In brief: CRO is the systematic optimisation of the conversion journey using research, data and experiments. The aim is a better result for both the customer and the company.
How I use CRO in practice
I start with the qualitative problem: where people do not understand, hesitate, make mistakes or do not receive the promised value. I combine analytics, interviews, support and observation of the page. I describe the hypothesis before the change and define primary and guardrail metrics. With low traffic, I do not wait for a statistically celebrated A/B test; it is often better to fix an obvious obstacle and monitor the broader impact.
What to watch out for
A higher conversion rate does not necessarily mean higher profit. It can be raised with a low-quality incentive, by limiting traffic or through manipulation. CRO must not worsen lead quality, returns or trust.
Questions for decision-making
- Which obstacle have we substantiated?
- How will the change help the visitor?
- Which guardrail metric are we monitoring?
- Do we have enough data for an experiment?