Why Most Businesses Are Doing CRO All Wrong | How I Get It Right at The AJ Center

My name is Andrew Juma, and I am the CEO of The AJ Center, a premier digital marketing agency in New York. Many years ago, I started as a content writer and SEO specialist, and now, I am an agency owner. We do multimedia content, PR, SEO, PPC and social media. Most businesses think they know how to optimize conversions. They tweak a button color, run A/B tests, and call it CRO. But the truth is, they’re doing it all wrong.

I’ve spent over a decade optimizing conversion rates for brands across multiple industries. At The AJ Center, I’ve seen businesses waste thousands of dollars on CRO strategies that don’t work. I’ve also helped companies turn struggling landing pages into high-converting machines.

So why do so many businesses fail at CRO? Because they focus on the wrong things. Let me show you how I get it right.

The Wrong Approach to CRO

The biggest mistake businesses make with CRO is thinking it’s all about minor design tweaks. They believe changing a CTA button from blue to green will suddenly double conversions. While small changes can help, they won’t fix a broken funnel.

Another mistake is running random A/B tests without strategy. Many companies test things without understanding why. They change headlines, layouts, and forms, hoping something will stick. But CRO isn’t about luck—it’s about data, psychology, and user behavior.

I once worked with a brand that had tested over 50 different CTA variations. Their conversion rate barely moved. The problem? They were testing the wrong things. They focused on surface-level changes instead of fixing their messaging and user experience.

The Right Way to Do CRO

When I approach CRO, I start with research. You can’t optimize what you don’t understand. I dive deep into user data, heatmaps, and behavior analytics. The goal is to see where users drop off and why they aren’t converting.

One of my biggest wins came from analyzing an e-commerce brand’s checkout process. They thought their low conversion rate was due to pricing. After running heatmaps, I found the real problem: users were abandoning the cart because of unexpected shipping costs. By displaying shipping fees earlier in the process, we increased conversions by 42% in a week.

Another key to getting CRO right is focusing on customer psychology. People don’t buy just because a page looks good. They buy when they feel understood. That’s why I optimize messaging before anything else. If your offer isn’t clear, no design change will save you.

The Power of Clear Messaging

Most businesses confuse their visitors. They overload landing pages with features, benefits, and unnecessary details. But clarity wins conversions.

One client, a SaaS company, had a homepage filled with jargon. Users couldn’t understand what the product did in the first few seconds. I rewrote their headline to focus on the core benefit, making it crystal clear. The result? A 63% increase in free trial signups.

People don’t have time to figure things out. If your messaging isn’t instantly clear, they leave. That’s why I always make sure:

• The main benefit is obvious within 5 seconds.
• There’s a strong emotional hook that speaks to the user’s pain points.
• The call-to-action is clear, urgent, and easy to find.

Fixing Broken Funnels

A website isn’t just a collection of pages—it’s a journey. Every step should guide users closer to conversion. But many businesses have broken funnels with too much friction.

One of my clients, a fitness brand, had a landing page that got a lot of traffic but few conversions. I ran session recordings to see what was happening. Users were scrolling but not clicking. The problem? The CTA button was buried at the bottom.

I moved the button higher, added trust signals (like testimonials), and simplified the copy. That single change increased sign-ups by 78%. Sometimes, CRO is about removing obstacles, not adding more elements.

Why Trust Signals Matter

People don’t buy from websites. They buy from brands they trust. If visitors aren’t converting, they likely don’t trust you yet. That’s why I always add:

• Social proof – Real testimonials with names and photos.
• Urgency – Time-sensitive offers or limited stock notices.
• Guarantees – Risk-free guarantees that remove hesitation.

I worked with a luxury watch brand that struggled with online sales. Their audience was skeptical about buying expensive watches online. We added a “100% Authenticity Guarantee” badge and customer testimonials directly on the product pages. Sales jumped by 51% in two weeks.

Speed and Mobile Optimization

Slow sites kill conversions. Every extra second of load time can drop conversion rates by 20%. I’ve seen too many businesses ignore this.

One of my clients, an online furniture store, had a stunning website—but it took 7 seconds to load. Their bounce rate was over 70%. I optimized their images, cleaned up unnecessary scripts, and improved their mobile experience. Within a month, their conversion rate doubled.

Today, mobile users dominate the internet. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing customers. That’s why I always:

• Test every page on mobile before launching changes.
• Make sure forms are easy to fill out on a phone.
• Reduce pop-ups that annoy mobile users.

The Results Speak for Themselves

One of my favorite case studies was with an online course creator. They were making $5,000 a month but wanted more. After implementing my CRO strategies, we took them to $40,000/month in 90 days. How? By fixing their landing page messaging, improving trust signals, and streamlining the checkout process.

That’s the power of CRO when done right. It’s not about random tests. It’s about understanding users, fixing friction points, and making conversions effortless.

Conclusion

Most businesses fail at CRO because they focus on the wrong things. They waste time testing colors when their messaging is broken. They ignore friction in their funnels. They forget that trust is everything.

I get it right by focusing on data, psychology, and user experience. My approach has helped brands across industries increase conversions, grow revenue, and scale faster.

If your business isn’t converting like it should, don’t waste time guessing. Fix the real problems. And if you need expert help, I’m here.