The short answer is YES! If your website is not converting 100% of the visitors, there is definitely room for improvement. As a matter of fact, most websites only convert 1% to 3% of their traffic and some of the very best can convert 20%.
What is conversion optimization? From Wikipedia, “in internet marketing, conversion optimization or conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the method of creating an experience for a website or landing page visitor with the goal of increasing the percentage of visitors that convert to customers.” Sometimes the smallest changes you make to your website or landing page can make a significant difference in the results. Testing takes the guesswork out of website optimization and enables data-backed decisions that shift business conversations from “we think” to “we know.” By measuring the impact that changes have on your metrics such as phone calls, sign-ups, downloads, purchases, or whatever else your goals may be, you can ensure that every change produces positive results. Quantitative data speaks for itself. You and your coworkers may have hunches about how site visitors will respond to certain design elements; A/B or multivariate testing allows you to show visitors alternate versions of the same elements and let them determine the favorite. Constantly testing and optimizing your page can increase revenue, donations, leads, registrations and downloads, while providing businesses with valuable insight about their visitors.
Ever try to keep up with all the changes Google keeps making to their search algorithms? Take if from some people who do it day in and day out for a living…it’s like chasing a rainbow But, that being said, they do it for a reason; to keep getting better, growing and improving. I don’t think I have to tell you how successful they have been in their quest…$50 billion in annual revenue last year!
I am not here to talk about Google revenue, I am here to speak to the success of their process to continuously test, change and improve. Google ran more than seven thousand A/B tests in 2011 alone. (Source: Pardot)
Why should you care? CRO is important because you are most likely paying for traffic to your site in one way or another, and a high conversion rate means a better return on that investment (ROI). It’s much more cost-effective to convert a higher percentage of the visitors you already have than to attract new visitors. Optimization helps to defend against the limited patience of your average visitor by giving them what they want before they tire of looking for it. It’s about getting more of the right kind of customers—it won’t do you any good if the people you’re acquiring are the wrong fit for your business. It’s important to keep the focus on optimizing to find more customers who will love your products or services and tell others.
Would you like an exponential increase in your online sales? Test out conversion rate optimization and measure the results! “One accurate measurement is worth more than a thousand expert opinions” – Admiral Grace Hopper
