running for you.
We then add the test and set it live, making sure to check that the test is rendering correctly. We will continually monitor the test to keep track of progress and make sure it is running as expected. If there are any issues, we will trouble shoot these with the software provider for you. When the time comes, you can leave the interpretation of the results to us as we determine whether the test hypothesis has won.
Alternatively, if you have your own testing software you would like to use, we are more than happy for you to set the test up yourself and we will help you out with interpreting the results if you want us to.
Summary
Not all agencies are the same in the way they handle CRO, but the goal of each is to improve the user experience on your site with a view that this will boost the number of conversions and your conversion rate. Our Full Service CRO follows a set process from initial evaluation through to test interpretation. The full process is often repeated just for a different part of your site. We may also iterate on a test that has already concluded, or work on a new hypothesis for the same page.
I hope this has given you a flavour of what to expect from CRO services. If you would like to learn how we can help you specifically, get in touch.
Hi, I’m Charlotte. I love writing about user psychology and tips I’ve picked up from leading user research and CRO projects. Get in touch if you’d like to work with me to improve the user experience on your site or click here to learn more about your future CRO team.