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12 TIPS FOR CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION (CRO)

   Nitish      November 8th, 2021

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In order to optimize a website or a webshop, various key figures are used for analysis. One of the most important key figures is the so-called “conversion rate.” This measures the number of visitors compared to those who took the desired action. In a classic B2C online shop that sells shoes, for example, the owner is certainly simply interested in the number of visitors who place an order. In the B2B area, however, this is much more complex, as many pages offer no option at all for an order or are simply a classic website. In this case, a conversion is often contacted in the form of a request, an email, a phone call, or a chat request.

In this article, we have put together some measures for you that are primarily aimed at optimizing the number of leads generated. In other words: How will my website be more successful overall with the existing visitors?

WHAT ARE CONVERSIONS ANYWAY?

A conversion is an action on a website or in an online shop that has been defined in advance as a goal to be achieved. Possible conversions are, for example:

• Lead generation by filling out and submitting the contact form
• Lead generation through a phone call
• The opt-in for the newsletter
• The download of whitepaper and Co.
• The sale / “order confirmation” page in a shop
• Conversions can therefore be very diverse and are individually weighted from industry to industry. The conversion rate is calculated from the number of conversions achieved (previously defined goal) divided by the number of visitors.

CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION IN B2B BUSINESS – WHAT CAN I DO TO GENERATE MORE LEADS?

Our 12 tips for optimizing the conversion rate in B2B business help to develop a strategy for a constant review and adjustment of the relevant factors. Conversion rate optimization doesn’t happen overnight. It is not a one-off task but an ongoing process that should be reviewed again and again.

1. SEO AS A POWERFUL LEAD GENERATION TOOL

In order to initially lead potential customers or buyers to a website or a shop, the page must have a certain relevance and findability for search engines. Therefore, many of the traditional search engine optimization measures are preparatory measures for optimizing the conversion rate in B2B business. These include factors such as the behavior of the system on mobile devices. But values ​​such as page speed are also an important measuring instrument for conversion rate optimization. If the page loads very slowly, the visitor will get more difficult, and the risk of premature termination increases. So first, optimize your site fundamentally for search engines in order to be found and thus generate leads.

2. WITH CLEAR USPS FOR A BETTER CONVERSION RATE IN B2B

If the user is on your side, he should immediately recognize why he is right with you and should not move on to the competition. So your USPs should be clearly visible. Remember that many entries to your website do not necessarily take place on the home page. It is, therefore, appropriate to highlight the USPs here, but it is not solely expedient. External references, in particular, can be very important but can often refer to specific landing pages/subpages. Therefore, the USPs are often listed directly in the header of the page in order to be present on every landing page.

But also keep in mind that USPs only lead to an increase in the conversion rate if they are really unique or special. “USPs” like “great product variety” or “top prices” are so generic that they hardly have any effect. So think carefully about what sets you apart from your competitors. Maybe you can offer a special service that the competition doesn’t?

3. CONTENT IS KING – ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION

The content is not only an important factor for success from an SEO point of view. Texts should be legible, understandable, and clearly worded. The visitor to the site wants to understand as directly as possible what it is about and wants content that offers added value. Therefore, images should always be available in the appropriate resolution. In this case, suitable means “suitable” because images that are too large have a negative impact on the page speed, and images that are too small appear pixelated and can increase the risk of jumping off.

4. SUCCESSFUL USABILITY FOR MORE LEADS

Usability stands for usability and thus quasi for the “suitability” of the website or the shop. Is the site easy to use? Is the content well structured, and is the navigation intuitive to use? Does the visitor find important areas such as the search function and the shopping cart as well as the contact form intuitively, or do they have to spend a lot of time to find them? Through constant testing and improvement of usability, visitors reach their goals faster and are more satisfied. Usability should therefore also include user guidance. If the visitor is repeatedly distracted on his way (for example, cross-selling products in the checkout process), this can negatively affect the conversion rate.

5. POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCE AS A SUCCESS FACTOR FOR THE CRO

User Experience (UX) literally describes the “experience” or “experience” that visitor associates with the site. Does the visitor find a uniform and clear corporate identity in the web design? Does he find simple and short processes in the system, and does he perceive the data as clear? Then he is satisfied and will reach the goal faster. User experience aims to increase the length of stay and to make the customer “happy.” This does not mean artificially drawn-out text to keep the user on the page. Here the UX turns negative, and the risk of jumping off increases. The user should build a positive association with the shop/site through successful usability paired with the right content in the right place. When querying customer data, “less is more” counts because the customer is satisfied by querying the absolutely relevant customer data. Nobody wants to have to enter additional, irrelevant data in the purchase process in order to achieve the goal. Even if querying and collecting as much customer data as possible is tempting, it does not make the customer happy but you, and that is not the goal of a successful user experience. So this is about the topics of perception and emotion. It does not make the customer happy, but you, and that is not the goal of a successful user experience. So this is about the topics of perception and emotion. It does not make the customer happy, but you, and that is not the goal of a successful user experience. So this is about the topics of perception and emotion.

6. INCREASE THE CONVERSION RATE IN B2B AND GUIDE THE VISITOR THROUGH CTAS

A CTA (Call To Action) guides the visitor. The visitor finds his goal through well-placed and clear calls for action in the form of buttons and the like. The placed CTAS should be constantly checked and optionally adjusted. Are they clearly visible and placed in the flow of reading? How often are you clicked, and does the visitor find their destination, or is there a frequent jump afterward? Analyze this data in order to optimize your calls to action and pay attention to the choice of wording. Avoid command-like calls and, if possible, do not place negative actions inconspicuous buttons (such as “Close” or “Cancel”).

7. TRUST LEADS TO THE GOAL – TRUST ELEMENTS AS A CRO ADJUSTING SCREW

Especially in B2B business, trust elements are a factor that has a major impact on a possible conversion. Integrate platforms such as Trusted Shops or place existing certificates or seals of approval on relevant pages. These can be customer opinions, testimonials, seals of approval, and the like. Do not be afraid of customer opinions on external platforms. Customer opinions are not only an SEO ranking factor but also a helpful means to increase trust in you and thus to increase the conversion rate. Consistently positive feedback on external platforms is rare. Do not be afraid to lead active review management and see the not completely positive reviews as an opportunity for improvement. Grow from it and respond to reviews – positive as well as negative feedback. Another measure of trust in your company is your “social proof.” The interaction on social media channels creates trust. Potential customers see others who already trust you and are therefore an aspect of the trust-building measures that should not be underestimated.

8. CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION IN B2B BUSINESS THROUGH CLEAR TARGET GROUP DEFINITION

The above measures already cover a large part of the lead funnel. But now, you want to be more specific and lead the visitor to his goal. The more pointed the funnel; the more specific your leads will be. But if your target group is unclear or very broad, it will be difficult to filter out the really relevant leads. Unfortunately, the large number of visitors does not necessarily lead to higher conversion, so a clear analysis of your target group is essential. Does your content suit your target group? Does the target group you want to address find the content on your site. You can also offer coupons to your customers to get more conversions. 

9. FASTER INTO THE CONVERSION FUNNEL WITH REMARKETING

Remarketing is one of the trending marketing tools. If a visitor has already visited the desired landing page, he is in your “remarketing silo.” These visitors are most likely very relevant and valuable leads, and it is, therefore, a good idea to remind these visitors about your company, your service, or your product again. This happens in different ways. Some options are at the point:

• Search engine advertising (SEA)
• Social media campaigns
• Campaigns on business platforms such as Xing or LinkedIn
• Newsletter
• Pay particular attention to data protection when remarketing and pay particular attention to the so-called frequency capping in the B2B area in order not to overwhelm potential leads with advertising.

10. DYNAMIC CONTENT FOR AN INCREASE IN THE CONVERSION RATE

In addition to general remarketing, dynamic content is recommended. This is now relatively easy to create. This is partly done automatically by the CMS. Dynamic content can be used to generate personalized content that addresses the visitor directly and thus creates a personal bond. Already known users can be guided to their destination much faster than new visitors whose intention is still too unclear.

11. NO CONVERSION IF THE OFFER IS UNSUITABLE

Always think about what you want to achieve and what your target audience looks like. If these aspects do not match your offer, the conversion rate will hardly be able to be increased since the users in the lower area of ​​your conversion funnel will not be happy and will therefore not convert. How can you perhaps prepare your offer differently? Can you offer added value to your competitor? Sometimes even small adjustments to the offer are enough to increase the conversion rate.

12. CONTROLLING THROUGH TARGETED A / B ANALYZES AND FURTHER TESTS

As already described, the optimization of the conversion rate is also a constant process in the B2B area. Needs and goals change over time, so your system should also adapt over time. Through targeted testing, for example, through A / B tests, you can, for example, check which layout is more effective for a landing page. Targeted tests are based on data that has been collected. Find pages with particularly high bounce rates and analyze them for your customer journey. If you have a guess as to what causes the high bounce rate, create a second, optimized version of the page and test it over a certain period of time. Document your adjustments in order to later draw conclusions about the success of the changes and note that you always focus on one aspect. If you make too many adjustments, your A / B test will no longer be informative either, as you will no longer be able to understand which change has resulted in an improvement in the conversion rate.

Testing and controlling is a constant cycle. At the beginning of every test, there is an analysis of the current situation. Where are they standing? Which problems do you recognize, and what do you want to optimize? Then draw up an action plan. How would you like to achieve your (new) goals, and what means or tools will you use to get there? Finally, there is control. Did you achieve your goals? If so, set new goals for yourself. If you are still about to achieve your original goals, it is important to analyze why these were not achieved.

CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION IN B2B BUSINESS – A CONCLUSION

Conversion rate optimization in B2B business takes time. Do not act rashly and back up your measures with data in order to be able to draw conclusions. Be strategic and don’t tackle all of the multipliers at once. Find help with adjustments that are costing you too much time or resources and setting yourself small goals. This quickly results in measurable success, which motivates further tests and optimizations.