Owain PowellWhile SEO & PPC remain the key cogs that spin the wheel of brand awareness for organizations across the web, what happens when you achieve visibility in the search index and visits to your website but few conversions?
For years, designers and digital marketers have been left scratching their heads or wondering which way to turn in their bid to increase website conversions; often making decisions based on assumptions and opinion rather than fact.
CRO eliminates guess work with fact-based, actionable insights
2015 is the year where conversion rate optimisation (CRO) has become the #buzz word of the digital industry. Many working within the digital industry are now starting to understand the true value of CRO not just as a concept, but as a practice. The typical three-step process is as follows:
- Analytics – pull problem data to analyse
- Gather insights – generate hypothesis for improvements
- Testing – user testing, A/B testing etc
Without following these steps, those holding senior positions such as directors, experienced designers or senior digital marketers risk taking it upon themselves to make website changes based on their seniority, experience and opinion. Whilst experience is invaluable to every organisation, CRO helps to develop “insight”. Experience, coupled with insight can prove to be an effective mix, which can lead towards positive outcomes if a more measured approach is taken.
How to choose a conversion rate optimisation agency
Key attributes to look for in a CRO agency:
- User experience (UX) expertise– Choose an agency that also specialises in user experience (UX) design and has experience of using tools beyond traditional Google Analytics, as there is a good chance even you know how to use Google Analytics! Request case studies and examples of previous UX work
- Tools of the trade– always check which tools the agency has adopted and request a demo so you understand the proposed approach.
- Strategic approach– there needs to be time to attain data for insights/testing, then for analysis and repeated testing. Stay clear of any agency promising quick success
- The ability to listen and understand– It is important for conversion rate optimisation to be open to divulging with full transparency around their approach to CRO and be wary of agencies that don’t take the time to research and understand your business, your competitors, sales funnel, KPI’s, conversion goals etc
Client side web developers need to be alerted in advance of any CRO campaign running, and should be prepared to make website changes in good time to help prevent bottlenecks in the testing stages.
Look for an agency willing to listen to concerns around why your website isn’t converting, and one which is prepared to be proactive in walking you and your colleagues through findings. Finally, full transparency is key from both parties, as this will help to support an effective working relationship and should lead to effective outcomes with a welcome boost in website conversions!
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