Stop Wasting Money on Ads: Fix Your Conversion Rate First

Imagine This: You’re throwing a big party. You spend money on fancy invitations (that’s your ads), but when people show up, your house is a mess, the food is cold, and there’s no music.

What happens?

People leave right away—that’s your high bounce rate. And the few who stay aren’t having fun or telling their friends—that’s your low conversion rate.

So here’s the question: Why spend more money sending out invites when your party isn’t ready?

What is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of improving your website to turn more visitors into customers. If your conversion rate is below 3%, that’s a red flag—you’re likely losing potential customers, and no amount of ad spend can fix that until your website is optimized.

A high bounce rate (above 50%) means people are leaving your site almost immediately. This is like guests walking into your party, taking one look around, and heading straight for the door.

Why You Shouldn’t Invest in Ads Yet

If your website isn’t converting, running ads is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. You might get traffic, but it won’t stick.

Here’s why:

Wasted Budget: You’re paying for clicks that don’t result in sales.
Poor ROI: Ads won’t deliver a return if your site can’t close the deal.
Damaged Brand Reputation: A bad user experience can turn people off for good.

Before you spend more on ads, make sure your website is set up to convert.

How to Fix Your Website (and Get Ready for Ads)

Let’s go back to the party analogy. Here’s how to “fix the party” so when you start running ads, people will stay, have fun, and tell their friends.

Clean the House (Improve Your Website Design): Make sure your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and looks professional. A cluttered, slow website will send visitors running.
Get the Food Right (Optimize Your Product Pages): Clear, high-quality images, detailed product descriptions, and strong calls-to-action are essential. Make it easy for people to understand what you’re selling and why they need it.
Turn Up the Music (Make Shopping Exciting): Add engaging content—think testimonials, reviews, and dynamic visuals. Create an experience that makes visitors want to stick around and explore.
Simplify the Checkout Process: Don’t make customers jump through hoops to buy from you. A complicated checkout process is one of the top reasons people abandon their carts.
Mobile Optimization is a Must: Over half of online shopping happens on mobile. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing a huge chunk of potential customers.

Key Metrics to Track Before Running Ads

Before you launch any paid campaigns, check these metrics:

Conversion Rate: Aim for 3% or higher.
Bounce Rate: Keep it below 50%.
Average Session Duration: The longer, the better—it means people are engaging with your content.
Cart Abandonment Rate: A high rate means there’s friction in your checkout process.

Ready to Optimize?

If your website isn’t converting, don’t waste another cent on ads. Fix the party first.

Want more tips on how to improve your website’s conversion rate? Check out our full guide here.