How to Choose the Right Conversion Rate Optimization Agency

So you’ve decided to hire a conversion rate optimization agency.

That’s great! Now comes the hard part: choosing the right company to invest in.

Not sure where to start? You’ve come to the right place!

Our goal in this post is to guide you as you select from the myriad of conversion rate optimization agencies out there. We’re help to you find the right CRO agency, so you can avoid wasting money with the wrong folks.

Below you’ll find our advice on what to look for and the red flags to watch out for to ensure you’re with a company that can deliver on their promises.

What to Look for

You probably already know a few CRO agencies.

The rapid growth and expansion of the CRO industry has brought a corresponding increase in the number of firms offering conversion rate optimization services. Not all of them, however, are up to the task of doing the job well.

To make sure you pick a conversion rate optimization agency that’s worth their salt, here are the areas to examine:

1. Track record

Like any other business you’ll work with, you first need to learn about a conversion rate optimization firm’s track record. Obviously, you have to find out how long they’ve been offering web optimization services, who their existing and past clients are, and if these clients were satisfied with their performance. A reputable CRO agency should be able to refer you to a company they’ve worked with so you can verify their claims and learn about their customers’ experience.

Aside from their years in operation, you should find out the depth and breadth of the CRO agency’s experience. This is important in ascertaining their level of expertise. It also gives you an idea of their capabilities when it comes to running testing programs, conducting usability researches, designing user experiences, and a host of other activities necessary to optimizing a desktop or mobile site.

Considering that conversion rate optimization isn’t a one and done deal, you should know early on if the agency has the ability to manage both simple and complex CRO projects, so you don’t have to change to another agency when your programs scale.

2. Business fit

Once you’re satisfied with the agency’s track record, the next important question is: “Do I like them?”

To succeed in conversion rate optimization, you need to establish a good working relationship with your chosen CRO agency. So, you need to ensure that that your goals and values align.

At SiteTuners, for instance, we strive to make it clear right off the bat how much we value chemistry. We always screen potential clients to know if we can build a relationship with them or not. This way, we save each other from wasting time and effort on an engagement that’s doomed to fail from the start.

It is imperative that you learn as much as you can about the CRO agency’s framework and process. See if you agree on the workflow and resource management. At the very least, find out if the CRO firm understands what you are trying to achieve and if you approve of their approach and solution.

Remember that you’ll be working with your chosen CRO agency for a long time. It’s best that you know early on that your companies can work harmoniously together before you sign up.

3. Partners

Another way to gauge a conversion rate optimization agency’s caliber is to look at their partnerships. Most CRO agencies, particularly the established ones, have experience working with a lot of tools. In fact, they might even have strategic partnerships with other providers in the web optimization business.

This is good as it means they have access to resources and tools that could address your needs. However, you should also check if their partners are well-established and if they fit well with your strategy. Great optimization agencies are tool agnostic – they aren’t bound to specific tools despite their partnerships and are ready to use whatever is appropriate for the task.

Red Flags

Hiring the wrong CRO company is costly.

It wastes not only money but also time that should have been spent improving your conversions and generating more revenue. Be cautious when evaluating CRO firms to avoid making regrettable decisions.

Here are signs that indicate that you should steer clear of a certain agency:

1. Lack of specialty or focus in CRO

A lot of agencies claiming to be “one-stop shops” for digital marketing have also started adopting conversion rate optimization as a service. While this might sound appealing, in reality some agencies jump into the CRO bandwagon without adequate skills and knowledge to be able to help out another company.

You should be wary when an agency that has SEO written all over their name tells you they can do your CRO, too. Conversion rate optimization is too important to be treated as an “add-on.” Unless a company is large enough to have a dedicated team of optimizers who will focus on your business, chances are it’s only putting out the CRO service to hook more clients in.

2. Apathetic to your business

Another tell-tale sign that you’re talking to the wrong conversion rate optimization agency is when they start talking about doing tests without asking any questions about your business.

Testing alone does not make conversion rate optimization.

To be able to do CRO well, an agency must have a good sense of whatever your business is. They must be interested in what you do and who your target customer is. They must be familiar with your entire funnel from customer acquisition or lead generation to actual conversion. Otherwise, they won’t be able to develop the right strategy and tactics for improving usability or designing persuasive user experiences. This can only come from a thorough understanding of your products and services, your value proposition, and customer behavior.

3. No previous clients

As with any nascent industry, conversion rate optimization has its share of new companies. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – that’s just how the market works.

That said, you should watch out when an agency can’t name a single client for your reference.  Or when no one from its leadership team has a background in CRO. Check the agency for any previous work as part of an in-house CRO team for another company.

Grow Your Business with the Best Conversion Rate Optimization Agency

Conversion rate optimization is key to digital marketing success.

Getting the right firm to assist you in your CRO initiatives is crucial to the success of your endeavors. With guidance from a reputable agency, your company can build customer loyalty, unlock business growth, and improve the bottom line.

Remember our tips for weeding out the chaff from the gold CRO agencies, and you’ll never go wrong with your hiring decision.