CRO ≠ Persuading your visitors to buy

I read an article today about persuading your visitors to buy.

Not all of your website visitors want or need to buy anything [today].  Just like when you go fishing, not every catch is a keeper, not all of your visitors are qualified buyers ready to buy.

It is a common misconception that conversion optimization is about persuading (forcing) people to buy, especially if they weren't looking or ready to make a purchase.

It is true many of the psychological techniques used for CRO can be used toward a nefarious end.  BUT those conversions are not "optimal".  When customers find out they have been tricked into buying, they are not happy people. 

White hat CRO focuses on clear communication, letting your potential customers know they are in the right place and redirecting visitors who aren't quite ready.  

During the purchasing process, CRO doesn't force or trick people into finalizing their purchase.  Conversion optimization merely removes all of the obstacles in making the decision to complete the process.

Next time, we'll look at what some of those obstacles are.