Conversion Rate Optimization Tests: Examples and Quick Steps to Win

Marketing isn't an exact science, but there are tangible steps that you can take to help maximize your return on investment.

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) tests are one of the most effective ways to increase conversions and crush goals. CRO testing is based on hypothesis, data-driven decision-making, and strategic experimentation - all supported by a thorough analysis of metrics such as sales or subscriptions.

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of optimizing your website or landing page to increase the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action. This could be anything from making a purchase to filling out a lead generation form. The ultimate goal of CRO is to improve the user experience and increase the likelihood of a conversion.

By testing different elements of your website or landing page, you can determine which changes have the greatest impact on conversion rates. This allows you to make data-driven decisions that lead to better results.

In this blog post, we'll discuss examples of some common CRO tests that marketers should consider running to optimize their digital assets for conversions, as well as the quick steps you need to take in order to get started. Let's dive right in!

CRO Tests You Can Start Implementing Immediately

A/B Testing for Your Content

Landing Page Headline Testing

A/B testing your landing page headlines is an easy and reliable way to improve the effectiveness of your website.

It involves presenting two separate versions of your landing page headline to visitors and observing which performs better. This allows you to pinpoint what works best for your target audience and gives you the opportunity to make changes in real-time.

With A/B testing, you no longer have to guess at what will resonate most with viewers; instead, you can use hard data and testing results that have actually been observed in a live setting.

Through this approach, you can easily identify issues and optimize your headings accordingly.

Landing Page CTA Testing

Landing page CTA A/B testing is a beneficial conversion rate optimization strategy for websites looking to improve their visitor interactions.

The purpose of this test is to determine how effective a particular CTA button is in comparison to another.

CTAs such as 'Learn More' or 'Click Here' can be replaced with buttons that more accurately reflect the desired action, such as 'Download Now' or 'Get Started'.

Before diving into full-fledged CTA testing campaigns, it's important to have an accurate view of visitors flow and behavior on your website. Understanding which pages experience high & low user engagement will provide valuable insights when selecting pages on which you will conduct A/B tests.

Additionally, understanding the unique preferences of your target audience could also lead to more successful tests and higher conversion rates.

Overall, CTA A/B testing is a powerful tool that can be adopted by businesses seeking an edge in their conversion rate optimization efforts.

Blog Post In-Line Lead Magnet Testing

Implementing in-line lead magnet A/B testing on blog posts is a great way to increase conversion rates and website engagement.

Each test can provide valuable insights such as which content resonates with the audience and what kind of incentives are most successful in converting readers into leads. As it relates to interest in new products or services, this type of testing allows you to track which message creates the largest impact and leads to higher ROI.

By creating multiple versions within the blog post itself, users can access different versions based on their preferences, and you can identify which CTAs are most effective for your target demographics.

In-line lead magnet A/B testing provides an efficient and practical solution towards increasing key website conversions while also gaining valuable user data.

Landing Page Design Testing

Landing page design testing is another important conversion rate optimization test to consider. It involves testing various design elements of your landing page to determine which ones are most effective in driving conversions.

Some design elements that you might want to test include the color and placement of your call-to-action buttons, the layout of your page, the use of images and videos, and the overall design aesthetic. By testing these elements, you can determine which design choices are most effective in driving conversions.

One common design element to test is the placement of your call-to-action button. Placing it in a prominent location, such as above the fold, can help visitors easily find and interact with it. Additionally, testing the color of your call-to-action button can also impact conversion rates. For example, using a contrasting color that stands out from the rest of your page can draw visitors' attention and encourage them to click.

Overall, landing page design testing is an important aspect of conversion rate optimization that can help you identify the most effective design elements for your website. By making data-driven decisions about your design, you can improve the user experience and drive more conversions.

Site Speed Testing

Site speed testing is an important CRO test that can have a significant impact on your website's conversion rate. Slow loading times can be a major turn-off for visitors, leading to higher bounce rates and lower engagement. By testing your website's speed, you can identify any issues and take steps to improve loading times.

One strategy to increase website speed is to optimize the size of your images. Large image files can significantly slow down your site, especially on mobile devices. By compressing images and reducing their size, you can improve loading times and create a better user experience.

Another strategy is to leverage browser caching. When someone visits your website, their browser stores certain files on their local device to speed up future visits. By enabling browser caching on your website, you can reduce the amount of time it takes for your site to load for returning visitors.

In addition to these strategies, it's important to ensure that your website is hosted on a reliable server with high uptime. A slow or unreliable server can significantly impact loading times and hurt your conversion rate.

Overall, site speed testing should be a key component of your CRO strategy. By optimizing loading times and creating a better user experience, you can drive more conversions and achieve better results.

5 Steps to Perform CRO Tests That Drive Results

Step #1: Define the Problem and Goal

The first step of a conversion rate optimization test is defining the problem and goal. The problem that you are trying to solve should be specific and measurable.

For example, if you are trying to increase the number of sign-ups for a newsletter, your problem might be that the current sign-up rate is too low. Your goal should be to increase the sign-up rate by a specific percentage, such as 20%.

Defining the problem and goal is important because it helps you focus your efforts and measure your progress. Without a clear problem and goal, it can be difficult to know what you are trying to achieve and whether your efforts are making a difference.

When defining the problem and goal, it's important to involve key stakeholders and gather input from different perspectives. This can help ensure that everyone is aligned on the problem and goal, and can also provide valuable insights into potential solutions.

Overall, defining the problem and goal is an important first step in any CRO test. By taking the time to clearly articulate the problem and goal, you can set yourself up for success and increase the likelihood of achieving meaningful results.

Step #2: Develop a Hypothesis

The second step of a conversion rate optimization test is developing a hypothesis.

A hypothesis is an educated guess about which changes to your website or landing page will improve conversion rates. It is based on data analysis, user feedback, and industry best practices.

When developing a hypothesis, it's important to consider the problem and goal you defined in step one. Your hypothesis should clearly articulate how you plan to address the problem and achieve the goal.

For example, if your goal is to increase the number of sign-ups for a newsletter, your hypothesis might be that changing the color of the call-to-action button to green will increase conversions by 20%. This hypothesis is based on the assumption that green is a more visually appealing color to your target audience and will make the call-to-action button more noticeable.

To develop a hypothesis, you should consider different variables that could impact conversion rates, such as the design of your landing page, the placement and wording of your call-to-action buttons, and the content of your website. You should also review data and analytics to identify patterns and trends that could inform your hypothesis.

Overall, developing a hypothesis is a critical step in any CRO test. It helps you focus your efforts and make data-driven decisions that lead to better results.

Step #3: Determine the Test Variables

Once you have developed a hypothesis, the next step is to determine the test variables. Test variables are the specific elements that you plan to change in order to test your hypothesis.

For example, if your hypothesis is that changing the color of the call-to-action button to green will increase conversions by 20%, your test variables would be the color of the call-to-action button.

It's important to carefully select your test variables to ensure that they are relevant to your hypothesis and likely to have a significant impact on conversion rates. You should also consider the potential risks and drawbacks associated with each test variable, as well as the resources required to test each variable.

When selecting your test variables, it's important to consider the overall design aesthetic of your website or landing page. Changes that are too drastic or out of line with your brand image can be jarring for visitors and actually hurt conversion rates.

Additionally, it's important to ensure that you have a large enough sample size to accurately measure the impact of your test variables. A/B testing tools can help you determine the appropriate sample size and ensure that your results are statistically significant.

Overall, determining the test variables is an important step in any CRO test. By carefully selecting your test variables and ensuring that they are relevant to your hypothesis, you can increase the likelihood of achieving meaningful results and optimizing your website or landing page for conversions.

Step #4: Run the Test

Once you have determined the test variables, the next step is to run the test. There are a few different types of CRO tests that you can run, including A/B tests, multivariate tests, and split URL tests. Each type of test has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to select the test that is best suited for your specific situation.

A/B testing is one of the most common types of CRO tests. It involves presenting two separate versions of your website or landing page to visitors and observing which performs better. This allows you to compare the impact of different test variables and determine which changes are most effective in driving conversions.

When running your CRO test, it's important to ensure that you have a large enough sample size to accurately measure the impact of your test variables. You should also consider the length of your test; depending on the amount of traffic to your website, you may need to run your test for several weeks or even months to achieve statistically significant results.

Overall, running the test is an important step in any CRO strategy. By carefully selecting your test type and ensuring that you have a large enough sample size, you can increase the likelihood of achieving meaningful results and optimizing your website or landing page for conversions. Make sure to record your results and analyze them in the next step of the CRO testing process.

Step #5: Analyze the Results

Once you have run your CRO test, the next step is to analyze the results. This involves reviewing the data and determining which test variables had the greatest impact on conversion rates.

When analyzing your results, it's important to consider both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data includes metrics such as bounce rate, conversion rate, and click-through rate. Qualitative data includes user feedback and observations about how users interacted with your website or landing page.

By reviewing both types of data, you can gain a more complete understanding of how your test variables impacted conversion rates and make more informed decisions about how to optimize your digital assets.

When analyzing your results, it's also important to consider the statistical significance of your results. A statistically significant result is one that has a low probability of occurring by chance. A/B testing tools can help you determine the statistical significance of your results and ensure that your data is reliable.

Once you have analyzed your results, the final step is to implement the changes that you have identified. This may involve making changes to your website or landing page, such as adjusting the placement or wording of your call-to-action buttons, or optimizing the size of your images to improve loading times.

It's important to carefully track the impact of your changes and continue to monitor your metrics over time. This will help you identify any additional opportunities for optimization and ensure that your digital assets continue to drive conversions and achieve your business goals.

Overall, analyzing the results of your CRO tests is an important step in any CRO strategy. By carefully reviewing your data and identifying the most effective test variables, you can make informed decisions about how to optimize your website or landing page for conversions and achieve better results.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, conversion rate optimization tests are an essential aspect of website optimization.

By testing different elements of your website or landing page, you can gain valuable insights into what works best for your target audience and make data-driven decisions that lead to better results. Through careful analysis of metrics such as sales or subscriptions, you can identify issues and optimize your digital assets accordingly.

In this blog post, we discussed several common CRO tests that marketers can implement to optimize their digital assets for conversions. From A/B testing your landing page headlines to implementing in-line lead magnet A/B testing on blog posts, there are many different tests that you can run to improve your website's conversion rate.

We also provided a quick five-step guide to performing CRO tests that drive results. By defining the problem and goal, developing a hypothesis, determining the test variables, running the test, and analyzing the results, you can set yourself up for success and increase the likelihood of achieving meaningful results.

So, if you haven't already, it's time to start performing CRO tests on your website or landing page. By taking the time to test different elements and make data-driven decisions, you can optimize your digital assets and achieve better results. Whether you're looking to increase sales, generate more leads, or improve engagement, CRO tests can help you achieve your business goals and take your digital marketing efforts to the next level.