Fulfil the potential of your Shopify store: 10 CRO tactics to implement now

It's no secret that e-commerce is a little slower in Q2. That's why it's the perfect time to invest time and money into Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) of your Shopify store. Some optimisations are low-hanging fruit, others require extensive expertise. Generous as we are, we'll share 10 CRO strategies that are no-brainers to prepare your webshop for the end-of-year sales rush.

But first, some context. What is Conversion Rate Optimisation? CRO is the process of improving the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, entering an email address or filling out a form. By understanding CRO, you can make strategic changes to your Shopify store to increase conversions and maximise sales. Here are the 10 CRO strategies we'll dive into.

1. 1. A/B Testing

2. 2. Core Web Vitals (CWVs)

3. 3. Landing Page Design

4. 4. Segmentation and Personalisation

5. 5. Loyalty and Retention Programs

6. 6. Mobile Responsiveness

7. 7. The Checkout Process

8. 8. Live Chat and Social Proof

9. 9. High-Quality Product Images and Videos

10. 10. Regular Site Audits

If any of these sound helpful, we're here to help.

Before CRO

CRO prerequisites

Before we actually dive in, we have to disclose an important side note. Maybe it's even the most important paragraph of this article. While there are best practices, none of these methods are just plug-and-play. There are a few requirements merchants have to meet before even thinking of CRO.

In the first place, there's the 'optimisation mindset'. A store, whether it's online or physical, can never be seen as something static. If you want to grow, you have to be on the lookout for the next at all times, or you'll fall behind.

The second requirement goes hand-in-hand with the first. The 'optimisation mindset' is condemned to oblivion if you don't have the technological foundation for it. That's why your choice of tech-stack is so important. An ill-considered setup that's not aligned with the needs of your brand is a recipe for disaster.

The third requirement is also a consequence of the first two. The first merchant who has full understanding and knowhow on executing CRO (and has time for it) is yet to be born. It's important to accept the fact that some things are done better by professionals. Also because professionals take the time to find out which solutions work for which business. Each brand, customer base, each webstore has its own characteristics that need a different approach.

So, while us giving you a list of 10 CRO strategies might give you the impression that there's a 'one size fits all'-strategy, that's not the case. However, there's a standard workflow that can help you on the way.

The CRO Workflow

We recommend abiding to a standard workflow that looks a little like this. In our CRO track, we use a way of working that allows us to structurally approach our efforts, and keep track of their success.

We initiate the CRO track with detailed data analysis to pinpoint user journey obstacles. This triggers us to make hypotheses. The analysis informs the development of strategies aimed at enhancing the user experience. Changes are implemented and their effectiveness is measured to ascertain improvements in conversion rates. The process is inherently iterative, focusing on constant refinement and optimisation based on data insights.

By following this workflow, we make sure that we keep track of the success of our efforts. It also allows us to transparently communicate about how it's going to our clients.

1. A/B Testing

The first thing that comes to mind when CRO is mentioned is probably A/B testing. A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of a webpage (or other element to determine which one performs better in terms of conversions. By running A/B tests, you can identify the most effective elements and make data-driven decisions to optimise your Shopify store for increased conversions.

Two types of A/B tests

A/B testing has two types of test. One goes through applications such as VWO where the frontend can be altered. The second type are tests that need to be coded by developers in the backend. In general these are harder to execute, but give you great insights. Classic examples are things such as menus, etc.

An example of the first type: The A/B testing platform VWO allows brands like BRAUZZ. to easily adapt the copy in their hero banner using their visual editor. The testing of copy is fairly easy. To give an example of a more complex test, let's use the example of testing how a different shipment method has an impact on conversion rates. Setting this up requires extensive development in order to make it work.

Important side note: A/B testing can have a big impact on the performance of the website if done incorrectly. Pages can get jumpy and slow. So it really needs knowledge and attention, otherwise the drop in performance might lead to bad testing and a drop in overall conversions even when testing one vs the other.

How to A/B test

But, how do you actually get started?

1. 1. To implement A/B testing, start by identifying the elements you want to test, such as headlines, call-to-action buttons, product images... Create two versions of the element, with one being the control (the original version) and the other being the variation (the version with changes). Split your website traffic evenly between the control and variation, and track the conversion rates of each.

2. 2. Identifying which elements to test can be very data driven, by visualising the customer flow in monitoring tools like GA4 we are able to easily see where people get lost and leave the funnel.

   Do people for example visit a lot of collection pages but don’t add a product to cart? A potential reason can be that the filters on collection pages are not clear and people have a hard time finding the right product for them. We can improve conversion rate by testing a different filtering system or by implementing a better search!

   Do people leave the checkout but there are a lot of add to carts? Maybe we are not informing people about added costs that only get added in checkout. Let’s A/B test by adding additional copy in cart on shipment costs! As you can see, GA4 is the tool to hypothesise on A/B test ideas!
   

3. 3. Once that is set up, you can start measuring differences. Based on the results of the A/B test, you can determine which version performs better and make changes accordingly. This iterative process allows you to continuously optimise your Shopify store and improve your conversion rates.

A/B testing in practice

For our client BRAUZZ. we were testing how different ranking of products on the product page can influence conversion rate as well as product page views. Of course, in a year you will have added more products and want to test this again. Because the framework is still there, setting up the next test is as easy as selecting different products to test in the Shopify customiser and activating the A/B test again!

If you are for some concrete details on how we nearly tripled conversion rate for subscription for BRAUZZ., feel free to check out the case study here.

2. Core Web Vitals (CWVs)

The second tactic is making sure your website is as performant as it can be. The best way to measure this is keeping track of your Core Web Vitals. CWVs are a set of specific factors that Google considers crucial in determining the user experience of a website. Achieving good scores in Core Web Vitals contributes to improved SEO outcomes and higher conversion rates.

The 3 Core Web Vitals

The three primary CWVs, vital for optimising your Shopify store's performance and improving conversion rates, are:

• - Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): It measures the perceived load time of the largest element on a webpage. Shopify's dashboard allows merchants to analyse and optimise LCP by minimising server response times, optimising images and videos, and leveraging browser caching.

• -Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is a stable Core Web Vital metric that assesses page responsiveness using data from the Event Timing API. INP observes the latency of all click, tap, and keyboard interactions with a page throughout its lifespan, and reports the longest duration, ignoring outliers. A low INP means the page is consistently able to respond quickly to the vast majority of user interactions.

• - Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): CLS assesses the visual stability of a webpage. Shopify provides insights for ensuring elements remain stable during page load, preventing unexpected layout shifts.

Note: Since February 2024, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) has been replaced First Input Delay (FID) as a Core Web Vital, providing a more comprehensive view of user experience.

Core Web Vitals in Shopify

Shopify has integrated these metrics into their new web performance dashboard, launched on January 31, 2024, to help merchants optimise their storefronts effectively. This highlights Shopify's dedication to improving platform speed, after a year of infrastructure expansion that resulted in a 35% performance boost.

Shopify's real user performance dashboard, accessible via the Online Store -> Themes page, is crucial in this optimisation process. It enables merchants to assess and improve their storefront's performance based on real user interactions and experiences, ensuring a focus on actionable, user-centred metrics. This direct approach replaces the older, less representative Speed Score, offering a more nuanced and effective method for boosting web performance.

By leveraging this dashboard, Shopify merchants can not only understand but also improve their store’s performance across these critical metrics, leading to better user experiences, reduced bounce rates, and higher conversion rates.

For detailed guidance on using the dashboard and optimising each Core Web Vital, visit the Shopify Help Center or access the dashboard through the Analytics -> Reports -> Online Store Speed or Online Store -> Themes section in the Shopify admin.

3. Landing Page Design

The third conversion rate optimisation tactic that's extremely relevant is Landing Page Design. The design of your landing pages plays a crucial role in capturing visitors' attention and encouraging them to take action. By revamping your landing page design, you can improve the user experience and increase conversions on your Shopify store.

Landing page design considerations

When revamping your landing page design, consider the following:

• - Clear and compelling headlines: Use attention-grabbing headlines that clearly convey the value proposition of your products or services.

• - Engaging visuals: Incorporate high-quality product images and videos that showcase the benefits of your offerings.

• - Intuitive navigation: Ensure that visitors can easily navigate through your landing page and find the information they need.

• - Persuasive call-to-action: Use persuasive and action-oriented language in your call-to-action buttons to encourage visitors to take the desired action.

By focusing on these design elements, you can create landing pages that effectively communicate your brand message, engage visitors, and drive conversions.

4. Segmentation and Personalisation

The fourth strategy is one you simply cannot ignore if you don't want to fall behind. Customers are getting used to shopping experiences that are tailored for them personally and whether you like it or not, this trend will continue.

So, it's safe to say that segmentation and personalisation are powerful strategies to improve the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and increasing conversions on your Shopify store.

The semantics and the benefits

Segmentation involves dividing your audience into specific groups based on characteristics such as demographics, behaviour, or purchase history. By segmenting your audience, you can tailor your marketing messages and offers to resonate with each group's needs and preferences.

The terms segmentation and personalisation are often associated with marketing, but in e-commerce it's crucial to integrate them in your website's user experience as well.

Personalisation takes segmentation a step further by delivering individualised experiences to each visitor based on their specific characteristics and behaviours. This can include personalised product recommendations, targeted email campaigns, or customised landing pages.

Committing to this tactic has a lot of benefits. To name a few:

• - Increased Customer Satisfaction: Customers can choose specific details like colour or material.

• - Higher Perceived Value: Customers often pay more for items tailored to their preferences.

• - Enhanced Customer Loyalty: Personalised experiences keep customers coming back.

• - Reduced Returns: Customised items are less likely to be returned.

• - Social Sharing: Unique, personalised products are often shared on social media, boosting brand visibility.

• - Emotional Connection: Personalisation makes purchases more meaningful, increasing loyalty and satisfaction.

Segmentation and personalisation in Shopify

Knowing all this, we can get to how this takes shape in Shopify. We’ve been focusing on customer segments a lot, exploring key questions: what exactly are customer segments? And how can Shopify merchants make the most of them? Shopify defines customer segmentation as the process of dividing a company’s customers into groups based on common characteristics so companies can market to each group appropriately.

The list of common characteristics you can choose from to create your customer segments is incredibly vast. You can filter your customers by tags, countries, cities, amount spent, orders placed, last order date, etc. This variety allows for the creation of very specific customer segments. For example, a segment could include customers who haven’t ordered in the past 3 months but used to order frequently.

You can even create segments based on metafields that you created yourself. For example, if your customer has a “gender” metafield, you can create segments based on the customer’s gender. Tailoring email campaigns to specific customer segments can significantly increase engagement and sales, especially using Shopify Emails with integrated email tools.

Moreover, bringing important customer information into Shopify allows for customisation of your storefront. For instance, if you use Klaviyo’s “predictive analytics” feature to determine the gender of your customers, you could replicate this on Shopify’s side, leading to different product upsells depending on the customer's gender.

The bottomline

By enhancing segmentation and personalisation in your strategu, you can create more relevant and engaging experiences for your audience, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Overall, leveraging customer segments properly can open new avenues for targeted marketing and enhanced user experiences in your Shopify store.

5. Loyalty and Retention Programs

Customers that are familiar with your brand will buy faster than people that are not, that's a fact. It's not only a way to up LTVs, it also boosts CRO. That's why loyalty and retention is the next strategy we focus on.

Building customer loyalty and implementing retention programs are essential for maximising the lifetime value of your customers and driving repeat purchases on your Shopify store.

Loyalty strategies

To build loyalty, consider implementing the following strategies:

• - Reward programs: Offer incentives, such as discounts or exclusive access, to encourage customers to make repeat purchases.

• - Personalised communication: Send personalised emails or messages to show appreciation and keep customers engaged.

• - Excellent customer service: Provide exceptional customer service to ensure customer satisfaction and build long-term relationships.

Retention strategies

To enhance customer retention, consider these strategies:

• - Targeted Email Campaigns: Craft tailored email communications that resonate with the experiences and interests of existing customers to motivate repeat purchases.

• - Exclusive Discounts: Provide special offers or discounts as a token of appreciation to loyal customers, encouraging them to continue shopping.

• - Personalised Recommendations: Utilise purchase history to make customised product or service suggestions, enhancing the shopping experience and fostering repeat business.

By building loyalty and implementing retention programs, you can foster a loyal customer base that generates consistent revenue and promotes your Shopify store through word-of-mouth.

6. Mobile Responsiveness

With the increasing use of mobile devices for online shopping, it is crucial to ensure that your Shopify store is mobile-responsive. A mobile-responsive design adapts to different screen sizes and provides a seamless browsing and purchasing experience for mobile users. Depending on the dominant traffic source of our clients, we take a mobile-first or desktop-first approach. For direct-to-consumer brands, the mobile-first approach has become standard over the past few years.

To ensure mobile responsiveness, we consider the following:

• - Responsive design: Use a responsive Shopify theme that automatically adjusts the layout and elements based on the screen size.

• - Fast loading times: Optimise your website's performance to ensure fast loading times on mobile devices.

• - Mobile-friendly navigation: Simplify your navigation menu and ensure that buttons and links are easy to tap on mobile screens.

• - Mobile checkout optimisation: Streamline the checkout process on mobile devices to minimise friction and increase conversions.

By prioritising mobile responsiveness, you can cater to the growing number of mobile shoppers and maximise conversions on your Shopify store.

7. The Checkout Process

The checkout process is a critical stage where visitors decide whether to complete their purchase or abandon their cart. By streamlining the checkout process, you can reduce friction and increase conversions on your Shopify store.

Independent research proves Shopify has the best checkout in the world (it converts up to 36% better than other leading e-commerce checkouts). Here are checkout 14 tips that will elevate your revenue.

1. 1. Allow guest checkout

2. 2. Offer free shipping

3. 3. Provide multiple payment and shipping options

4. 4. Use Google auto-address

5. 5. Take advantage of 1-click checkout

6. 6. Display security badges

7. 7. Customise with Checkout Extensibility

8. 8. Have a mobile-friendly design

9. 9. Reduce form fields

10. 10. Offer live chat support

11. 11. Reinforce sales with psychological triggers

12. 12. Show the checkout flow

13. 13. Cross-sell and upsell

14. 14. Remind shoppers why they buy

In case you want to take a deeper dive into what's possible in Shopify's checkout, our co-founder Samuel Rieder gave a webinar on account structure and checkout extensibility.

8. Live Chat and Social Proof

Live chat and social proof can significantly impact the trust and confidence of visitors on your Shopify store, leading to increased conversions.

By implementing live chat, you can provide real-time assistance to visitors, answer their questions, and address any concerns they may have. This personalised interaction can help build trust and guide visitors towards making a purchase.

Social proof involves showcasing positive reviews, testimonials, or user-generated content that demonstrates the satisfaction and positive experiences of your customers. This social validation can influence potential customers and encourage them to trust your brand and products.

By utilising live chat and social proof, you can enhance the credibility of your Shopify store and boost conversion rates.

9. High-Quality Product Images and Videos

Visual content, such as high-quality product images and videos, can significantly impact the conversion rates on your Shopify store. By showcasing visually appealing and informative content, you can capture visitors' attention and encourage them to make a purchase.

When showcasing product images and videos, consider the following:

• - High resolution: Use high-resolution images and videos to ensure that the details of your products are clearly visible.

• - Multiple angles: Provide multiple images or videos that showcase your products from different angles to give customers a comprehensive view.

• - Product demonstrations: Use videos to demonstrate how your products work or how they can benefit the customers.

• - User-generated content: Incorporate user-generated images and videos to build social proof and increase trust.

By investing in high-quality visual content, you can create a visually appealing and trustworthy shopping experience that drives conversions.

10. Regular Site Audits

Regular site audits are crucial for identifying areas of improvement in your Shopify store, helping to ensure it remains optimised for both search engines and users.

It’s advised to perform comprehensive audits that cover technical SEO, user experience, content quality, and site performance. Look for broken links, redundant content, and opportunities to improve site navigation and product discoverability.

Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Analytics to conduct audits and track improvements over time. Prioritise changes that have the most significant impact on your site's performance and user experience.

Conclusion

By diligently applying these ten strategies, you can create an optimised, efficient, and highly converting Shopify store. Q2 is usually slower sales-wise, so this is the perfect time to invest time and money into the next quarters. This is an opportune time to refine these aspects of your digital presence, leading to a substantial increase in conversions and sales, and ultimately, driving the long-term success of your e-commerce business.