Conversion is most often defined through sales, but it can also apply to clicks, sign-ups, repeat visitors, or any other metric that meets your organization’s goals.
The real problem many organizations face regarding conversion, is that content is often still considered “the stuff that goes into the design.” Putting content at center stage means changing some of the fundamental ways we think about content in the design process and how it helps conversion.
The principle of ‘form follows function’ states that the form of an object must be based on its intended purpose, and UX is no different. Since the primary function for any brand’s website is to engage, inform, and convert visitors into consumers, then the design of that website should be created primarily to support its content, or the “stuff” that has the greatest potential to engage, inform, and convert. The folks over at GatherContent, as well as several others, have begun calling this a “content first” approach.
From our viewpoint, content first doesn’t mean sacrificing design, or other elements of UX, but it does mean that content goals, which are often defined through business goals, should drive design. The elements of design—from the architecture and navigation to the look and feel to the code functionality and everything in between—are all components that come together to help the user reach their intended goals in the most efficient and enjoyable way possible.
Both CRO and UX should be about helping people reach their goals. That’s how you convert. You give people what they weren’t even sure they were looking for.
But how do you do that?
Continue reading What UX Designers Need to Know about Conversion Rate Optimization
