6 CRO Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Francesca Taylor • June 8, 2022

The importance of converting website visitors into customers can’t be underestimated when it comes to business growth, and having a solid CRO strategy in place is vital to achieving maximum success from your online campaigns.

Simple errors in your CRO strategy can drastically decrease your chances of generating high quality leads. At Infoserve, we want to help you iron out these mistakes to grow your online presence.

What is CRO?

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action. This could be making a purchase, filling out a contact form or making an inquiry.

CRO is achieved through website enhancements, split testing and workflow improvements and leads to more relevant customers, lower cost per acquisition (CPA) and increased trust in your brand.

So, how do you fix CRO mistakes? It’s simple:

1. Not setting clear KPIs

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are measurable metrics that set clear margins for success. Failing to establish these before embarking on your CRO strategy will misalign your actions with your goals and diminish the results.

The fix:

Determine your SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely)
Decide which elements of your website need optimising in order to meet those goals
Set clear, measurable KPIs to monitor the success of your CRO efforts
Execute your CRO strategy
Use your KPIs to measure the success of your strategy
Make adjustments to your strategy using the data your KPIs provide
Neglecting CTA links

If you are wondering how misplacing call to action (CTA) links can negatively impact your conversion rates, then you probably need to take a look at where you’re positioning them and what they say.

CTA links that don’t inspire urgency or are placed too far down on a page can prevent customers from taking the desired action of that page. If taking actions are not straightforward then customers may be reluctant to do so.

The fix:

Make CTAs specific to the page and avoid generic ‘click here’ buttons. Try generating urgency by using phrases like ‘book your appointment today’.
Display your CTAs as buttons to make them obvious and straightforward
Make sure CTA text is legible
Include a ‘call now’ button towards the top of the page
Include your company phone number on your Google My Business profile
Embed text links within your blogs to direct customers to product and service pages

2. Poor website navigation

Studies have shown that poor website navigation as well as too many buttons on a website can decrease the number of visitors who click links.

The fix:

Simplify navigation options and make buttons clear and straightforward
Prioritise ease of navigation over complex website design
Invest in responsive website design to make website use easy and accessible for all screens
Make CTAs obvious and optimised for mobile use; small buttons and links can be difficult to click using thumbs
The desired action you wish your customer to take should be made clear at the start and end of each web page

3. Cluttered landing page

You will lose your website viewer’s attention immediately if your landing page content doesn’t immediately line up with the text on the search engine results page (SERP). This can decrease your conversion rate drastically.

The fix:

Create simple, clutter free designs
Encourage engagement from the top of the page
Prioritise conversion actions and make a hierarchy of actions (i.e. phone call > booking > form fill >) and use this to effectively organise your CTA structure on the page
Run split tests (A/B testing) to distinguish the most effective landing page design

4. Retargeting avoidance

It can seem natural to focus all of your energy on acquisition over retention, but retargeting existing customers can yield more value and lead to increased return on investment (ROI) and brand trust.

The fix:

Leverage retargeting ads on social media and search engines to remind customers of your brand
Encourage customers to sign up to newsletters, marketing emails and catalogues
If customers have reached the checkout stage of your website but not purchased, send them an email reminder
Generate personalised shopping experiences that recommend products/services based on previous buying history
Use wish lists, ‘buy later’, and ‘remind me when this is in stock’ options to attain customer information aimed at retargeting

5. Hiding proof of value

Don’t have reviews in an easy to find location? This could greatly diminish the chance of a potential lead. People trust people more than they trust organisations, and checking reviews before a purchase is usually the final step in informing their buying decision.

The fix:

Include reviews, case studies and badges in an obvious location
Display Trustpilot score at the top of your homepage and any landing pages in campaigns
Set up a Google My Business account where your Google reviews will be presented on first contact with your business in the SERPs

Not sure where to start?

Here at Infoserve, our web design experts are on hand to help you create and build a unique, functional and responsive website, and our PPC and SEO team help your website get found.

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