Earlier this month Econsultancy published its conversion report. I downloaded it and already highlighted some key takeaways in a few blog posts. This week Econsultancy published yet another post with key findings from the report (a good illustration on how blogging and content are used for selling by the way, in this case a report).

The central theme of the post: what are the most important factors to improve your conversion rates? The answer: a systematic testing approach and conversion optimization. Obviously this is not exactly rocket-science and it should also be evident for everyone active in any form of online marketing. But clearly this is not the case.

Testing and conversion optimization are no evidences for many businesses

Econsultancy found that the questioned companies that tweaked their conversion rates over the last twelve months, perform on average three times more website tests than the companies that haven’t recorded any improved conversion. Testing is obviously not an evidence and it is certainly not performed systematically by everyone. Naturally the extent in which you test depends on various parameters. It is logic, for example, that companies for which the website, blog, e-mail campaigns etc. are very important for their business, will perform more tests than companies for which this is not the case.

Testing also comes with a cost. Even though there are various tools that are inexpensive and even free of charge, there  is always a learning curve, an indirect cost (the value of the invested time compared to the value of this time if invested in other activities) or direct costs such as for outsourcing the tests and optimization, to name just a few.

Personally, as a consultant, it is better to spend most of my time fulfilling my assignments than on the improvement of the conversion of my website. But even I have to do this since clients won’t be clients forever. And therefore I gradually test and improve the conversion of my online forms, web pages, newsletters, content, lead nurturing scenario’s etc. to keep the “funnel” full and to acquire new assignments (even if word-of-mouth plays a large role in my specific case).

Costs and a lack of resources cannot be an excuse: the ROI is clear, regardless of your business

I use my personal example to indicate that the extent, in which you can systematically work on conversion optimization and tests, depends on the nature, extent and priorities of your company and online marketing. But the most important thing is that you do it systematically, even if it is step by step as with my site.

The reason to do this properly is obvious, even if you don’t immediately have all the necessary resources, as so many companies: conversion is function of a good user experience and vice versa. Both lead to a reduction in the expenses necessary to recruit new leads (because the leads find you better and more efficient) and to an increase of the turnover (due to a better conversion throughout the entire funnel and offering a positive user experience leading to word-of-mouth and much more).

The ROI of conversion optimization and the above mentioned expenses may not hold you back for one simple reason: there is nothing of which you can measure the results and determine the ROI as easily, than conversion optimization and testing. The input leads to the output in an enormously measurable way. For larger companies that want to do this seriously and efficiently with large-scale MVT and A/B testing techniques in all interactive channels but also throughout all interactive actions and media (cross-channel).

For smaller companies and consultants, like yours truly, it can be done through step by step A/B tests, smaller conversion improvements etc. But no matter how “big” or “small” you are: just do it!