Who cares about conversion rates?

I do and anyone involved in online retail will tell you how important conversion rates are. Since online advertising in Pakistan is now gradually picking up, with a lot large businesses advertising on online properties like Facebook, MSN Messenger and Yahoo Mail, I feel the importance to press my point about measuring conversion.

Often when I meet clients and ask about their conversion rates, they have no clue what I am talking about. To my utter surprise many don’t even have a FREE Google Analytics installed on their website. So what makes them think that something’s wrong? Well to be honest, they just “feel” that their website needs a facial lift and makeover so their sales numbers can improve.

I have been advising clients to not take the sleek and beautiful design for any merit other than how well it converts. As an online retailer, what would you want? More sales and profits or a sleek looking website? Obviously you would answer the former, if you spend time and money to bring those customers on your website and expect to make some decent profits online.

So let’s leave the “gut feelings” aside and get real. Google now also provides a free A/B testing tool. Play around with it and figure out what needs to stay and what needs to be changed on your website.