I’m currently providing a service where I analyze the client’s website to identify problems and opportunities. I then create and share with the client a CRO roadmap (google sheet) with all my recommendations for his website, prioritized by highest impact.
Now my question is: how can I measure the success of my work?
Some thoughts:
Most website have not enough traffic to run proper a/b tests, so i can’t use the winner as success measurement.
Looking at the conversion Rate is risky because can be affected by external factors (e.g seasonality, change of products in the store, different pricing etc)
Waiting for the result of all the changes proposed would take months(I found more than 60 problems/solutions to my previous client). Furthermore, I dont have control of the execution.
It is going to be very difficult if not impossible to effectively measure the results of a CRO assessment, especially where you remain uninvolved in the execution.
If it is a possibility, I would try to limit the amount of measurement you are offering to your clients because your business model limits how much you can accurately provide. CRO is a systemic process, and not a quick one. It will take time and experimentation to gain measurable results.
Instead of advertising your services as “CRO Services” try to rephrase into providing a “CRO Audit” to manage expectations around this.
Here is a link to the vigorous conversion optimization guide by CXL. I hope that this is helpful for you!
Have you considered using website analytics tools to track the impact of your CRO recommendations? Measuring the success of your work can be a challenge, especially when external factors can influence conversion rates. However, one potential solution could be to use website analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to track the impact of your recommendations over time.
Congrats on your freelance journey! You’re absolutely right, measuring success in CRO isn’t straightforward, especially with smaller traffic sites.
Instead of relying solely on A/B testing or waiting for long-term results, try to focus on smaller, incremental improvements. See if the conversion rates improve after your recommendations are implemented, even if they’re small wins, they count.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of client satisfaction. Are they happy? Are they implementing your suggestions? If yes, you’re on the right track.
You can also look at engagement metrics like bounce rate or pages per session, they can give you a clue about how effective your changes are.
And lastly, don’t forget about micro-conversions. They might seem small, but things like newsletter sign-ups or social shares can show you’re making a difference.