User research-driven improvements boosted conversion rates by 30%. The front lines of CRO.

Based on these results, we added detailed doctor profiles to the site and reversed the messaging order from "low price → sense of security" to "sense of security → low price." This increased conversions by 30%. By delving into the story of what to communicate and how, we can create creative assets that enable A/B testing capable of consistently improving conversions.

 

The golden rule for CRO is "start where conversions are closest!" Even just the form can yield this much improvement!

──Where should we focus our investigations to see the best results?

Wada: Areas most likely to yield improvements are the first view, buttons, and input forms. Investigating these often reveals numerous issues. A common problem is input forms that demand users enter excessive information. Such forms often impose a heavy burden on users without actually utilizing the collected data. Therefore, input forms should minimize required fields, gathering necessary information at subsequent contact points instead.

──What input fields can be omitted?

Wada: Information close to personal details should be omitted because users hesitate to input it. First, address. If you just want to see application status by area, the prefecture alone is sufficient. Next, phone number. If you don't actually use the phone as a contact method, an email address alone is enough for the form.

Yamamoto: I've seen pages that included a warning like "Please enter information accurately" before the input form to prevent errors. That actually raised the barrier to entry. When we removed it, conversion rates improved.

Also, if users don't know when the input will end, they might quit midway. Displaying progress steps showing how much they've completed is a good idea.

Wada: For smartphones, ease of form input is also crucial. Making input fields larger improves conversion rates.

With CRO, starting near the conversion point tends to yield results more easily. The farther you are from the conversion, the more drop-off points increase, so it's best to start improving from the closest points.

 

Maximizing ROI by implementing CRO before launching ads

──In digital marketing, it's often said that "thoroughly optimizing CRO yields higher ROI than pouring money into ads." What does this mean?

Yamamoto: Imagine a physical store. If someone comes in after seeing your ad and finds the store dirty or the service poor, they won't buy anything. It's the same online: no matter how much you advertise, if your site is bad, conversions won't happen.

Doubling your ad spend might double conversions, but implementing CRO measures before doubling your budget allows you to achieve conversions more efficiently with the same ad spend.

Moreover, sites with high conversion rates also see higher repeat customer rates. Conversions happen because the product's appeal is effectively communicated. This impact extends beyond the moment of purchase to subsequent customer interactions, contributing to LTV (Life Time Value).

Wada: When CRO increases the conversion rate from 1% to 1.2%, converting that back to advertising terms really highlights the cost-effectiveness of CRO. So, if you implement CRO before investing in advertising, you can sometimes achieve several times the effect for the same cost.

──In the case of Nextedge Dentsu Inc., do you typically receive requests from clients for ad management and then propose CRO as well?

Wada: That's correct. If we see that ads are driving traffic but not converting on the landing page, we propose CRO as part of the advertising package.

Recently, client expectations have risen. We're increasingly asked not just for landing page A/B testing, but to deliver results across the entire marketing funnel.

──I see. In the latter half, we'll delve deeper into CRO with a focus on brand engagement and optimizing the entire customer journey.

< Continued in Part 2 >