New trends for conversion rate optimization in 2025

Nowadays, it's easy to create a website.

There are a multitude of tools, CMSs and other technologies that enable you to build a website in just a few hours. The government figures bear witness to this: there are over 10,000 e-commerce sites in France every year.

Sources: Fevad, Statista.com

However, selling online is extremely complicated. Historically, the growth of online businesses depended exclusively on paid traffic acquisition campaigns. Sites paid for advertising to bring visitors to their site in the hope that they would buy. This was despite low conversion rates of around 2%. But acquisition costs have tripled over the past five years, leaving little return on investment in simply increasing acquisition budgets. In a world where online commerce has been in constant decline since the post-covid era, this threatens the survival of many companies. The new key is conversion .

Yet conversion rate optimization (CRO) is extremely complex. It requires complex tools to analyze visitor behavior, AB test our hypotheses directly on the site, and personalize the user experience. But today, tools alone are not enough. We also need to add people with very different skills: data analysis, UX, copywriting, web development. And all this for highly controversial results: only 20% of the optimizations tested actually have a positive impact. That's why almost no online business manages to do it: less than 1% of sites tell us they do CRO.

Webyn was created to solve these problems, and give CRO a new direction: more effective, more concrete and more profitable for sites. In this article, I present my vision of CRO over the next few years.

What is conversion rate optimization? A brief overview

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the practice of improving the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, whether it's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or filling in a contact form. Simply put, conversion rate optimization is about extracting more value from the traffic you already have, rather than focusing solely on attracting new visitors.

Historically, conversion rate optimization has been seen as a process of fine-tuning a website's UI/UX and content to encourage users to take immediate action. This may involve optimizing page speed, simplifying the checkout process or improving call-to-action (CTA) buttons to reduce friction and make it as easy as possible for users to convert.

But visitor behavior is changing, and that's no longer enough.

The importance of behavioral data for effective CRO

The key to executing an anti-conversion journey, or any effective CRO strategy in 2025, is to have a deep understanding of visitor behavior. CRO can no longer rely solely on A/B testing or simple analytics. Instead, companies need to invest in tools that provide rich, actionable behavioral information, such as Webyn offers.

Behavioral tracking goes beyond superficial measures such as page views or clicks. It helps companies understand :

Analysis of visitor behavior using heatmaps revealed that many Saveurs et Vie customers spend a significant amount of time reading service details rather than ordering online from the first CTA. Thanks to this information, we were able to modify the CTA's wording to give more information and set up reassurance elements around it: +91% entry into the sales tunnel.

Another example concerns the analysis of purchase paths according to traffic sources and device types. We found that mobile users of FranceToner took twice as long to reach product pages as desktop users, and that those using the search bar had a higher purchase rate. By optimizing the mobile experience through easier access to the search bar, we increased additions to basket by 23%.

The rise of the “anti-conversion” pathway

Modern consumer behavior is complex. Today's buyers no longer follow simple, linear paths from discovery to purchase. Instead, they interact with brands across multiple channels and touchpoints before making a decision. They compare prices, read reviews, browse your competitors' websites and look for social proof on social networks before they're ready to commit.

For example, many consumers hear about a product from a colleague over coffee, check it out on their phone during their lunch break, discuss it with their spouse at dinner, and finally finalize the purchase on the family computer over the weekend.

For businesses, this means that interactions with customers are often spread over a much longer period, and that it's increasingly unrealistic to expect a conversion on the first visit. Consumers are more informed and cautious, and want to be sure they're making the right choice before they hit the “pay” button.

As a result, companies need to abandon the traditional “conversion first” mindset and adopt a more holistic view of the customer experience. In some cases, it may even be necessary to slow down the journey by providing additional information or guarantees to build trust.

An example of this phenomenon occurred when a famous online furniture retailer tried to remove the “Add to Cart” button from its product pages (in a specific path). Instead of encouraging users to make the purchase directly, the site encouraged them to explore more product information, read reviews and watch videos about the brand's expertise. Surprisingly, long-term sales rose sharply, as customers felt more confident in their decision.

Here are a few examples of anti-conversion journeys:

By allowing customers to take their time and gather all the information they need, companies can create a more positive experience that leads to stronger, more loyal relationships. In the long term, this strategy will result in higher lifetime value, greater customer loyalty and, ultimately, more conversions.

Personalization: the final boost

Personalization plays an even more important role in conversion rate optimization. Gone are the days when static landing pages or generic offers could generate consistent results. The future of conversion rate optimization now lies in the delivery of dynamic and highly personalized content that adapts to the needs and behaviors of each visitor.

Here are a few examples of this personalized approach :

However, creating segments and customizations can be extremely complex. Using AI-based tools like Webyn, our customers can track and analyze visitor data, but the complex part of segmentation is done automatically by our engine to understand visitor intent to deliver personalized experiences that increase the likelihood of future conversions. The more relevant and personalized your content, the better your chances of converting a visitor, not only now, but also in the future.

With Webyn, we were able to achieve a 9% increase in add to cart by automatically personalizing the first image on product sheets for Léo et Violette according to traffic source. For example, visitors from Google Shopping prefer to see nude products on a white background, while those from social networks prefer products worn by models. This approach to visual personalization has enabled us to better meet the expectations of each segment and improve user engagement.

Conclusion

The future of conversion rate optimization lies in shifting from a focus on immediate conversions to a more holistic understanding of the customer journey. Companies must learn to balance their desire to make quick sales with the need to build trust and foster long-term relationships. This means adopting anti-conversion strategies, investing in behavioral data analysis and personalization, and going beyond traditional success indicators.

Conversion rate optimization is no longer just about getting users to click on big, flashing “buy now” CTAs. It's about creating meaningful, personalized experiences that engender loyalty and trust.