{"id":9825,"date":"2024-05-03T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=9825"},"modified":"2025-08-13T18:25:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T10:25:49","slug":"conversion-rate-optimization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ap\/blog\/conversion-rate-optimization\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)? 5 Tips to Get Started"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Picture this: Your ecommerce website<\/a> is up and running, and traffic is flowing in. Shoppers are finding you through your social channels<\/a>, search engines<\/a>, and paid media campaigns. The challenge? You need to convert all those visitors into paying customers. That\u2019s where conversion rate optimisation (CRO) comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CRO is how you increase the percentage of users who perform a desired action on your website (typically, the desired action is a purchase). No matter how many visitors you attract to your digital storefront, website traffic is only half the battle. With the right CRO strategies, you can create engaging customer experiences, earn loyalty, and increase your revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you\u2019ll learn:<\/strong>
What is a conversion rate?<\/a>
How do you calculate a conversion rate?<\/a>
What\u2019s the average conversion rate?<\/a>
Your conversion rate might not tell the whole story \u2014 look for context<\/a>
Where to start if you want to improve your ecommerce conversion rate<\/a>
Checkout and payment are crucial to your CRO strategy<\/a>
Ecommerce conversion rate optimisation tips<\/a>
Five steps for a successful CRO strategy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a conversion rate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An ecommerce conversion rate is the percentage of your website visitors who take a desired action on a given page, such as completing a form, signing up for a service, or making a purchase. For example, when a shopper visits a product listing page<\/a>, you want them to add items to their cart. When a customer subsequently views their cart, the desired action is a purchase. Tracking your conversion rate across different pages on your site will help you gauge your success<\/a>, discover where to make improvements, and better understand what resonates with your shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A high conversion rate indicates that your ecommerce website<\/a> is well-designed, effectively formatted, and appealing to your target audience. On the flip side, a low conversion rate could mean that you need to optimise your content, design, code, or more. Common reasons for a subpar conversion rate include slow load times, clunky checkout experiences, and complicated site navigation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\tResources for Conversion Rate Optimisation\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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New Research: How Pros Are Navigating the Era of AI<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How to Build and Design a Site That Converts<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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10 Vital Metrics to Measure Ecommerce Success<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Use Data Intelligence to Increase Conversions<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How do you calculate a conversion rate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To calculate your conversion rate, divide the number of conversions (or the desired action on a specific page) by the total number of visitors to that page. For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re a retailer that sells outerwear. If a product page for a specific jacket gets 1,000 visitors during the course of a month, and 50 customers added the jacket to their cart, your product page has a conversion rate of 5%. The higher your conversion rate, the more successful your page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the average conversion rate? (Hint: it depends)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The average ecommerce conversion rate across all industries hovers around 2%<\/a>. However, conversion rates vary by industry \u2014 and there are also other factors to consider. For example, rates may differ depending on which channel a shopper uses, the price range of particular products, and even seasonality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also depend on what marketing objective you want to achieve. Clothing or food items might have a much higher conversion rate because the cost is lower and shoppers are usually interested in purchasing right away. These are low-risk purchases. However, a luxury item or high-end product may have a lower conversion rate because potential customers need more time to research and weigh their options before making a decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all products and services are created equal, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s important to look at the big picture when you strategize for conversion rate optimisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your conversion rate might not tell the whole story \u2014 look for context<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Business decisions should always be backed by data, so it\u2019s critical to know your ecommerce conversion rate. However, it\u2019s also important to dig into the numbers and understand them from all angles. For example, you might have a very high conversion rate for a specific product page, but that same item might also have a high return rate. This could mean that the product page doesn\u2019t accurately reflect the item\u2019s features (which could also mean frustrated customers).

It\u2019s important to look at your conversion rate from all angles to determine the best way to improve it. Other ecommerce metrics<\/a> to take into account when you develop a strategy for conversion rate optimisation include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n