As a Shopify store owner, you're likely familiar with the importance of driving traffic to your online store.
But what happens once visitors land on your site? How do you turn those visits into actual sales? This is where Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) comes into play.
In this blog post, we'll explore what CRO is, why it matters for your Shopify store, and how to increase conversion rate.
What is conversion rate optimization?
Conversion Rate Optimization is the process of systematically improving your website to increase the percentage of visitors who take desired actions, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or adding items to the cart.
By optimizing your conversion rate, you can maximize the value of your existing traffic and improve your store's overall profitability.
Why is Shopify conversion rate optimization important?
Here’s why we focus on conversion rate optimization no matter how good a website design is:
1. Increased ROI
Investing in CRO can lead to a significant increase in ROI. By improving your conversion rate, you can generate more sales and revenue from your existing traffic, without spending more on advertising or acquisition.
2. Better User Experience
CRO focuses on improving the user experience (UX) of your website. By optimizing your website for UX, you create a more engaging and user-friendly environment for visitors, which can lead to increased trust, loyalty, and repeat business.
3. Data-Driven Insights
CRO relies on data-driven insights to identify areas for optimization. By analyzing user behavior on your website, you can gain valuable insights into what is and isn't working. This allows you to make informed decisions and continuously improve your website over time.
4. Competitive Edge
In today's crowded online marketplace, having a website that is optimized for conversions can give you a competitive edge. By providing a better user experience and engaging customers more effectively, you can stand out against your competitors and win more business.
5. Long-Term Benefits
CRO is a long-term investment that can yield significant benefits over time. By continuously improving your website based on data and customer insights, you can create a sustainable competitive advantage and drive consistent growth for your business.
How to calculate your Shopify conversion rate?
To maintain a successful conversion rate optimization process, it's crucial to track your conversion rates across all channels. Knowing how to calculate CRO is essential for this purpose.
The formula for conversion rate is as follows -
Conversion rate = (total number of conversions / number of visitors) x 100
For instance, if your store received 1,000 visitors last month and 50 of them made purchases, your conversion rate would be 5% [(50/1000) x 100].
When analyzing conversion rates, it's important to distinguish between micro and macro conversions.
Micro conversion rate
Micro conversions are smaller engagements that often serve as precursors to a macro conversion. These actions indicate user interest and can occur on various parts of a website.
Examples of micro conversions on an e-commerce website may include signing up for a newsletter or clicking the "add to cart" button. Monitoring micro conversion rates provides insight into user engagement and progression towards a macro conversion.
Macro conversion rate
The macro conversion rate represents the primary goal of your website or the main action you want visitors to complete.
In the case of most e-commerce sites, placing an order is the primary macro-conversion. Tracking the macro conversion rate allows you to measure the overall success of your website in achieving its main objective.
By analyzing both micro and macro conversion rates, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and make informed decisions to optimize your website for better conversion performance.
What is the average conversion rate for Shopify?
The latest benchmark shows the average conversion rate for e-commerce sites is 3.71%. As a new store owner, a good conversion goal to aim for is between 2% and 3%.
Here’s a closer look at conversion rates by product types for Shopify stores -
CRO strategies you need to try to increase conversions on your Shopify store
While there is no one-size-fits all approach to increase conversions, here are some our team of experts swear by:
1. Use scarcity tactics, like limited-time offers or low-stock notifications
This CRO strategy involves leveraging psychological triggers.
Scarcity tactics can create a sense of urgency and drive conversions by encouraging users to make a purchase before an opportunity is lost.
- Display limited-time offers or promotions on your website and highlight the time remaining.
- Use low-stock notifications to alert users when a popular item is running out of stock.
- Prominently displaying coupon codes.
- Additionally, showcase real-time purchases or social proof notifications (such as pop-ups displaying recent sales).
These tactics tap into the fear of missing out (FOMO) and the desire for validation, driving conversions and creating a sense of excitement around your products or services.
2. Use upselling and cross-selling tactics to drive more sales
- Offer customers a higher-priced product with more features or a better version of what they are considering.
- Display recommendations on product pages, during the checkout process, or through personalized emails.
3. Add testimonials to build trust
By featuring testimonials from satisfied customers, you provide social proof and demonstrate that others have had positive experiences with your brand or products.
- Product pages: Add testimonials directly to the product page at the bottom of the page or near the "Add to Cart" button.
- Homepage: Display testimonials on the main page of the website to give visitors a quick overview of customer satisfaction.
- Testimonials page: Create a separate page to showcase customer reviews and give them more visibility.
- Checkout page: Add a trust badge or review snippet on the checkout page to reassure customers that they can trust their purchase.
- Social media: Share customer reviews on social media platforms to increase visibility and encourage more feedback from satisfied customers.
- Email campaigns: Use customer reviews in email campaigns to increase open rates and show social proof.
4. Optimize your website's navigation for easy browsing
By organizing your website's categories, menus, and submenus logically and intuitively, you make it easier for users to find the information or products they are looking for.
- Use clear and descriptive labels for navigation items and ensure that the search feature is easily accessible.
- Additionally, consider implementing breadcrumb navigation to provide users with clear paths back to previous pages.
5. Use intelligent search
Intelligent search uses advanced algorithms and machine learning to provide accurate and relevant search results, even when users input misspelled or incomplete queries.
By implementing intelligent search, you enable users to quickly find products or content they are interested in, reducing the time and effort required to browse your site.
Intelligent search can also offer suggestions or auto-complete options, helping users discover additional relevant items.
6. Use clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) buttons
Clear and compelling CTAs are critical for prompting users to take desired actions and boosting conversions.
- Make sure your CTA stands out from other elements on the page with bold colors, different shapes or sizes, or white space around it.
- Use active, urgent language that tells users exactly what they need to do, like "Buy Now" or "Sign Up Today."
- Position CTA buttons prominently on the page, near the top or in a prominent location where users are likely to see them.
7. Include trust badges and security seals to reinforce website security
Trust badges and security seals help reinforce the trustworthiness and credibility of your website and can alleviate concerns potential customers may have about security and data protection.
- Display well-known trust badges from reputable third-party organizations, such as Norton, McAfee, or BBB Accredited.
- Place these badges prominently on your website, especially on pages where users are likely to share personal or financial information such as the checkout page.
8. Use high-quality product images
Using high-quality, visually appealing product images is crucial to capturing and maintaining the attention of users.
- Invest in professional product photography or ensure that supplier-provided images are of high quality.
- Present products from various angles and include close-up shots to enhance detail.
- Consider incorporating zoom functionality to allow users to explore finer product details.
9. Be upfront about important info
Transparency and clear communication about crucial information can significantly impact conversions.
- Display the price prominently on product pages to provide transparency from the beginning and avoid any surprises for users at checkout.
- Clearly communicate the estimated delivery time to manage customer expectations and reduce potential abandonment.
- If a product is out of stock, make sure to label it as such and provide information on when it's expected to be available again.
Being upfront about these factors builds trust, avoids potential frustrations, and helps users make informed decisions, positively impacting conversion rates.
10. Personalize product recommendations for each customer
Tailoring product recommendations to individual customers based on their browsing history, past purchases, or preferences can greatly enhance the likelihood of converting.
For example, suggest related or complementary items to the ones they have shown interest in or previous purchases.
11. Use A/B testing to compare different variations of your website elements
A/B testing involves comparing two versions of a website element, such as a button's color, wording, or placement. By testing different variations of critical elements on your website, you can determine what works best for your audience and improves conversions.
12. Use heat maps
Heat maps are powerful tools for understanding user behavior on your website. By implementing heat map tracking software, you can visualize and analyze user interactions, such as mouse movements, clicks, and scrolling patterns.
Heat maps can help identify areas of high engagement as well as potential bottlenecks or areas where users may be stuck. Use this data to optimize your website's layout, design, and content placement, making adjustments to enhance user experience and drive conversions.
13. Simplify your checkout process
One of the crucial steps in increasing conversions is simplifying the checkout process.
- Streamline the steps required to complete a purchase by minimizing form fields and removing unnecessary distractions.
- Implement a progress indicator to show users where they are in the process and how many steps are left.
- Ensure that the checkout page is mobile-friendly, as an increasing number of users complete purchases on mobile devices.
14. Pre-fill your customer’s information
Pre-filling customer information in the checkout process can provide a frictionless and time-saving experience, consequently increasing conversion rates.
Utilize data such as previously provided shipping addresses or stored payment information to auto-fill form fields during the checkout process. By making the checkout process more efficient and convenient, you enhance user experience and boost conversions.
15. Offer multiple payment options for convenience
Include popular payment gateways, such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Additionally, consider offering a "Buy Now, Pay Later" option or installment plans through third-party services.
By offering multiple payment options, you remove potential barriers and cater to a wider range of customer preferences, increasing the chances of converting hesitant customers into buyers.
16. Send abandoned cart emails
Abandoned cart emails are automated reminders that are triggered when a user has left items in their cart without completing the purchase.
- Include clear and enticing calls to action and provide a sense of urgency to motivate users to complete their purchase.
- Offer possible solutions, such as related or similar items, and consider providing a special incentive, such as a discount code or free shipping.
17. Create a comprehensive Contact page
Making it easy for customers to reach out with questions or concerns can help win their trust and loyalty, reducing any hesitancy in making a purchase.
- Include phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, and a contact form.
- Consider adding social media links, chatbots, or other customer support options.
- Additionally, establish clear business hours and expected response times to set expectations for customers.
18. Make sure your site is mobile-responsive
With the increasing number of users browsing on mobile devices, it's essential to ensure your website is mobile-responsive. A mobile-responsive site adjusts to the screen size and orientation of the device being used, providing an optimized and seamless user experience across all devices.
Ensure that your site's design, layout, and content are optimized for smaller screens and that all buttons and forms are easily clickable and navigable on mobile.
19. Optimize your website’s loading times
Slow website loading times can significantly impact conversion rates by frustrating and discouraging potential customers.
- Optimize your website's loading times by compressing images, minifying code, reducing HTTP requests, and utilizing caching.
- Additionally, consider using a content delivery network (CDN) to serve content from the server closest to the user's location, reducing latency.
- Test your website's loading times regularly and use available tools to analyze and identify improvements.
20. Offer guest checkout options to reduce barriers for new customers
Providing guest checkout options can reduce potential barriers or frustrations for new customers. Many users may not want to create an account or go through the registration process before making a purchase.
Offering guest checkout options allows users to complete a purchase without providing any extra information, streamlining the checkout process and encouraging them to convert.
However, also consider providing incentives for registering an account, such as membership perks or exclusive discounts.
21. Optimize your website for search engines (SEO) to get more organic traffic.
Implementing SEO strategies can help improve your website's visibility in search engine results and drive organic traffic.
- Conduct keyword research to identify relevant and high-value keywords for your industry.
- Optimize your website's on-page elements such as titles, meta descriptions, headers, and content with these keywords.
- Improve site speed, ensure mobile-friendliness, and optimize images and URLs.
- Link building and content creation can also improve your search engine rankings.
Where do I start CRO?
We get it. All the above-mentioned points can seem overwhelming. But worry not, we’ve got your back!
Here are five areas on your e-commerce website where you can start implementing conversion optimization -
1. Homepage
Optimize value proposition, navigation, call-to-action buttons, featured products, special offers, and trust signals.
2. Category pages
Optimize category names, images, product titles, descriptions, filters, sorting options, cross-sell and up-sell suggestions, and breadcrumb navigation.
3. Product pages
Experiment with messages, layouts, offers, and compare video vs. image product presentations to enhance performance.
4. Cart page
Optimize cart page complaints such as finding items, displaying and calculating the total order, account creation, and unsatisfactory return policies.
5. Checkout page
Prioritize a seamless experience with guest checkout, various payment options, transparent pricing, clear shipping details, and optimize layout, account creation, CTAs, payment methods, and saving payment information.
Bonus: Top CRO tools to leverage
Here are some top Shopify apps for boosting conversion rates on your site -
- Hotjar: Provides web analytics tools like heat maps, session recording, surveys, and feedback widgets to understand user behavior.
- Privy: Helps with pop-ups, email, and SMS marketing to grow sales.
- Smile: Powers customer loyalty and referral programs to increase purchases.
- Blyp: Uses AI for CRO, tracking and revealing hidden sales opportunities.
- Firepush: Assists with cart recovery and multichannel campaigns for remarketing.
- Yotpo Product Reviews: Displays social proof with user-generated content such as ratings and reviews.
Need professional help to increase conversions on Shopify store?
Design can seem daunting to most business owners. And optimizing design is a whole other ballgame.
That’s why we’re here - your Shopify conversion rate optimization experts!
We help you bring your ideas to life with Shopify web design, development, marketing, and support services from experts. Our team of Shopify experts works with Shopify merchants like you to design a store that reflects the personality of your brand and caters to the functionalities you require.
Whether you want to revamp your existing design or build a new one from scratch, we will help you create a positive shopping experience on your Shopify store design.
Reach out to us at info@xgentech.net and we’ll help you set up your Shopify store design!
