Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is a critical aspect of running a successful ecommerce store, and it can be especially important for Shopify store owners who are looking to get the most out of their online presence. By focusing on CRO, store owners can improve their website’s ability to convert visitors into paying customers, ultimately leading to more revenue and profits.
So, what exactly is CRO and how can Shopify store owners effectively use it to boost their ecommerce efforts? In this article, we’ll delve into the basics of CRO and provide some best practices for A/B testing to help you optimize your Shopify store for success.
What is Conversion Rate Optimization?
At its core, conversion rate optimization is the process of increasing the percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action. This action could be anything from making a purchase to filling out a form to subscribing to a newsletter. The goal of CRO is to optimize the user experience in a way that makes it as easy as possible for visitors to take this desired action.
There are a number of different factors that can impact a website’s conversion rate, including the design of the website, the clarity of the messaging, the ease of navigation, and the overall user experience. By identifying and addressing these factors, store owners can increase the likelihood that visitors will take the desired action on their site.
CRO for Shopify Store Owners
However, simply having a Shopify store is not enough to guarantee success in the e-commerce game. Store owners need to be proactive in optimizing their site for conversions in order to get the most out of their investment.
Here are some key strategies that Shopify store owners can use to optimize their conversion rate:
- 1. Use a clear and compelling value proposition.
Your value proposition is essentially your elevator pitch – it’s the reason why someone should buy from you instead of a competitor. It should be clear, concise, and compelling, and the first thing users see when they land on the homepage. What do you do? Why is your product worth more to the user than its price? Make sure that it’s prominently displayed on your homepage and throughout your site so that visitors can easily understand what sets you apart from the competition.
- 2. Make the cart and checkout process as smooth as possible.
- – If you charge shipping and taxes, be sure to at least mention that those charges are coming in checkout. Unexpected charges are the #1 reason for cart abandonment. And if you can bake in your shipping charges to your product pricing, do it!
- – Make sure the checkout button is large and in charge on the cart page. You don’t want users to miss it!
- – Unless absolutely necessary, make the phone number optional at checkout. This is a quick way to improve checkout rate.
- 3. Optimize your product pages.
Your product pages are the cornerstone of your e-commerce store, so it’s important to get them right. Make sure to include high-quality product images (but try and keep the image files below 250 kb in size), detailed product descriptions, and customer reviews to give visitors all the information they need to make a purchase. Also, consider including social proof elements like trust badges or customer testimonials to build credibility and trust.
- 4. Utilize A/B testing.
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a powerful tool for CRO. It involves creating two versions of a page or element on your site and then testing them against each other to see which performs better. This can be a great way to identify small changes that can have a big impact on your conversion rate.
Some examples of elements that you might want to A/B test include:
- – Headlines
- – Call to action buttons
- – Layout and design elements
- – Even entirely new pages
To effectively A/B test, you’ll need to choose a metric to measure, such as clicks or conversions. At Levitate Foundry, we specialize in both onsite testing of small elements and offsite testing of entirely net-new landing pages.
- 5. Use heat maps and user behavior tracking.
Heat maps and user behavior tracking tools can provide valuable insights into how visitors are interacting with your site. These tools can show you where visitors are clicking, scrolling, and spending the most time on your site, which can help you identify areas that may be confusing or not effectively driving conversions. This is especially helpful when testing new page variants to see how deep users scrolled on the new page compared to the old one, or where users are clicking.
- 6. Conduct usability testing.
Usability testing involves getting real users to test your site and provide feedback. This can be a great way to identify issues or areas for improvement that you might not have been aware of. You can conduct usability testing using tools like UserTesting or by recruiting users through online communities or social media. If you have the budget, it’s the best way to get truly human feedback about the experience that transcends data.
- 7. Mobile first!
More and more people are using their smartphones to shop online, so it’s important to make sure that your site is optimized for mobile. This includes ensuring that your site loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and provides a seamless checkout experience on mobile devices. Whenever auditing and hypothesizing, start with the mobile experience to check it’s in tip-top shape.
Conversion rate optimization is a crucial aspect of running a successful e-commerce store, and it’s especially important for Shopify store owners who are looking to get the most out of their online presence. By implementing the strategies outlined above, store owners can improve their website’s ability to convert visitors into paying customers and drive more revenue and profits.
