Guide
CRO: A User-Centric Approach
By Flavia Malvatani
What Is a Conversion Rate?
The conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors completing a desired action — newsletter signups, purchases, form submissions, etc. Example: 10 conversions from 100 visitors = 10% conversion rate.
What Is CRO?
Conversion Rate Optimization is the process of increasing the share of visitors who complete desired actions such as purchases, cart additions, sign-ups, link clicks, and form fills.
A User-Centric Redefinition
Rather than fixating on numbers, CRO should focus on understanding what drives, stops, and persuades your users to deliver the best experience possible. This shifts attention to three pre-conversion elements: Drivers — what brings people to your site; Barriers — what makes them leave; Hooks — what persuades them to convert.
Do Best Practices Actually Work?
Common CRO best practices include visible CTAs, bold button colors, urgency tactics, shorter forms, and trust signals like testimonials and reviews. These help, but applying them blindly assumes your business is identical to every other — it isn’t. Sustainable improvement requires genuinely understanding your specific users: their concerns, hesitations, and needs.
Key Takeaway
Approaching CRO from the user’s perspective significantly increases the likelihood of success. Understand your audience first, then optimize.