Key Summary
- CRO is about improving the % of visitors who take action on your site.
- It helps you get more value from the traffic you’re already paying for.
- Simple improvements - faster site speed, clearer calls to action, mobile-first design - can make a big difference.
- CRO works for any business type: service, ecommerce, lead gen, local, national.
- Measuring and testing are key to continual improvement.
- Don’t forget the basics - usability, trust, speed, and clarity all matter.
- Avoid common mistakes like cluttered design, poor mobile experience and missing CTAs.
- CRO is an essential part of any smart digital marketing strategy.
What Is Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)?
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the process of improving your website so that a higher % of visitors take your desired action - whether that’s making a purchase, filling out a form, calling your business, or booking an appointment.
It’s about making your site work smarter, not just harder.
If you double your conversion rate, you double your sales, without needing to double your traffic or ad spend.
Why CRO Matters for Small Business Digital Marketing
Too often, small businesses focus on driving traffic but neglect converting that traffic.
If your website isn’t optimised for conversions, every visitor you pay for, through ads, SEO, email, or other channels, is less likely to take action. You’re effectively leaving money on the table.
CRO makes every marketing dollar work harder.
You already spend time and budget to attract visitors - why not help more of them become customers?
How CRO Impacts Your Bottom Line
Let’s go with an example.
If your conversion rate improves from 2% to 4%, and you’re paying $1,000 a month in ads:
- Instead of getting 20 sales, you now get 40 sales.
- No extra ad spend required.
- Your cost per sale halves.
That’s why CRO is one of the highest ROI activities in digital marketing.
Simple CRO Strategies to Improve Website Conversions
Improve your website experience
- Make it easy and intuitive for visitors to navigate.
- Clear menu structure, helpful content, consistent branding.
Clear calls to action (CTAs)
- Keep CTAs simple and easy to choose - no overwhelming choices.
- Distinguish primary vs secondary CTAs clearly.
- Ensure CTAs are available in all relevant formats:
- Button
- Chat
- Call
- Email
- Button
- For phone calls, include the phone number, not just a button. On desktops, many people prefer dialling manually.
Speed matters
- A slow website kills conversions.
- Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site and follow the suggestions it provides to improve speed.
Mobile-first optimisation
- In most industries, over 50% of traffic is now on mobile.
- Ensure your site is fully mobile-optimised:
- Easy navigation on small screens.
- Large tap targets.
- Fast loading.
- Easy navigation on small screens.
Test, test, test
- Use A/B testing tools or manual testing to try variations.
- Test different headlines, images, CTAs, and layouts.
- Small changes can lead to big gains.
How to Measure Your Conversion Rate
Conversion Rate = (Number of conversions ÷ Number of visitors) × 100
Track this in:
- Google Analytics
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads Manager (for campaigns)
- Your CRM or eCommerce platform
Monitor trends over time and look for improvement opportunities.
Common CRO Mistakes to Avoid
- Cluttered, busy pages with too many options.
- Poor mobile experience.
- No clear CTAs or too many competing CTAs.
- Slow website.
- Not tracking conversions properly.
- Making changes without testing.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a fancy CRO tool to start?
A: No - start with the basics: fast site, clear CTAs, good mobile experience, and basic measurement.
Q: How often should I test my site?
A: CRO is an ongoing process. Small continuous improvements > big occasional changes.
Q: Does CRO help with SEO?
A: Indirectly, yes. A fast, user-friendly site can help reduce bounce rate and improve engagement, which Google values.
Conclusion
Conversion Rate Optimisation is one of the smartest ways a small business can improve digital marketing performance.
It helps you get more value from your traffic and makes every marketing dollar go further.
Start simple:
- Improve your website experience.
- Make your CTAs clear and consistent.
- Optimise for speed and mobile.
- Test and measure your improvements.
Over time, you’ll see the results in your leads, sales and bottom line.
This guide is written by Hedgehog, a ‘Done With You’ digital marketing consultancy specialising in small and medium businesses in Australia. We offer digital marketing strategy, planning, training and implementation.
