Conversion rate optimization deals with increasing the percentage of your website visitors who take the desired action or convert. As an inbound marketer, this can be one of your trickiest problems to solve. To start, we recommend:
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Optimizing for mobile
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Keeping it simple
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Improving lead quality
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to get started with respect to enhancing your conversion rate optimization efforts. Although there are plenty of quick tricks and tips you can employ for a marginal improvement, it’s usually better to first consider your CRO in a general marketing context and make sure it’s consistent with the core principles. If you don’t know where to begin, then start at one of these points:
Optimize your site for mobile devices
At this point, it really goes without saying that businesses need mobile sites. It’s incredibly important in regard to your search engine optimization and user experience, since both Google and prospective customers expect companies to have a functioning mobile site.
Unsurprisingly, it turns out that mobile optimization is also a deciding factor in your CRO. According to a recent Next Web article, users are more likely to convert if your mobile site is fast and fluid:
“Mobile conversion optimization is important to ensure that visitors to your site get the best possible experience, no matter which device they use. Remember, visitors who have better experiences are the easiest to convert.”
To put it simply, your site needs to be accessible. It’s not worth moving on to other aspects until you have your mobile site in order. If you still don’t have a mobile site, then getting one should be your number one priority, and not just for your CRO, but for your SEO and user experience as well.
K.I.S.S.
It’s uncanny how often the principle “Keep it simple, stupid” is relevant in the context of online marketing. One of the most common mistakes businesses make with respect to their websites is trying to cram too much material within a given space.
A recent Forbes article explains why simplicity is one of the most important factors in conversion rate optimization. According to the article, “simple” websites function and convert better in the aggregate:
“To successfully implement conversion optimization, however, you need to have the mindset that simple is better. Simple websites are actually better. Simple websites convert better, flow better, attract more engagement, and encourage action. The less clutter there is on a website or landing page, the more likely it is that a customer will convert on the call to action.”
In addition to accessing your site, users also have to be able to navigate it. If your homepage is overwhelming and doesn’t guide users, then they’ll just go right back to Google’s search results. There will be no opportunity to convert because they won’t have time to digest all the content being thrown at them.
Improve the quality of your leads
Your CRO efforts shouldn’t stop with lead capture. You need to focus on lead quality as well. Oftentimes, businesses struggle to convert leads into customers because the leads are irrelevant. You can have an accessible, simple website with great content and still have a poor conversion rate because the leads were never applicable to your business.
To improve the quality of your leads, you have to go back to the heart of your online marketing strategy. The quality of your leads is somewhat indicative of your ability to find your target audience, create relevant content for them, and interact with them online. You can start improving your leads by marketing where your target audience spends its time and creating good content that will engage them, important parts of the inbound methodology.
Conversation rate optimization is a technical online marketing practice, but it still follows the same core marketing principles. Before you focus on advertisements and specific website elements, you need to have a site that’s accessible, digestible, and generating new leads that are relevant to your business.
