Conversion rate optimization (CRO) and user experience (UX) go hand in hand when it comes to making websites and applications easier for users. Both share similar objectives and techniques, and when used together, they can help to increase business metrics. To maximize efficiency, CRO, UX, and SEO teams should work together to improve conversion rates. Data-driven decisions are often based on web analytics and SaaS tools such as heatmaps and session replays.
While these are useful, relying too much on analytics can lead to a partial understanding of why visitors don't convert into customers. Similarly, relying only on qualitative methods can lead to a biased understanding of design problems. The average conversion rate for e-commerce sites during the dot-com bubble was around 1%. To ensure a streamlined experience for users, CRO and UX design must go hand in hand.
Removing questions from forms is likely to result in a higher completion rate and conversion rate. CRO is applied when establishing performance indicators, as part of design decisions that drive development, and as part of ongoing maintenance tasks. It's important to remember that new visitors may not convert at the same rate as regular users. After discovering issues that affect conversion rates, improvements should be made and tested to see if they deliver better results.
At the intersection of analytics and experience is conversion optimization, which is one form of quantifiable UX. Product managers should understand when and where optimization should take place in order to maximize efficiency.
