From copywriting and psychology to testing and UX, the experts have really hit the nail on the head. Now you know how to move beyond growth hacking and tactics to systematic processes that will produce real results for your online store ’s conversion rate .
And of course, you know you need to optimize your website and landing pages as soon as possible to avoid perpetually filling a “leaky bucket.” However, with all these CRO tips we haven’t even scratched the surface.
There are numerous lessons to be explored within these four disciplines, as well as many others that are part of conversion rate optimization and growth. But that is precisely what makes this industry so exciting.
To get started, take these conversion rate lessons and apply them to your business. Then, continue to iterate and learn. As you go, just remember: conversion rate optimization and growth are for everyone, even for ecommerce entrepreneurs just starting out, like you.
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CRO Tips FAQ
What are the key elements of conversion rate optimization?
Copywriting
Psychology
Testing
User Experience (UX)
What is an area that is often overlooked in conversion rate optimization?
La inercia organizacional impide que la canada phone number sample mayoría de las empresas experimenten con las oportunidades de CRO que tienen mayor impacto. Sin el respaldo de sus equipos, muchas personas se sentirán decepcionadas con los resultados de su optimización de la tasa de conversión y crecimiento.
How long should you let your CRO experiments run?
You should let your conversion optimization tests last for at least two business cycles or until you reach your predefined sample size.
Andre Morys, Web Arts
“Understand that most experimental results are wrong. There are still too many experiments being done to prove someone right or someone else wrong.”
“In most cases, the A/B tester stops the test as soon as the results are comfortable and fit the opinion. Psychologists call this ‘confirmation bias’ and most optimizers suffer from it.”
“You can avoid that by strictly separating the person who delivers the idea for testing from the person who decides when an experiment will stop.”
For example, if you suspect that a change to your product pages will increase clicks on the “Add to Cart” button, you’re more likely to be influenced by that when evaluating the test results and looking to confirm your assumptions. This could mean stopping the test early, running it for too long, interpreting the results inaccurately, etc.
That’s why you should run your tests for at least two business cycles and until your pre-calculated sample size is reached. It also helps to avoid “peeking” at your tests while they’re in progress.
Be careful with testing tools! Many will tell you that the test is complete because statistical significance has been reached, which may lead you to stop the test prematurely. Statistical significance alone does not really indicate the validity of the test, so don't be fooled.
Finally, HubSpot ’s Alex Birkett reminds us to be aware of the narrative fallacy, another cognitive bias, and how it impacts our test analysis:
Alex Birkett, HubSpot
“You can't really explain 'why' something worked or failed.”
“Yes, you can theorize and view the results of your experiment through a framework, lens, or heuristic that seems to clearly explain a win or loss, but it’s really just a story you tell yourself to simplify things after the fact (this is called the narrative fallacy ).”
“For example, you might tell yourself that a certain testimonial banner experience worked because ‘our audience needs reassurance to make decisions, and this social endorsement helps fill that gap.’ And that might be true, but it could also be explained as ‘our audience’s attention was drifting away from key product elements on our page, and this testimonial banner helps direct their attention to the right place.’ Same test, same result, but a different story.”
What's the point of this? Why can't we just tell each other stories? What's the problem?
“The problem lies in the accumulation of evidence that reinforces confirmation bias. If you build up too much confidence in your predictive capabilities, you tend to avoid certain experiments because they don’t fit the narrative you’ve built about your audience and your CRO program. ‘This variation won’t work because the color blue is associated with sadness and our audience needs to be motivated with energetic colors’ isn’t really a valid reason to rule out a variation in the experiment.”
“Andrew Anderson said this in a CXL post and I love it: 'The moment something is “obviously” wrong or something is going to work “because…” is the moment your own brain shuts off. It’s the moment our own good intentions shift from doing what’s right to doing what feels best.'”
“My examples are super simplistic here, but they’re meant to illustrate this: stay humble, stop worrying about the explanation or the story behind your test. Instead, worry about the efficiency and ROI of your program, and how you can improve those aspects.”
Why does the story you tell yourself about what works and what doesn’t matter? It’s not enough to be aware of the cognitive biases that impact your ecommerce visitors and customers. You, too, are subject to those same cognitive biases, and they will creep into your testing results if you’re not careful.
4. User Experience (UX)