What is conversion?
The conversion rate in marketing is the ratio of the number of website visitors who performed any targeted actions on the site to the total number of website visitors, expressed as a percentage. The conversion rate is calculated using the following formula:
Conversion rate = number of transactions/number of visits x 100.
Targeted actions can be hidden or direct from advertisers, sellers, or content creators, such as:
- purchase
- registration
- subscription
- page visit
- ad link click
For example: you have an online store selling some products. Let’s say that 500 unique visitors come to it during the day. During these days, 7 different purchases are made in your store. To find the conversion rate, divide the number of purchases by the number of visitors: 7/500 = 0,014 = 1,4 %.
A successful conversion is interpreted differently by merchants, advertisers, or content providers. For example, for a merchant, a successful conversion means a purchase transaction by a consumer who is interested in a product by clicking on a relevant advertising banner. For a content provider, a successful conversion can be a visitor registering on a website, subscribing to a newsletter, downloading software, or any other action expected of visitors.
High conversion rates mean more sales, fewer lost customers, and a higher return on advertising investments. By converting leads that have already shown at least some interest, you don’t need to attract as many new leads to generate the same amount of sales.
Before choosing conversion strategies, companies determine the types of purchasing processes their customers use. E-commerce websites sell products online; however, there is a difference between buying physical products that have to be shipped to the customer and buying digital products that can be downloaded directly. Among physical products, the conversion rate from small and large purchases is significantly different, as large purchases usually require more research.
How to increase conversions
Increasing conversions requires an integrated approach and a thorough study of your audience’s needs and behavior. Here are some key strategies that will help optimize the conversion process and deliver impressive results:
- Using an easy-to-navigate website that allows customers to quickly find the product they want
- Creating attractive landing pages
- Using videos
- Providing all the information a customer needs to say “yes”
- Always showing photos of products
- Some companies do not expect their customers to buy online, they may simply promote the company or brand for business transactions that will take place through personal communication. In this case, conversion involves attracting visitors to spend as much time as possible on the site.
After determining how customers make purchases on the site, marketers begin to choose tactics that will increase the conversion rate. Some tactics, such as attractive landing pages and an easy-to-navigate website, are important for all types of businesses. Others will be used only on certain sites.
Sites that generate revenue from advertising use different strategies. They typically provide free and interesting content framed by ads and successfully get the customer interested enough to explore more pages and click on more ads. Home pages should look like magazine covers, create interest, and quickly direct customers to the pages they want to read. Again, instead of promoting the company, they should promote the content of the site. Conversion marketing and website analytics go hand in hand, and constant feedback informs the development strategy.
What is CRO?
CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) is a strategic approach aimed at improving the efficiency of web resources by increasing the conversion rate. Focused on analyzing and optimizing the elements of web pages, CRO takes into account user psychology, preferences, and behavior to create a good user experience and increase the likelihood of converting visitors into customers. The implementation of CRO strategies allows you to use resources efficiently and improve key indicators to achieve greater commercial success in the online environment.
Conclusion
Successful marketing is not just a one-time effort, but a constant process of improvement and adaptation to changes in audience requirements and the online environment. Combining these strategies can ensure a sustainable and effective online marketing approach.