One of the most commonly known website marketing strategies is search engine optimisation (SEO), which helps a website rank higher in internet searches. This means that it is easier to find, and therefore attracts more visitors.
However, the next stage is to help visitors become paying customers, and this is where the importance of good conversion rate optimisation (CRO) comes in. As more purchases than ever are made online, no ecommerce website can afford to neglect this step. Here’s a look at exactly what CRO is, and how you can apply it to your website.
Test the user experience
CRO is closely linked to user experience, or UX. This is the overall user-friendliness of the website, such as how easy it is to navigate, how clear it is to read, how well the design and content are integrated, and how quickly it loads. These features are especially important for a pharmacy website design, where the users may be elderly or unused to online interaction.
If the website contains a large quantity of information, it should be organised with a logical structure, so that it appears on the website where the user expects it to. The best way to make sure that all these factors are working well is to test it with a focus group. If this is not possible, you could also ask for feedback via questionnaires or interviews.
The less effort a customer has to put into their journey from first clicking on the site, to accomplishing their goal, the more likely the website is to convert visits into sales, and attract repeat customers.
Maximise the accessibility features
Accessibility is especially important for a website which will have users with a varied range of ages and health conditions. Be as inclusive as possible, not only to attract and retain more customers, but because Google now includes accessibility features in its algorithms for rankings decisions, meaning that it will also boost your SEO.
All images should have an alt text, so that a user can read a description of the image, and listen to it with an audio device if they want to. Ensure that audio descriptions are enabled across the entire site. There should be a high colour contrast integrated throughout the site, and particularly between the text and background, to help the visually impaired.
Make use of Google Analytics
Google Analytics is free to use, and it can provide a lot of valuable data and feedback on how visitors use your site. For example, if there is a page which is underperforming in terms of visitors or conversions, then you may need to go back to the UX journey to find out why visitors are not reaching or staying on the page.
Optimise the copy for conversion
The copywriting of the website also plays an important role in facilitating the customer journey. Conversion copywriting is sometimes called ‘customer-centric messaging’ because it is focused engaging with the needs of the customer and helping them towards their goal, and solving any problems, at every step in the journey.