5 CRO Tactics Every E-Commerce Brand Needs to Boost Conversion Rates

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) is the secret weapon for e-commerce success. Here are five proven tactics to help your brand achieve higher conversion rates in 2025.

Simplify Navigation

Complex navigation leads to frustrated users and higher bounce rates. A streamlined menu with clear categories and a robust search function guides users seamlessly, reducing friction. Research shows that intuitive navigation can increase conversions by up to 18.5%. Many e-commerce brands create a navigation menu once and forget to revisit it as their brand (and product range) expand. Make 2025 the year to revisit and rebuild your navigation with a fresh perspective, viewing your website through the eyes of your customers. Also, prioritise mobile optimisation as it remains the single most important factor in delivering a seamless shopping experience.

Optimise Product Pages

Product pages are your virtual storefronts and play a critical role in conversions. High-quality images and videos can boost engagement significantly, with product videos increasing conversion rates by 73%. Clear, benefit-driven descriptions and visually distinct calls-to-action (CTAs) like "Add to Cart" ensure a smooth path to purchase. Regularly updating these elements keeps your product pages aligned with customer expectations and drives consistent results. Don't fall into the trap of using a one-size-fits-all product template too. You should spend the time customising product templates for specific product categories so that the information is product-specific and relevant throughout your website.

Leverage Social Proof

Consumers trust other consumers. Displaying customer reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content reassures shoppers and builds trust. According to recent studies, products with reviews have a 270% higher purchase likelihood.

Utilise A/B Testing

Optimisation is a continuous process and unfortunately you can't read your customers minds. This is why continuous A/B testing is so important as it provides trustable data that gives insights on how your customers shop.Testing elements like headlines, CTAs, and images helps identify what resonates most with your audience. Platforms like VWO make this process seamless and a free for up to 50K/mo users.

Improve Site Search Functionality

Similarly to navigation, a robust search feature is essential for enhancing the customer experience and boosting conversions. Studies show that visitors who use site search are 2-3 times more likely to convert than those who don’t. Ensure your site search is intuitive, offers auto-suggestions, and accounts for misspellings. Implementing filters and categories within the search results can further refine the shopping experience and help customers find what they’re looking for quickly and efficiently.