This article was updated on 11/22/2024
Understanding Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
What is CRO?
Website conversions, or Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, such as filling out a form, making a purchase, or subscribing to a newsletter. Think of it as fine-tuning your website to ensure that more visitors take the actions you want them to. CRO involves understanding how users interact with your website, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes to increase conversions. By focusing on conversion rate optimization, you can turn more of your website visitors into loyal customers.
Benefits of CRO
The benefits of CRO are numerous and impactful. By optimizing your website for conversions, you can:
- Increase Revenue and Sales: More conversions mean more sales, directly boosting your bottom line.
- Improve User Experience and Engagement: A well-optimized site is easier to navigate, keeping visitors engaged and satisfied.
- Enhance Brand Credibility and Trust: A seamless and professional website builds trust with your audience.
- Gain a Competitive Edge: Stand out in your industry by providing a superior online experience.
- Maximize ROI from Digital Marketing: Ensure that your marketing efforts are paying off by converting more visitors into customers.
How to calculate conversion rate
Calculating your websiteโs conversion rate is straightforward. Simply divide the number of conversions (desired actions taken) by the total number of visitors, and then multiply the result by 100 to get a percentage. For example, if your website had 100 conversions and 1,000 visitors, your conversion rate would be 10%. Understanding this metric is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of your conversion rate optimization strategies. Nowadays, it’s mostly done for you with tracking and analytics. Google’s Search Console is free and easy to understand after a little time educating yourself with the platform. Although Google Analytics offers more detailed information, it comes with a significant learning curve.
Design has a direct impact on sales
The value of good web design โ first impressions are crucial when customers visit your site for the first time. You wouldn’t find a run-down store impressive, would you? Presentation matters, no matter whether itโs in the real world or the digital one.
How exactly does web design have an impact on sales? Ultimately, the most direct result is through driving conversion, which is when a customer on your website completes a desired action. The conversion process consists of the steps visitors take to achieve a conversion goal, and simplifying this process can enhance user experience and increase conversion rates. The most straightforward example of a conversion would be a customer purchasing from your website. They visit, they like what they see, and buy or subscribe to your service.
Sales aren’t the only valuable conversion
Of course, website conversions arenโt just limited to product sales. For some businesses, different actions can be more desirable for their marketing strategy. Here are just a few examples of what you may want to happen:
- A visitor reaching out to you via a contact form
- Signing up for your newsletter
- Sharing content via social media, if thatโs your marketing strategy
- Signing up for a trial account
- Filling out a sign-up form
While some of these conversions may not directly result in a sale or monetary compensation, they are avenues that can be just as valuable. Remember, although these types of conversions arenโt money in the bank now, they are efficient ways to cultivate long-term sales goals and keep your brand top of mind. Which, ultimately leads to sales in one form or another.
Of course, there are a variety of ways to increase your sales and conversion rate through the web. Digital advertising is a great solution for boosting business if your website is already up-to-par. However, the single most effective way to drastically improve sales is by having a good website design. Weโve seen too often, digital campaigns connected to websites that are dated and unsophisticated. How many times have you bounced within ten seconds of landing on a page because the site you were visiting lacked sophistication?
Strap in folks, because this is a long one. Letโs dig into how your websiteโs design drives sales and conversions.
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Web design directly establishes your company’s credibility with website visitors
Nowadays, good design is simply the default expectation. Our business thrives on thoughtful design and UX. We would be dead in the water without it.
Thereโs been a major shift to selling through digital channels. So having a website that isnโt up-to-par is a conversion killer. In fact, a site that has a low conversion despite steady traffic is almost always a sign of poor design. The average website conversion rate in 2023 was 3.68%, compared to 2.35% in 2024. There are many factors, but the digital marketplace is becoming increasingly saturated. More businesses and websites are competing for the same audience, making it harder to stand out and capture conversions.
Improving website design can significantly impact this metric. Because when new visitors are unfamiliar with your brand, they are not sure what to expect.
However, visitors will apply value and get the impression that your site is worth touring if you have strong aesthetics and high-quality visual assets. So if your site doesnโt seem engaging from the second that your visitor loads the page, youโve already lost them. For example, Hubspot has found that nearly 40% of people will immediately stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive. Losing online visitors is totally preventable.
There are several variables, but the internet economy is becoming more saturated. As more businesses and websites compete for the same audience, it becomes more difficult to stand out and convert.
Improving web design can have a major impact on this measure. Because new visitors are unfamiliar with your brand, they have no idea what to expect. Make this touchpoint memorable.
Visitors will attach value and believe that your site is worth seeing if it has excellent aesthetics and high-quality visual assets. So, if your site does not appear interesting from the moment a visitor loads the page, you have already lost them. For example, Hubspot discovered that roughly 40% of consumers will quit engaging with a website if the content or style is unappealing. Losing online visitors is entirely preventable.
Good website design = trust. Trust = conversion. And conversions = more sales.
It’s plain and simple. Design is the largest determining factors in whether potential customers think your business is reputable or not. You don’t have to take that from us โ Stanford studies have shown that 75% of consumers say they determine a company’s credibility based on their website design.
So when a company shows that it cares about its digital appearance, customers can safely assume the following: the company is invested and is passionate about what they do. And that establishes a feeling of security. Having a thoughtful strategy and design also lets your visitors know that you value their time. A website will rarely convert if the design doesn’t inspire that confidenceโthat’s why 94% of people say bad design is the main reason why they wouldn’t trust a website. And fewer website conversions mean you’re losing sales and sustainability.
Websites that are old or outdated give the impression that the company doesn’t care or has been abandoned. Both are surefire ways to make potential customers say, โNo thank you.” Impacting website conversions into a net loss. We live in an era of unparrelled digital innovation, similar to the gains made during the Industrial Revolution, so your site should be sophisticated. If not, your competitors will be. It’s important that every business is continually staying in touch with the latest website trends and technical SEO improvements to stay ahead of the competition.
People have better things to do than browse bad websites.
Nowadays, there is a surplus of options to choose from. A simple Google search will yield tons of results customers can sift through. With so many options at their disposal, it just doesn’t make sense for them to spend time on a site that isn’t visually interesting. Users will just close the site and forget because the next site might inspire more of their trust. It’s like walking into a new Apple store versus walking into a rundown computer retailer in a strip mallโwhich one would inspire you to purchase a high-priced item?
On the web, we will always judge a book by its coverโit’s just how we operate!
A whopping 88% of online consumers are much less likely to return to a site after a bad experience. First impressions matter, so don’t lose visitors to your competition.
Design levels the playing field
We mentioned before that people love to choose the option that brings them comfort and security. For example, we’re sure you know someone who always suggests going to the same restaurant. You may even be this person! There’s nothing wrong with itโwe feel comfortable dining there because we already know what kind of experience to expect.
This is the same type of feeling the biggest players in your market inspire. The scale of their business and reputation makes people feel, โI’m sure I will get what I’m paying for,” so the trust factor is already there. But that doesn’t mean there’s no way to compete with them. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. A strong online presence can create equal opportunities. Regardless of your size, perception is crucial. We like to say, โWe design websites that compete on a global scale,โ so you can too. Whether your a startup or Fortune 500 company. Maybe the size of your organization doesn’t matter as much as we first thought – perception is everything.
And if you’re a brick-and-mortar store that relies on in-person visits, there’s also great news for you if you invest in good website design. According to SEOexpert, 50% of โnear me’ Google searches will result in a store visit. That is, of course, if you can manage to convince them to stay on your site long enough for more details.
Setting Up for Success
Define Your Websiteโs Goals
Defining your websiteโs goals is a crucial step in the conversion process. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Identify what actions you want visitors to take on your website, such as filling out a form, making a purchase, or subscribing to a newsletter. Once you have defined your goals, you can start tracking and measuring your websiteโs performance. This clarity will guide your conversion optimization efforts and help you achieve higher website conversions.
By setting clear goals, you create a roadmap for your websiteโs success. Whether your aim is to increase your average conversion rate or to enhance user engagement or brand awareness, having well-defined objectives will keep your efforts focused and effective. Remember, a well-designed website with clear goals is more likely to convert visitors into loyal customers.
Web Design enables a better UX, which results in better SEO, conversion rate optimization, and more conversions
First impressions consistently favor the appearance and feel of a site over its usability. But what happens after that? If your site is visually appealing but difficult to navigate, your visitor will only click the “X” button to exit. Optimizing landing pages to enhance conversion rates is crucial in this context. This is why website design isnโt just about the looks; itโs also about the user experience.
Beautiful design will grab your visitor’s interest. But a well-designed user experience will keep it and turn it into a conversion.
This is why we always stress the importance of good User Experience (UX) in web design. Specifically, ease of use is critical to your customerโs experience on your website. A website that converts is clear, concise, and easy to navigate. Optimizing the user experience for mobile devices is crucial, ensuring navigation and forms are user-friendly on smaller screens.
The reason is that, unlike a physical location, people are goal-oriented when they browse the web. When visiting a brick-and-mortar, people may get distracted by the in-person shopping experience. Weโve all been thereโgoing to the grocery store with the intention of just buying some milk and eggs, only to end up with $100 worth of purchases.
However, on the web, this is incredibly less likely to happen. Users will almost always have a specific goal in mind when they search the web. As soon as they access your site, they will quickly determine whether it meets their needs or not. We believe in designing intuitive navigation that leads the customer in a direction we want them to follow. Also, making it easy for them to navigate their own journey.
Rememberโusers are goal-oriented on the web. The easier your site gets them to what they need, the more likely they are to trust you and spend money on your business.
Strategic CTAs on landing pages guide your visitors and increase conversions
Understanding the difference between a homepage and what is a landing page is crucial. A homepage introduces your brand and guides users through the journey you design for them. In contrast, a landing page serves a single purpose: conversions, typically for advertising or marketing campaigns.
Users prefer simplicity, so a well-designed site should guide them with strategic CTAs (call-to-actions) that encourage conversions. CTAs, whether text or images, prompt users to take specific actions and are vital for driving them through your sales funnel.
CTAs work best when placed after users have all the necessary information. For example, on a services page, a CTA inviting users to request a quote can smoothly convert interest into action. This approach ensures ease of use, making the userโs next step clear and effortless.
Strategic CTA placement significantly impacts conversions. For instance, a Content Verve study showed a 304% increase in conversions when a CTA was moved to the bottom of the page.
Well-designed websites will ensure you โalways are closing.” Ultimately, these websites serve as one of your most effective sales representatives, encompassing all the necessary information about your business and capable of continuously promoting it. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure their appearance is as professional as possible!
Good UX helps with SEO
As weโve previously mentioned, we have a surplus of options today because of Google searches. Fortunately, having a good website design will help you out with SEO. Googleโs ranking algorithms recognize a good UX (User Experience)โwhen a site has quick web page load times, is filled with meaningful content, and has a powerful internal linking strategy, youโre that much more likely to be organically placed towards the top. Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a crucial role in enhancing a website’s visibility on search engine results pages, which ultimately drives organic traffic and sales.
Higher placement means more people visiting your site, and more eyeballs never hurt. So the more traffic you can generate to your website, the more chances at website conversions and sales youโll have. Remember the low conversion rates from 2.35% to 3.68%โthis requires many visitors to get a positive outcome. Honestly, a 5% conversion rate should be the goal!
A well-design website will also have built-in SEO capabilities, so itโll be ready for your next digital advertising campaign when you are.
Final Thoughts: Website Design & UX Drive Conversions
Your website isnโt just a digital brochure; itโs your strongest sales tool. A well-designed site creates trust, establishes credibility, and simplifies the user journey, all of which directly impact conversions. Whether your goal is to make sales, capture leads, or build brand loyalty, good design lays the foundation for success.
Prioritizing clear navigation, user-friendly experiences, and strategic CTAs transforms casual visits into valuable actions. In a saturated market, strong design ensures your business stands out and keeps visitors engaged.
Take a moment to evaluate your website. Is it set up to convert? If not, nowโs the time to make improvements that could unlock your siteโs full potential. Every visitor matters, and every conversion counts toward growth.
Contact Mighty Fine Co. if you want to develop a website that converts.
