What is CRO – and Why It Often Matters More Than Getting More Visitors

Many webshops spend time and money driving more traffic to their site. That makes sense. But what if half of them drop off before they even reach checkout?

CRO – Conversion Rate Optimization – is about making more of the traffic you already have. Without increasing your ad budget. Without launching a new campaign.

What is CRO?

CRO stands for Conversion Rate Optimization. In short, it's about:

• Removing friction in the customer journey
• Increasing trust and purchase confidence
• Getting more visitors to complete their purchase

Conversions can be anything from purchases and sign-ups to clicks and downloads. But for most Shopify stores, CRO boils down to one key goal: more sales.

Why is CRO so important?

Because you’ve already done the hard part: getting traffic.

When you invest in CRO, you increase the value of the traffic you already have. Here’s an example:

If you get 10,000 visitors with a 1% conversion rate, you get 100 sales. Increase it to 1.5%, and that’s 150 sales – without bringing in a single extra visitor.

That’s a 50% increase – without additional marketing costs.

What affects your conversion rate?

Everything that influences trust, decision-making, and user experience. For example:

• Clear product information
  Is it obvious what you’re selling? Size, color, material, delivery?
• Trust signals
  Do you have reviews, a return policy, and easy-to-find contact info?
• Speed and mobile experience
  Is the site fast and easy to use on mobile?
• Delivery and returns
  Do customers know when their order arrives – and whether they can return it?
• Navigation and checkout flow
  Is it easy to find and buy what they’re looking for?

CRO is not one thing – it’s a process

You’re never done with CRO. It’s about testing, adjusting, and learning. I typically work in three steps:

1. Data
   Where are people coming from? Where do they click – and where do they drop off?
2. Hypotheses
   What could be causing friction? Missing info? Poor structure?
3. Action and testing
   Changes in copy, design, or features – and ongoing improvements.

You can go far with just a few tools: Shopify Analytics, Hotjar, Google Analytics – and common sense.

When should you prioritize CRO?

• When you have steady traffic – but not enough conversions.
• When campaigns bring people in – but sales are stalling.
• When you get too many questions – and too few orders.

CRO isn’t the first thing to focus on in a brand-new store. But it’s often the most important next step once you’re up and running.

What can you expect?

As your eCommerce Manager – and as part of my Shopify Growth Partner service – I’ll help you get a clear picture, identify bottlenecks, and suggest concrete improvements. Not one big overhaul – but a series of small tweaks that make a big impact over time.

That might include:

• Clearer product descriptions and photos
• Simplified checkout flow
• More relevant delivery options
• Better mobile experience
• Automatic email collection and abandoned cart flows

Ready to work on CRO?

If you have traffic – but not enough sales – this is where to focus. As a Shopify Growth Partner client, you’ll get ongoing input and actionable improvements that move the needle.

Become a Shopify Growth Partner client
You’ll get my full attention, every month. Fixed rate. Realistic expectations. Action over buzzwords.

Already a Growth Partner client?

Then this is already part of our ongoing strategic work together.

– Frederik, eCommerce Manager