Conversion rate optimisation is the price of entry if you want to be successful online in this digital day and age. It is no longer a question of “if” a website is optimized via CRO or not. The question has evolved into “which level” of optimisation a company is at.

Are you wondering where your company falls on the CRO maturity model? It can be hard to identify your current optimisation level and how to improve. Luckily, you aren’t the first to ponder this. Find out what factors contribute to one’s level of Conversion Rate Optimisation Maturity, descriptions of the various CRO maturity levels and tips on improving, so you can achieve a more solid CRO practice.

7 Key Pillars of CRO

In order to truly define your level, first it is important to understand all the factors that play a part in establishing an advanced CRO program (the practice of which is something we think all companies should ultimately strive for). The areas involved include:

#1 People
Even though CRO involves technology on a large scale, it is essential to have a quality team of skilled people. Your team needs to be large enough, and needs a variety of expertise to cover the wide range of roles involved with CRO. The rule of 90/10 is something to keep in mind, which refers to spending 10% on tools and the remaining 90% on the people.

#2 Knowledge
Your team needs to collectively have expertise in each of the areas involved with and impacted by CRO. It is almost impossible for one or two people to truly be experts in all areas of Digital marketing. What are the areas of expertise that need to be covered? All of the basics such as site analytics, basic design, e-commerce and report analysis should be base knowledge for those within the organisation. Then, where gaps are present, it’s recommended to hire experts for specialist knowledge such as testing strategy, testing methodology, user experience, copy-writing and data analysis.

#3 Activities
The number of CRO activities, as well as the quality of these activities, is going to affect the end results for any CRO plan. You want to aim for activities that are of high quality and in high frequency for the best results. These should include actions to increase revenue and conversion by analysing your website, purchase funnels, etc., as well as actions to improve the conversions of traffic through a/b testing, surveying customers, etc.

#4 Testing Strategy & Frequency
Testing is how you improve your conversion rate. Consequentially, the results of testing will vary based on the level of strategy behind the testing. The more research, planning and tests performed, the better the results. Learn more about the three essential CRO rules here.

#5 Processes
Look at how the CRO processes are working for the key departments involved. Are they running smoothly in regards to communication, action, reflection and planning, or are there areas that are slowing you down? The goal is to have a seamless process.

#6 Tools
People are more important than tools by all means, but you must have the right tools to perform testing and generate the data for CRO. This means using web analytics, testing platforms, surveys, feedback and the like. There are many tools available today with varying levels of sophistication.

#7 Sponsor
A sponsor is an advocate for CRO within your company. They should be a high ranking employee who is fully knowledgeable and responsible for the CRO initiatives being performed from the budget, research and plan, to the execution and results. How to earn your organisations buy in for conversion optimisation.

Level Breakdown

Now you know the components of CRO, so what are the levels of maturity when considering all of the components? Here’s a visual to show the levels on the CRO continuum.

Where Does Your Company Fall on the CRO Continuum

Level 1: Starting with optimisation

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Level 1 companies are just starting out with CRO, and realise it needs to be part of their online strategy. They typically have one person testing basic elements, like a banner or call to action, 1-2 times per quarter. For the most part, the person who is in charge of this is probably still reading about CRO and looking for information to give him or her a guide for what they should be doing.

They typically will have Google Analytics sets up, but without well-defined goals. At this stage, it is recommended that a company seek out information about the basics of CRO, how to set up goals in their analytics program, tools to assist and how CRO can impact their revenue.

Level 2: Optimation using ad-hoc online testing

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Those who have moved from Level 1 to Level 2 are showing signs of improvement. A dedicated specialist for CRO is often hired, at least part time. They have their analytics up and running, and have begun to research their results and goals. They know the basic tools they need to be using, and they have set up minor goals.

They are going in the right direction, but still lack a holistic strategy and the frequency of testing which is needed. Upper management will often still be hesitant to invest in CRO, so 3rd party experts can help to create a focused plan to ensure investments aren’t wasted.

Level 3: Regular online testing and optimisation with clear goals and plan

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With level 3 CRO maturity, at least one person is dedicated to conversion full time and another expert is in place for optimisation. Advanced goals with analytics are set, and regular testing is done. A huge sign of a level 3 CRO company is how general management is involved in this process and how budgets are often dedicated to this field of the business.

The sponsor is typically someone at the director level. Level 3 companies can benefit from improving upon their processes, deeper research, more advanced analytics and more frequent tests.

Level 4: Data driven optimisation as a key online marketing asset

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Level 4 CRO is achieved after testing for at least a year. Companies at this level have learned what works and what doesn’t. There is an understanding of the importance of CRO within the company when executed properly and the sponsor is typically at the VP level. By this time, a team of experts is in place and the processes have been optimised.

Activities include personalisation techniques, and tests are performed at least 3 times per month in accordance with a strategic plan. Third party assistance can help with tests across multiple pages, advanced digital strategies, and out of the box brainstorming. It can also help to hire trainers to ensure all team members are up to date with their knowledge base.

Level 5: CRO is in your companies DNA

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Level 5 CRO companies have a full team dedicated to improvement, and many times external parties are called in to help with a wide variety of tasks. All processes are optimised and the entire organisation is working in support of CRO efforts; “it’s in their DNA”.

There is a universal understanding of the company’s CRO goals, the actions required and their importance to revenue improvements. An ongoing program is in place with over 6 tests being performed each month.

Common Factors Holding Companies Back from reaching Level 5

Getting to a Level 5 can be difficult for companies, but not impossible. One of the most common factors holding a company back is that they do not realise the potential for improvement. Many times companies get results and think they are performing CRO, but they are only at level 2 or 3. By identifying the current level a company is at and the changes that need to be made, companies can progress and drive better results.

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How – to Identify Your CRO Level

In order to identify what level you are at, take a hard look at your CRO plan in place. Then compare this to the details of each level. If you find that you fall in between two levels, it is always best to go to the lower level so that you are not overestimating your abilities. When you have a rough idea of where your CRO stands, it is important to look at what you need to do in order to jump up levels as your company matures.

Improve Your Company’s CRO

In order to improve the CRO of the company, have a plan that is going to help you advance. This can be easier said than done, which means taking the time to detail what you need to do and how this is going to be done. Your goal should be to reach a level 5. Therefore, get others involved. Look for superiors in the company who are willing to listen to your ideas and back these to ensure that you are getting the funding, along with the set of skilled people that is needed. You need complete support in order to go through the levels to get to the highest level possible. And in doing so, your business is going to thank you for the hard work as it will improve the performance of the business. Third parties experts in CRO can provide the support, guidance and knowledge you need to get to the next level.

A Third Party CRO Expert Can Be Key to Success

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For those who have the goal of getting to a level 5, they will find that an external partner can be one of the best ways to see the results they want in record amounts of time. Many times, these people are referred to as “gap fillers”. They may be experts in the tools that are used to increase productivity, they may have knowledge in improving your testing velocity, your testing strategy and they may be people who deal with development of experiments. These experts are for your benefit. After all, if you have no idea how to continue to the next level, then you will never succeed at accomplishing this.

CRO is a must-have in the business world.

Companies who don’t do any CRO or who practice poor CRO, are going to find it difficult to compete with the numerous other businesses on the market offering the same service or products.

With this being said, CRO is a team accomplishment. One person may start the business out in this, but as the levels progress, it will require a team of people who are devoted to making the business become successful. For those who are involved in CRO in their own company, the time to make improvements, implement changes and make the best CRO plan is now.

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