4 Essential trends for CRO in 2024
This is not just another article that will give you the best practices you need to follow on your website or ecommerce.
So will not find here classic recommendations like:
- Short forms to fill out.
- Have a simplified checkout process.
- Create a strong cart abandonment email strategy.
- Create a fast website for faster shopping.
- And so on....
We are assuming that you are already doing all these digital marketing efforts to improve your overall experience.
So, what now??
What’s coming this 2024 that can lead you to better conversion.
Well, there is no shortcut for that, because every website / eCommerce has its own ecosystem, audience and behavior, but we can tell you some key strategies you should take into account this 2024 to ensure you achieve your CRO goals.
Staying ahead of the curve is essential for businesses aiming to maximize their online success. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal by ensuring that website visitors not only convert but also have a seamless and engaging user experience. As we step into 2024, let's explore the CRO trends that are poised to shape the industry and the crucial role of UX analytics in this journey.
CRO Trend 1: AI-Powered Personalization
As businesses strive to provide a seamless and personalized customer experience, AI- powered personalization is emerging as a crucial trend in the world of conversion rate optimization (CRO). Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, organizations can utilize vast amounts of data to understand customer preferences and tailor their offerings accordingly. This level of customization not only enhances the customer experience but also delivers improved conversion rates and increased customer loyalty.
With the help of user experience analytics, organizations can gather real-time data on user behavior, preferences, and interactions. This data fuels AI algorithms, enabling websites to make instant, data-driven decisions that enhance personalization and boost conversions.
From dynamic pricing based on user preferences to personalised product recommendations, AI offers a myriad of possibilities. Implementing AI-driven chatbots for real-time customer interactions is another trend gaining traction, providing instant support and guidance to users throughout their journey.
We are also seeing an increase in AI tools or apps to help users find what they are looking for more easily, such as size guides, product finders or optimised search bars. Let's take a look at some examples!
ASOS FIT assistant
CRO Trend 2: Mobile UX Mastery
In 2024, businesses are all about making sure your experience is smooth no matter where you find them. UX analytics helps by spotting any problems when you move between different places where a business advertises. By combining insights from all these places, businesses can understand how people behave and make the experience even better, leading to more sales.
Mobile phones are super important for online shopping now. Around 60% of all sales happen on mobiles. That's why it's a good idea to design websites with mobiles in mind. Keep things simple, make it easy for people to find what they want, and remember to check how your site works on both mobiles and computers. Things to consider when optimizing your website for mobile:
- Less is more. Cut any unnecessary content, as users likely aren’t viewing information lower down on the page. You can find this information in heatmaps and scrollmaps.
- Make things simple for users. When the user is on a mobile device, they want the website to be quick and simple to navigate. Ensure the navigation is easy to use and find what the customer is looking for. Tracking clicks in Google Analytics will help you determine which categories are most clicked on.
- Mobile versus desktop. Test and analyze how things are performing for mobile versus desktop. Something you think might be a clear-cut winner may, in fact, be a loss!
- Content Prioritization: Prioritize content placement for mobile-first design, ensuring important information is at the top of the page.
- Typography: Opt for easily readable fonts, particularly those with taller lowercase letters (x-height), for improved legibility on smaller screens.
- Button Sizing: Size buttons appropriately for mobile devices, ensuring they are large enough for comfortable tapping and providing adequate spacing between them to prevent accidental clicks.
This could be your template for mobile-first success:
Here some good examples:
Big CTAs complement these bits of content as smaller links would be too inconvenient to use.
Since this website has plenty of blog articles, the useability is improved with a single column layout that invites users to scroll down for more content.
CRO Trend 3: Experimentation for Continuous Improvement
Experimentation is the cornerstone of CRO success in 2024. Embracing an iterative approach, businesses continually test and refine their strategies based on data-driven insights. UX analytics facilitates the tracking of experiment results, enabling organizations to make informed decisions and fine-tune their conversion optimization tactics.
Leveraging Data Analysis and A/B Testing: The first pillar involves harnessing the power of data analysis and A/B testing. With Google Optimize becoming redundant many businesses will stop A/B testing their landing pages, messaging, and pricing. This is where you can gain a competitive advantage. By investing in A/B testing tools, you can fine-tune your website and marketing strategies, potentially doubling your click-through and conversion rates. This approach isn't just about keeping up; it's about leading the race.
Solutions like AB Tasty and Kameleeon help you dynamize your experiments.
Having these Experimentation tools connected to a UX analytics ecosystem like Air360 can help you have a more holistic understanding of the impact of each action /experiment you deploy and truly understand the behavioral change.
CRO Trend 4: Video Content Optimization
Video content is a potent tool for engaging users, and its role in CRO is becoming more prominent. UX analytics helps measure video engagement and gather user feedback. Quick analysis of video performance data is essential for optimizing content and ensuring it aligns with user expectations.
Video has also increased significantly in the last few years and is a great way to grab users’ attention. Adding videos to your website can greatly increase interactions with your product pages or homepage content. Whether it's product demonstrations, customer testimonials, or brand storytelling, videos have the power to evoke emotions and build trust.
As always, testing videos on your website is essential, as there could be some drawbacks. For example, ensure the video is an optimal length, as you do not want to impact site speed or the experience for users on mobile data.
Here are some key strategies to optimize your video content for maximum conversions:
- Compelling and Relevant Videos: Create videos that are not only visually appealing but also relevant to your target audience and the products or services you offer. The videos should align with your brand's messaging and capture the interest of your target market.
- Optimized Video Placement: Carefully consider the placement of your video content on your website. It should be strategically placed to ensure maximum visibility and engagement. Placing videos above the fold or on landing pages can significantly increase your chances of driving conversions.
- Short and Concise Videos: Keep your videos short and concise to maintain the attention of your audience. Research shows that viewers tend to lose interest after a few seconds, so it's important to deliver your key message within the first few seconds of the video. Use attention-grabbing visuals and compelling storytelling to engage viewers from the start.
- Clear Call-to-Action: Include a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) within your video content. Whether it's encouraging viewers to make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or take any other desired action, a strong CTA can guide your viewers towards the conversion funnel.
- Mobile-Friendly Videos: With the increasing use of mobile devices for browsing and shopping, it's crucial to optimize your videos for mobile viewing. Ensure that your videos are responsive and compatible with different screen sizes and resolutions. This will provide a seamless viewing experience for your mobile users, ultimately driving higher conversion rates.
Here 2 good examples of good video strategy:
Dyson: video on the homepage. Dyson features a 10-second video on its US homepage to showcase the product and its features.
Canon: showcasing video on product pages.
Canon features a video showcasing its product as part of the image carousel on product pages.
As we look ahead to 2024, it's evident that staying ahead of the curve in Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) requires more than just following the old playbook. Classic recommendations like personalization and simplified checkouts are no longer enough to ensure success in today's competitive landscape.
With each website and eCommerce platform having its own unique ecosystem, audience, and behavior, it's essential to adapt to emerging trends to achieve your CRO goals.
However, it's not just about implementing these trends blindly. Having a robust analytics stack is crucial for making informed decisions and maximizing the effectiveness of your CRO efforts. By leveraging tools like user experience analytics, businesses can gather real-time data on user behavior, preferences, and interactions. This data fuels AI algorithms, enabling websites to make instant, data-driven decisions that enhance personalization and boost conversions.
Moreover, a sophisticated analytics stack frees up valuable time that would otherwise be spent crunching numbers. Instead, businesses can focus on what really matters – understanding their customers and optimizing their strategies accordingly. In digital commerce, staying informed, adaptable, and data-driven is key to thriving and outperforming the competition.
