When you type CRO Dallas into the search bar, then type SEO Dallas in another one and compare the results you might be surprised. It seems like CRO, in the perspective that we are talking about, is a long-kept secret that people are not searching for. SEO, on the other hand, is filled with results from various digital marketing agencies that claim to be the best.
In any event, CRO and SEO are very different from each other, yet they are both vital components of a successful website endeavor. In order to have full success, the website must be seen in the search engines, then have the capacity to encourage visitors to engage and ultimately convert from browsers to customers.
What is CRO?
CRO is an abbreviation for conversion rate optimization. The conversion rate of a website is the number of visitors that convert from visitors to customers as opposed to the visitors that do not. For example, if 1 out of every 10 visitors converts into a customer you would have a 10% conversion rate.
- Users visit the site and become engaged
- The engaged visitors follow a path toward purchase
- The visitors convert into customers
Obviously, the aim is to have a high conversion rate as opposed to a low one. The more people that convert, the more sales the website gets and the more money the business makes. The strategy that developers use to raise the conversion rates for a website is known as conversion rate optimization, which optimizes the website to reach higher conversion rates and more success.
What is SEO?
SEO is an abbreviation for search engine optimization. As many of us already know, most of the people on the planet use search engines to find goods or services every day. All they have to do is type keywords into the search box, and millions of results will appear within seconds.
- Users type keywords into search box
- Search engine displays results
- Users choose which results to click on
It takes a lot more than just dumb luck for a website to appear in the top results of search engines. There is a lot of planning, strategizing, and implementation that happens behind the scenes in order for sites to show up, especially if there is a lot of competition. In order for a website to reach the highest results in the major search engines, it has to be optimized for search engine visibility.
How Conversion Rate Optimization Works
CRO, or conversion rate optimization, can be as simple as writing concise, compelling meta descriptions for the landing pages or as difficult as sifting through tons of analytical data to see how people behave when they visit a website.
The main goal of the optimization plan is to get more sales on the site. Many times this only happens by trial and error with various methods and plans that compare results to each other.
For example, one of the most common methods that marketers use to gain insight into where improvements need to be made for conversions is to initiate an A/B test. This simple process can be done by using two different methods to see which one compares to the other in results.
A simple A/B test is when a developer chooses two images and compares the response that they get from visitors. Each image will link to the same page, but marketers will track which image gets the most clicks, then compare the data to the image that got more clicks, which one resulted in a visitor completing a task such as filling out a form or making a phone call.
- Users will choose the image that they like
- Linked page will have a form or an option to buy
- Marketer will decipher data
Using an image for an A/B test is only an example, in many cases, the test will be comprised of a complicated variation of wording, steps towards a process, and methods of engagement.
How Search Engine Optimization Works
Before the website is ever built, the strategy of search engine optimization should be put into effect. If the website wants to rank for keywords that have a lot of competition, there will be a lot of work to do in order to get it there.
- On-page SEO
- Off-page SEO
The main thing to consider in the beginning stages of the website is how the pages will be built in order to accommodate specific keywords. Although it may be tempting to stuff a bunch of keywords into a page and hope for the best, it does not work that way.
The way search engines work is that when they get a request for information regarding keywords they scrub the indexed websites that are available to them for answers. When they find pages that have quality content that is rich with relevant information in regards to the keywords, they present the findings in search results.
What this means is that in order to optimize specific keywords, the developer will need to build landing pages for each pillar keyword.
If a website offers web design, SEO, CRO, and internet marketing it can mention all of these services on one page, but in order to get maximum results, each pillar keyword will have to have its own landing page that is structured to convey relevant information for people searching for information.
Each page will need:
- A URL containing pillar keywords
- A title with pillar keywords
- A heading 1 with pillar keywords
- Content containing keywords
- Subheadings with keywords
When a landing page is equipped with the proper structure and content it has the potential to not only appear higher in the search results but also as a featured snippet that will be at the top of the results.
How CRO and SEO Work Together
A combination of high search engine visibility and an optimal conversion rate structure will result in a high rate of success.
If a website is not visible in the search engines, it will not be visible to potential customers…unless the business uses physical media to broadcast its services. The problem with physical media such as billboards or even commercials is that the person has to remember the website address, whereas in the search results all they have to do is click on the result.
When the website is visibly in the search results and is optimized so that visitors are encouraged to move forward in the buying process there is not much that can stop it from becoming a hit.
- Search results provide a link to the website
- The website catches the attention of users
- The users engage then convert from visitors to customer
It is not difficult to see how one does not work well without the other. If nobody knows the opportunity to buy is there, they won’t ever know the website exists. If people can find the website, but do not become engaged and buy merchandise, the website is a failure.
Conclusion
The difference between CRO and SEO is that SEO gets people to the site and CRO gets people to buy things on the site. It’s pretty simple, although both concepts need a lot of work to become realities. Never make the mistake of underestimating your competitors and overestimating your own skills. If you want results, be aggressive in every aspect of your digital marketing and make things happen.