Conversion rate optimization is the process of improving website, app and product experiences to encourage more people to take your desired action (free trials, purchases, signups). CRO requires research, user feedback and data analysis to determine what needs improvement, then testing and learning from results.

Your conversion rate optimization rate is calculated by dividing your number of conversions (desired actions) by your total visitors or web traffic, and multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. The more specific your conversion goals and the higher the quality of your website or app experience, the better your chances of getting more people to convert.

While SEO focuses on attracting more website traffic, CRO is about turning that traffic into leads, sales and other business goals. It’s all about understanding your audience, making your offers and value proposition clear, and designing an experience that makes it easy for people to take the next step.

Optimization for Online Sales: Best Practices for 2025

The most important thing to remember when optimizing your conversion rates is that it’s a journey, not a destination. Even if your conversions are at 10%, it’s never too late to work towards 15% or beyond.

The best way to optimize your conversions is to start small and test multiple hypotheses at once. That’s because small amends, such as a text change or changing a button color, are easier to implement, sign off and scale compared to completely redesigning a landing page or onboarding flow. This also ensures that your tests are based on insights, rather than a hunch.