In the past, the best way for online stores to grow was to spend heavily on paid advertising. The thinking: get your brand in front of an audience often enough on the right channels, and sales will just… happen. At least, that’s what brands were told.
But now, as the cost per click continues to rise, paid advertising is solidifying its place in the ecommerce world as a dead-end for many — especially smaller ecommerce brands.
This isn’t the only marketing problem brands are facing. According to the Baymard Institute, the average online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70% - mostly driven by the costs associated with shipping or taxes.
Even if brands successfully drive traffic to their online stores, they still need to convert that traffic into sales, or risk never reaching their growth goals. That’s where tactics like creating better user experiences and optimizing ecommerce websites for conversion – commonly referred to as conversion rate optimization, or CRO for short – come into play.
In the next six chapters, you’ll learn how to skillfully guide potential customers toward conversion. We share tactics, essential metrics, and actionable steps for success.
