What is a conversion?

A conversion refers to any action that achieves a specific goal for your website. Essentially, it’s the action you want a visitor to take after engaging with your content.

It’s often a purchase, but it could also be any step that nudges them closer to buying. Here are a few more examples:

• Clicking a product link
• Adding an item to the cart
• Requesting a quote
• Following your brand on social media
• Downloading a brochure
• Booking a consultation

Whatever the goal, it must be crucial and measurable. After all, you’ll need to track and optimise for all key metrics to boost performance!

What is CRO?

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the strategy behind getting more of your audience to take the action you want—whether that’s buying a product, signing up for a service, or completing a form.

The secret to effective CRO lies in understanding and improving the customer journey. It starts with analysing how visitors are landing on your site, tracking their behaviour as they browse, and identifying the roadblocks that prevent them from converting.

Successful CRO strategies involve making data-driven tweaks like optimising website copy, improving page layouts, and running A/B tests to see what resonates best with users. It’s not just about big changes—sometimes small adjustments, like changing a button colour or tweaking a headline, can have a big impact.

Ultimately, CRO delivers high-quality leads, drives more sales, and lowers your overall acquisition costs, all while maximising the traffic you already have.

What is the conversion rate?

A conversion rate is the percentage of visitors to your site who complete the desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or submitting a form. Essentially, it tells you how effective your site is at turning traffic into results.

To start with Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), you first need to know your baseline—calculate your current conversion rate by dividing the number of conversions by the total number of visitors, then multiplying by 100.

Once you’ve got that number, you can begin testing different solutions.

Digital marketers use tools like A/B testing, multivariate testing, and split testing to compare new changes against the existing content. For instance, you might test different headlines, layouts, or calls-to-action to see which version drives more conversions.

But how do you choose which conversion to optimise in the first place?

Start by identifying the most important goals for your business. Whether it’s increasing sales, growing your email list, or getting more demo requests, focus on the actions that align with your business objectives.

As for knowing when you’ve successfully optimised your content, you’ll need to monitor metrics like conversion rate improvement, bounce rates, and user engagement. When these indicators show positive changes, you’ll know your CRO efforts are paying off.

What is a good conversion rate?

A high conversion rate shows that your website is hitting the mark—it’s well-designed, user-friendly, and engaging for your target audience. On the other hand, a low conversion rate can point to issues with your site’s performance or design.

Things like slow loading times, broken forms, or copy that doesn’t clearly highlight the value of your offer can all drag down your conversion rate.

The average conversion rate typically falls between 1% and 4%, but that number can vary widely depending on where you look. The truth is, this figure doesn’t hold much weight. A “good” conversion rate is relative—it depends on factors like your industry, target market, traffic sources, and business goals. The real benchmark to focus on is your own performance.

If your conversion rate is lower than you’d like—whether it’s below your industry average, lagging behind competitors, or simply falling short of your expectations—it’s time to look at optimisation.

Before diving into the benefits of CRO, let’s break down how to calculate your conversion rate. This will help you understand how much time and effort to put into improving it.

How to calculate your conversion rate

If you want to boost your conversion rate, you’ve got to know how to calculate it first.

Here’s the formula: take the number of conversions, divide it by the total visitors, and multiply by 100 to get the percentage.

Conversion Rate = (Conversions / Visitors) x 100

For example, if your website had 30 sign-ups from 1,000 visitors last month, your conversion rate would be 30 divided by 1,000 (0.03), then multiplied by 100 to get 3%.
Most CRO tools crunch the numbers for you, but it’s still important to understand the reasoning behind your rate.

Keep a close eye on any changes you make to your site and regularly measure your conversion rate to see if those tweaks are paying off.

Why is CRO important?

CRO is key to any website because it helps maximise the value of your existing traffic, driving more conversions and revenue without needing to attract more visitors.

Here, we break down its benefits.

Deeper customer insights

Get to know your audience properly. CRO helps you dig deeper into who your audience really is, what messaging resonates with them, and which user journeys they engage with most. Because it’s not just about attracting more visitors; it’s about attracting the right ones.

After all, what’s the point of bringing in more people if they’re not the right fit for your offering?

Better user experience

When users feel confident and comfortable navigating your site, they’re more likely to stick around and engage. To win their trust, your website needs to be as polished and helpful as your top salesperson. It should guide them, answer their questions, and make them feel confident enough to share their info.

CRO identifies what works best on your site and expands on it to create a smoother, more intuitive user experience. A website that empowers its visitors fosters engagement and may even turn users into enthusiastic advocates for your brand.

Improved scalability

Your audience isn’t endless, but with CRO, you don’t need it to be. CRO allows you to scale efficiently without exhausting your customer pool. By converting more visitors into buyers, you can grow your business without running out of potential purchasers.

Stronger ROI

A higher conversion rate allows you to get more value from the resources you already have. By learning how to maximise your acquisition efforts, you can drive more conversions without needing to increase traffic. Think of CRO as the lever that amplifies your overall marketing efforts. The higher your conversion rate, the stronger the return on investment (ROI) from your marketing budget.

For instance, let’s say your website gets 2,000 visitors a month, with a 2% conversion rate and each conversion worth $200. If you boost that conversion rate to 2.5%, you’ll gain an extra 10 conversions, bringing in an additional $2,000 in revenue every month.

These perks sound great, but how do you actually tackle CRO for your website?

Keep reading to find out.

Where to focus your CRO efforts

Conversions can happen all over your website — from the homepage to landing pages and everything in between. If you want to turn more visitors into customers, you’ve got to optimise each key touchpoint.

Here’s how:

1. Homepage

First impressions matter. Your homepage is more than a digital welcome mat — it’s your chance to hook visitors and encourage them to explore your offerings.

So, make it easy to engage from the start.

Consider adding prominent links to product details, a free sign-up button, or a chatbot to assist visitors as they begin to browse.

2. Product pages

Product pages are crucial conversion points for Ecommerce sites. It’s where visitors decide if they’re buying or bailing, so optimising here is key.

Experiment with product images, descriptions, and pricing structures:

• Product photography: Since online shoppers can’t handle products in person, your visuals are critical. Use high-resolution images that highlight key features and, if possible, offer 360-degree views, demo videos, or 3D models to give a comprehensive look.
• Product descriptions: Balance between giving enough detail to inform, while keeping it concise to hold attention. Avoid overly long descriptions, and focus on clear, impactful information that helps shoppers feel confident about making a purchase. Use bullet points and visuals to make it easier to read.
• Pricing: Improve conversions by adjusting pricing displays, such as comparing annual vs. monthly options, clearly showing what each pricing tier includes, or offering a phone number for visitors to get quotes or assistance.

3. Blogs

It might seem far from the final action you want website visitors to take, but a blog offers a huge opportunity for conversions.

Beyond providing valuable industry insights, it’s a chance to turn readers into leads. You just have to guide users to the right place.

Include compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) within your posts, or invite readers to share their email in exchange for downloadable content like ebooks or reports.

4. Landing pages

Landing pages are built for one thing: conversions.

Since they’re often the first touchpoint for visitors, it’s essential to optimise them for the best results by tweaking your content layout and running tests.

Here are some places to start:

• Enrich your content: For instance, a landing page promoting a workshop could feature a video from last year’s session to encourage signups. Meanwhile, a landing page offering a free meal plan could include a sneak peek recipe to entice downloads.
• Follow a clear information hierarchy: Your landing page with the most important details — like your value proposition and CTA — right at the top. Supporting information, such as testimonials or product details, can be placed further down the page.
• Carry out some iterative testing: Test different formats, designs, and content placements on your landing pages. Small adjustments based on user behaviour can lead to significant conversion improvements without having to overhaul the entire page.

5. Forms

Forms are often the final step of the conversion journey, where visitors submit their personal or payment details – so don’t let these pivotal points slip through the cracks.

Too many businesses ignore their forms, focusing on flashier elements like homepages.

That’s a big mistake!

Optimising your forms is make or break for capturing more conversions.

But they also present their own unique challenges.

To improve your website’s forms, use analytics tools and focus on potential issues such as:

• Lack of user motivation to complete the form
• Asking for too much or unnecessary information
• Visitors not having all the information you need
• Form errors or poor user experience
• Intimidating or overly complex questions
• Unintentionally driving users to external sites, leading to drop-offs

How to optimise your conversion rate in 5 steps

Follow these steps to uncover and fix the roadblocks that keep visitors from turning into customers. While the exact process might vary between businesses, here’s a general guide to get you started:

Step 1: Examine your website’s conversion funnel

First things first, zoom in on every stage of your website’s conversion funnel.

Funnel analysis focuses on monitoring user behaviour as they delve deeper into your site, shedding light on when and why visitors bail before they convert.

With tools like Userpilot, Hotjar Funnels and Google Analytics 4, you can track your conversion rate and see exactly where visitors drop off. Such software can give you a clear visual of how traffic moves through your site, letting you spot high-exit pages and troubleshoot each step.

Using behaviour analytics like heatmaps and session recordings, you can also get a real-time view of how users engage with your site, helping you crack the code on low conversion rates.

Take it further by filtering conversion data by key demographics—location, social media traffic, you name it—to customise your funnel for every audience segment.

Step 2: Deep dive into user data

At its core, successful CRO demands a deep understanding of your customers. The insights you uncover are your roadmap to crafting a strategy that not only enhances user experience but also boosts conversions.

Once you’ve flagged the key drop-off points in your funnel, it’s time to learn everything you can about your audience. This is the most crucial step in any CRO plan because not all conversion blockers are obvious.

Sure, sometimes it’s as simple as a glitch blocking half of your users from taking the next step. But other times, your customer journey can be flawless and people still don’t convert.

When that happens, you’ve got to dig into the “why” behind the data and laser-focus on your users’ needs. After all, a lot is going on before that final click – drivers guide users to your website, hooks encourage them to take action and barriers stand in their way.

If you’re not sure which elements are which, consult customers who have already bought from your brand through online surveys and focus groups.

Ask these users what sealed the deal and what almost made them walk away. This will give you clear insights into what worked and what needs fixing in your conversion funnel.

Step 3: Make hypotheses for optimisation

Once you’ve spotted the roadblocks tripping up your visitors, you’re ready to make smarter choices about what changes to A/B test to ramp up conversion rates.

A hypothesis is your blueprint for action. It defines which tweaks to make and how to roll them out. These changes could be anything from improving mobile friendliness to cutting the clutter from your checkout process.

Step 4: Put your hypotheses to the test

Sifting through mountains of data might feel overwhelming, but testing your hypothesis is key. It will show you which changes create real impact and which ones fall flat. Expect a bit of trial and error—CRO is all about experimenting and fine-tuning for long-term success.

A/B testing different variations of your web pages is a powerful way to experiment with fresh UX designs and revamped sales funnels. By comparing the current version’s performance against an update, you can discover which drives better results.

Stay on top of the results: Keep tracking performance to make sure that the boost in conversions is the real deal, not just the initial excitement of something new.

Step 5: Review and repeat

The final (and never-ending) step is to evaluate the impact of your changes and see how they’ve influenced your conversion rate. If your hypothesis comes out on top, it’s time to implement it across your entire site.

But don’t stop there—optimisation is an ongoing game. Conversion rates improve little by little as you keep fine-tuning. Keep digging into the latest user behaviour data to spot the next big pain points causing drop-offs, and tackle them head-on for even better results.

14 CRO strategies for your website

With the above steps in hand, it’s time to explore and experiment with various CRO best practices. By tweaking different parts of your sales funnel, you’ll start to see a real impact on your conversion rates—ideally trending upward.

Here are some tried-and-true techniques that have helped our clients strengthen their conversions:

Get personal with your offers

Use cookies to keep tabs on visitors to your site, tracking their activity so you can understand what catches their eye. When they return, you’ll have the insights you need to make their experience even more relevant.

For instance, if someone repeatedly browses your collection of premium coffee machines but hasn’t taken the plunge, it’s a clear signal—they’re interested but need a nudge.

Send them an email (if they’ve opted in) offering 10% off their next coffee machine purchase. It aligns perfectly with their intent and can turn a hesitant browser into a buyer with minimal impact on your profit margins.

Alternatively, deploy smart on-page pop-ups or subtle pop-unders showcasing discounts or special offers on related products.

For B2B companies, the principle is the same: personalise your promotions to offer attractive deals on services that resonate with your target audience.

These tailored touches can significantly boost engagement and conversions.

Make your CTA buttons big and bold

Buttons are key for turning casual site visitors into paying customers.

To boost conversions, design buttons that pop: choose a colour that contrasts sharply with your site’s background, craft a concise and action-driven CTA, and ensure they link directly to your high-value conversion pages.

When these elements come together, your buttons become magnets for clicks, seamlessly guiding more users to take action and boosting your bottom line.

Keep CTAs simple

Calls to action (CTAs) are a powerful tool for boosting your website’s conversion rates.

These short, action-oriented phrases guide users on what to do next, whether it’s subscribing to updates, exploring a demo, or purchasing a product.

No matter your goal, clear CTAs help potential customers stay engaged, navigate your site, and take steps toward conversion.

The key?

Speak their language.

Writing the way people naturally talk creates a sense of connection—like you’re having a conversation, not delivering a pitch.

With just 50 milliseconds to make a first impression, simplicity and clarity are your best allies. Use direct, conversational CTAs to capture attention and guide visitors toward action.

Focus on straightforward, easy-to-grasp verbs like:

• Try
• Learn
• Start

Pair this with concise, focused paragraphs (no more than four sentences) to keep your message sharp and digestible.

Carry out A/B testing

A/B testing, or split testing, is a straightforward way to figure out what works best on your website. By comparing two versions of a page or content element, you can see which one gets better results and make smarter decisions.

Before you begin, make sure your site gets enough traffic to get meaningful results. Small sample sizes can lead to unreliable insights.

To get started, create two versions of something—like a headline, CTA, button, or image—and show each version to similar groups of visitors.

The one that performs better should become the go-to option. Put the winning version in place and keep testing over time. A/B tests are a simple, effective way to keep improving your site and getting better results.

Leverage lead flows

Lead flows are a powerful conversion tool designed to grab attention and provide value. These high-impact elements—like pop-ups, slide-ins, or banners—are strategically placed on your site to engage visitors and guide them toward action.

Take pop-ups, for example. These little attention-grabbers jump to the forefront of your webpage, showcasing irresistible offers like a discount code or a time-sensitive deal.

They’re not just eye-catching—they’re strategic. Pop-ups can trigger based on user behaviour, like when someone’s about to exit or create urgency with countdowns or limited-time promotions.

And the results speak for themselves. Well-placed, thoughtfully crafted pop-ups can deliver conversion rates above 10%, making them a must-have for boosting engagement.

To implement this on your site, consider using tools like Privyr or WordPress plugins to easily integrate a pop-up that offers a discount code or another enticing incentive in return for contact information. When used strategically, lead flows can be game-changers for your conversion strategy.

Showcase your deals with a welcome bar

A welcome bar—or hello bar—is a subtle yet effective way to capture your visitors’ attention and deliver important information right when they land on your site.

Unlike pop-ups, which interrupt the browsing experience, welcome bars sit neatly at the top of your homepage, offering a seamless way to highlight key messages.

They’re perfect for showcasing free shipping, discount codes, or special promotions that could entice your audience to stick around and take action.

Share some social proof

Social proof taps into a basic human instinct: following the crowd.

It’s a powerful conversion tool that makes actions more enticing by showing that others are already taking them. Essentially, it’s all about making potential customers feel confident in their decision to choose your brand.

Showcase your credibility by featuring endorsements from influencers or mentions in reputable publications. These recognitions add weight to your brand’s authority.

Positive customer reviews are another impactful form of social proof—many shoppers trust them as much as recommendations from friends.

Take it a step further with tools like Fomo, which display real-time notifications of purchases. These pop-ups not only create urgency but also reassure visitors that others are buying, reinforcing trust and interest in your products.

Use smart search bars

When visitors land on your site—whether from a social media ad or a search engine—they may not have a clear product in mind.

That’s where a smart search bar comes in. It transforms your navigation into a powerful tool for turning casual browsers into engaged shoppers.

If your store boasts a large inventory, consider placing a prominent search bar on your homepage. This allows users to jump straight to what they’re looking for without wading through endless categories.

Predictive search functionality can suggest products, categories, and related results as users type, even accommodating misspellings or alternative product names to ensure they find what they need quickly.

Analyse user behaviour with heat maps

Imagine your website overlaid with colourful zones—fiery reds and oranges showing hotspots of activity, while cooler blues reveal untouched areas.

That’s the magic of heat maps, a must-have tool for ecommerce brands aiming to boost conversions.

Heat maps turn complex behavioural data into an easy-to-read visual format. Warm colours highlight areas where users are most engaged, pointing to prime spots for CTAs or other conversion-driving elements. Cooler zones show where adjustments might be needed to draw more attention.

With heat maps tools like Hotjar, you’re not just guessing—you’re making data-driven decisions to optimise your site and turn more visitors into customers.

Don’t forget to send an ‘abandoned cart’ email

Abandoned carts are a reality in ecommerce, but they also present a golden opportunity. Reaching out to these would-be buyers with an abandoned cart email is a proven strategy to drive conversions.

If a customer’s email is linked to their abandoned cart, you’re in luck.

Send a follow-up email reminding them of the items they left behind. Sweeten the deal with an incentive, like a discount or free shipping code, to nudge them toward completing their purchase.

Don’t overlook the power of a great subject line—it’s the gateway to higher open rates. Make it catchy and relevant to grab attention, and don’t be afraid to experiment with A/B testing to find what resonates best with your audience.

Long story short?

Abandoned carts don’t have to mean lost sales. With the right email approach, you can turn forgetfulness into a finished transaction.

Optimise your site for mobile

With over 58% of global web traffic coming from smartphones and tablets, having a mobile-friendly website isn’t optional—it’s essential.

While WordPress themes come pre-optimised for mobile, you can take extra steps to refine the experience for your visitors.

Simplify your navigation to make it intuitive, enlarge buttons for easy tapping, and minimise on-screen text to avoid overwhelming users on smaller devices.

To assess how well your site adapts to mobile, try Google Lighthouse, a free tool that evaluates your site’s responsiveness and provides actionable insights for improvement.

But responsiveness is only half the battle.

Slow load times are a conversion killer, driving up bounce rates and frustrating users. Plus, Google considers page speed a ranking factor, so a sluggish site can hurt your SEO.

Enter Google PageSpeed Insights, another free resource that delivers a detailed report on your site’s loading performance. It highlights specific issues dragging down your speed and offers recommendations to fix them.

For media-heavy Ecommerce sites, large image files are often the biggest culprits. By reducing file sizes, you’ll speed up load times, enhance user experience, and increase your chances of converting visitors into customers.

Mobile optimisation isn’t just about meeting expectations—it’s about exceeding them to keep your audience engaged and satisfied.

Feature chatbots on conversion-focused page

Integrate live chat software into your website to connect with visitors in real time, offering them the support and guidance they need when they need it most.

To maximise conversions, strategically place chatbots and messaging features on high-impact pages like your pricing and product details sections. These are the areas where potential customers often need quick answers to make confident purchasing decisions.

Take it a step further by making your chatbots proactive. Set them to trigger based on user behaviour.

If someone lingers on a page for more than a minute, for instance, have the chatbot pop up with a friendly, “Need help with something?”

This approach ensures your visitors feel supported without having to seek out help themselves.

Tools like HubSpot and WordPress plugins make implementing action-based chatbots simple, allowing you to personalise the buying experience.

Remember to retarget website visitors

No matter your ultimate goal—be it sales, sign-ups, or inquiries—the harsh reality is that most website visitors leave without converting.

That’s where retargeting comes in.

By using platforms like Facebook and Google, you can reconnect with these potential customers and draw them back to your site.

Here’s how it works: when someone visits your site, a little tracking code tags them. Later, as they explore the web, your ads appear, reminding them of what they were interested in and gently steering them back to you. Focus on retargeting visitors from your top-performing pages for maximum impact—these are the people already close to taking action.

To make retargeting work, the usual digital marketing fundamentals apply: create compelling ad copy, use eye-catching visuals, and offer something irresistible.

When done right, retargeting doesn’t just remind people of your brand—it drives measurable results.

Make it easy to check out

You might guide customers through the sales journey with clear CTAs, entice them with compelling product descriptions, and create a frictionless browsing experience.

But if completing a purchase feels complicated or frustrating, they’re likely to abandon their cart.

Cart abandonment is a widespread challenge in Ecommerce—up to 85% of mobile shoppers leave without finalising their purchase.

The solution?

Streamline your checkout process to ensure it’s effortless when shoppers are ready to buy.

After all, the checkout page is the final step in turning browsers into buyers, making it a critical component of any ecommerce website.

Here’s how to streamline your checkout process:

• Minimise steps to purchase: Keep your checkout process short and sweet. Reduce the number of fields customers need to fill out and remove any unnecessary steps that could slow them down.
• Enable guest checkout: Forcing users to create an account can be a deal-breaker. Allow them to complete their purchase as a guest, and offer account creation as an optional follow-up.
• Provide multiple payment options: Support a variety of payment methods, such as credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The more options you offer, the more likely shoppers will find one they trust and prefer.
• Be transparent about pricing: Display shipping costs, taxes, and delivery timelines before customers proceed to checkout. Unexpected fees at the last moment are a major cause of cart abandonment.
• Add progress indicators: Include a visual progress bar or step indicator during the checkout process to show users how close they are to completion. This reassures them the end is in sight.
• Secure your checkout: Highlight security features like SSL certificates and trusted payment gateway logos to build trust. Customers need to feel confident their personal and payment details are safe.
• Offer live support options: Provide a chat widget or a visible help section in case customers encounter questions or issues during checkout. Quick access to assistance can save a lost sale.
• Enable autofill and address suggestions: Streamline the form-filling process by supporting autofill for payment and shipping details, and include address suggestions to save customers time.
• Send cart abandonment emails: If someone leaves without completing their purchase, follow up with a reminder email. Include a discount or free shipping incentive to win them back.

By making the checkout experience smooth and hassle-free, you can turn hesitant shoppers into loyal customers.

What tools can I use for CRO?

The right CRO tools will make your life a whole lot easier, turning guesswork into a data-driven strategy that fuels results.

Web analytics tools reveal how users interact with your site, helping you zero in on what’s working and what’s not. Meanwhile, A/B testing tools give you the power to experiment and find out what changes truly move the needle.

Here are some of the top tools to help take the hassle out of CRO:

H3: User insights

• Google Analytics: The go-to analytics tool for CRO pros everywhere. Google Analytics gives you a deep dive into user behaviour, showing you what’s driving conversions and where users are falling off. Track popular pages, user paths, and conversions all in one place.
• Hotjar: Want to know what’s really happening on your site? Hotjar serves up heatmaps, session recordings, and feedback polls so you can see where visitors are clicking, scrolling, or getting stuck. Perfect for uncovering hidden friction points.
• Crazy Egg: With its heatmaps, click tracking, and scroll maps, Crazy Egg lets you visualise how users interact with your pages, helping you uncover areas for optimisation at a glance.
• MarketingCloudFX: This all-in-one marketing platform offers advanced web analytics and user behaviour tracking. It’s packed with features like session recordings, helping you make sense of visitor interactions and turn them into actionable insights.

A/B testing

• VWO Testing: VWO makes it easy to run A/B tests and multivariate experiments. It also offers deep analytics to pinpoint which changes are boosting conversions and which need to go.
• Optimizely: Known for its powerful experimentation features, Optimizely enables you to personalise your site and run detailed A/B tests to find out what truly drives conversions.

With these tools in your CRO arsenal, you’ll have the power to unravel user data, run experiments, and make the kind of adjustments that keep increasing conversions.

Be confident in your CRO with Redback

Whether you’re running an Ecommerce site, directing a marketing team, or spearheading your brand’s SEO, conversions are key to success. And with CRO, you can consistently drive those numbers higher.

Remember, every improvement counts—small tweaks can lead to big wins. Keep testing, keep iterating, and watch as more of your visitors turn into engaged customers.

At Redback, our experienced digital marketing specialists have helped all kinds of B2B and B2C clients grow leaps and bounds with clever CRO. Let’s do the same for your business.

For end-to-end support with your website, call us at (02) 4962 2236 or enquire online today.