Guide
Conversion rate optimization (CRO): what it is and how to do it
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) explained: what it is, how to calculate conversion rate, the six-step CRO process, research methods, testing and key terms.
CRO blog
The Convertica CRO blog
Conversion rate optimization guides, checklists and case studies, written from Convertica's work with more than 2,000 clients since 2017. Method first, sources for every number, and real test results with their metric and timeframe.
About the CRO blog
The Convertica CRO blog is written for site owners and marketers who improve their own sites. It comes from Convertica's work with 2,000+ clients since 2017, and founder Kurt Philip, in SEO since the early 2000s, leads it with Convertica's CRO team. Three rules shape it:
- Method over hype. Steps to follow, checklists to print and examples to copy.
- Every number has a source. Statistics only from primary research we have opened, with the year; case study figures with their metric, timeframe and source.
- People and AI agents. Where it matters, guides cover what an AI agent can read on your page as well as what a person sees.
The monthly CRO round-ups Convertica used to publish are retired, and their links now land here. The guides below replace them and are kept up to date instead.
New to CRO
Start here
The core conversion rate optimization guides, in the order most people need them.
Guide
Conversion rate optimization strategies: 16 to test, and how to choose
16 conversion rate optimization strategies, grouped by the problem they solve, plus how to build a CRO strategy, ideas by page type and real test results.
Guide
CRO checklist: the full conversion rate optimization checklist
A printable CRO checklist with 150 yes or no checks across tracking, landing pages, product pages, checkout, forms, SaaS, mobile, speed and AI agent readiness.
Guide
A/B testing guide: how to plan, run and read a test
A/B testing guide: what A/B testing is, how to run a test in eight steps, how to read the results, the mistakes to avoid and how to build a testing framework.
Guide
Landing page optimization: more conversions from the traffic you already pay for
Landing page optimization explained: the 10 steps to optimize a landing page, best practices, why a page is not converting, and how to test changes.
Guide
Conversion rate optimization statistics: 37 figures, each traced to the original research
37 conversion rate optimization statistics on checkout, page speed, landing pages, A/B testing and reviews, each linked to the original study with its year.
Browse by topic
All guides and case studies
Every guide, knowledge page and case study on the site, grouped by topic. New pages appear here as they are published.
CRO fundamentals
What conversion rate optimization is, how the process works, and where to start.
CRO checklist: the full conversion rate optimization checklist
A printable CRO checklist with 150 yes or no checks across tracking, landing pages, product pages, checkout, forms, SaaS, mobile, speed and AI agent readiness.
Conversion rate optimization books
The best conversion rate optimization books by topic: CRO process, A/B testing, analytics, usability and persuasion, with checked authors and where to start.
More in this topic
- Conversion rate optimization (CRO): what it is and how to do it
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) explained: what it is, how to calculate conversion rate, the six-step CRO process, research methods, testing and key terms.
- Conversion rate optimization strategies: 16 to test, and how to choose
16 conversion rate optimization strategies, grouped by the problem they solve, plus how to build a CRO strategy, ideas by page type and real test results.
- Conversion rate optimization statistics: 37 figures, each traced to the original research
37 conversion rate optimization statistics on checkout, page speed, landing pages, A/B testing and reviews, each linked to the original study with its year.
- How to increase website conversion rate: a 12-step process
How to increase website conversion rate in 12 steps: fix tracking, find leaking pages, clarify the offer, cut friction and test. Plus engagement and sales.
- Conversion rate optimization tools
Conversion rate optimization tools by job: analytics, heatmaps, A/B testing, surveys, user testing, forms, speed and landing pages, and how to build a stack.
- SEO vs CRO: which comes first, and how CRO and SEO work together
SEO vs CRO explained: what each does, when to prioritize which, how SEO conversion optimization works, and how to A/B test without hurting rankings.
- Micro conversions: what they are and how to use them
What micro conversions are, how they differ from macro conversions, examples by type of site, how to track them in GA4 and calculate a micro conversion rate.
A/B testing and research
How to plan, run and read tests, and the research tools that tell you what to test.
Heatmap tools for websites
Heatmap tools compared: Microsoft Clarity, Hotjar, Crazy Egg, Mouseflow and more, by heatmap types and free plans, plus how to read a website heatmap.
More in this topic
- A/B testing guide: how to plan, run and read a test
A/B testing guide: what A/B testing is, how to run a test in eight steps, how to read the results, the mistakes to avoid and how to build a testing framework.
- A/B testing examples
A/B testing examples with real results: Convertica case studies, two famous published tests, landing page test ideas and hypotheses you can copy.
- How long to run an A/B test
How long to run an A/B test: calculate the sample size, divide by daily traffic, round up to whole weeks. Worked example, duration table and when to stop.
- A/B testing tools
A/B testing tools compared from vendor sites: web testing and product platforms, free and open source options, statistics, what replaced Google Optimize, and how to choose.
- Optimizely alternatives
Optimizely alternatives and competitors for web testing and product experimentation, compared feature by feature from each vendor's own site, plus free options and how to switch.
Landing pages, copy and design
Pages that make the next step obvious: structure, copy, calls to action and pricing pages.
Conversion focused web design: 9 principles for websites that turn visitors into customers
Conversion focused web design: 9 principles, page layouts that convert, how to redesign without losing sales, and a checklist for people and AI agents.
Call to action buttons: how to write, design and place the button that gets clicked
Call to action buttons that get clicked: what to write, which color to use, where to place them, plus CTA phrases, examples and a test plan from Convertica.
Pricing page design: how to build pricing pages that convert
Pricing page design that converts: how many plans, plan order, a recommended plan, comparison tables, price display, trust and what to test, with a checklist.
How to reduce cognitive load on your website
Cognitive load is the mental effort a page asks of visitors. What it is, why it costs conversions, and 10 ways to reduce cognitive load, with a checklist.
More in this topic
- Landing page optimization: more conversions from the traffic you already pay for
Landing page optimization explained: the 10 steps to optimize a landing page, best practices, why a page is not converting, and how to test changes.
- Anatomy of a landing page: the 12 parts of a high-converting page
The anatomy of a landing page, part by part: headline, offer, proof, call to action, form and the details AI agents read, with a checklist.
- Conversion copywriting: how to write copy that converts, starting with research
Conversion copywriting explained: the research-first process, voice of customer methods, awareness stages, formulas, before and after rewrites and testing copy.
- How to increase click through rate in search, ads, email and on your own pages
How to increase click through rate in Google search, paid ads, email and on your own pages: the levers that move CTR, a Search Console method and a test plan.
eCommerce: checkout, cart and trust
Where online stores lose buyers between the product page and the order confirmation.
Trust badges: types, placement and how to build trust online
Trust badges explained: the main types, which to use, where to place them, how to add them on Shopify and WordPress, and how to build trust online.
Ecommerce navigation best practices: menus, search and mobile
Ecommerce navigation best practices: categories, labels, menus, filters, search, breadcrumbs, mobile, SEO and AI agents, with a checklist.
Ecommerce homepage best practices: a UX guide that converts
Ecommerce homepage best practices for UX and conversions: what the page is for, what goes in the header, hero, body and footer, mobile, agents and testing.
More in this topic
- Checkout optimization: get more shoppers from cart to confirmed order
Checkout optimization guide: why shoppers leave checkout, 12 ecommerce checkout best practices, how to measure checkout performance and how to test changes.
- Shopping cart optimization: turn more carts into orders
Shopping cart optimization: what a cart page needs, 10 ways to raise cart conversion rate, how to measure the cart and win back abandoned carts.
- Cart abandonment rate: how to measure it and bring it down
What cart abandonment rate is, the formula with a worked example, what the published average really measures, how to track it in GA4, and how to lower it.
- Mobile conversion optimization: how to make phones convert
Mobile conversion optimization in 12 steps: measure your mobile gap in GA4, design for thumbs, put what matters first, cut typing, speed up and test.
- How to increase Shopify conversion rate: a 12-step guide
How to increase Shopify conversion rate: how Shopify measures it, how to find the leaking step, and 12 fixes for product pages, cart and checkout.
- Shopify store checklist: 10 essential things to add to your store
A Shopify store checklist for conversions: the 10 essential things to add to your store, where each lives in Shopify, and what to test before and after launch.
Forms and lead generation
Fewer abandoned forms and more qualified leads.
Form abandonment: why people quit your forms, and how to reduce it
Form abandonment explained: why people quit forms, how to measure form abandonment rate, 10 fixes, and how to build lead generation forms that convert.
Multi-step forms: when they convert better, and how to build one
Multi-step forms vs single-step forms: when splitting a form into steps lifts conversions, how to build one, examples by use case and an Empire Flippers result.
More in this topic
- Login form design: 15 best practices for sign-in and sign-up forms
Login form design best practices: labels, autocomplete, NIST password rules, errors, recovery, passkeys, CAPTCHA alternatives, sign-up forms and a checklist.
Metrics, funnels and analytics
The numbers behind conversion work, and how to read them.
Google Analytics conversion rate: how to find and track it in GA4
Google Analytics conversion rate in GA4: key events, session and user key event rate, where to find it by channel and page, and ecommerce conversion rate.
More in this topic
- Conversion funnel optimization: how to find and fix the leaks
Conversion funnel optimization in seven steps: map the stages, measure each one in GA4, find the biggest leak, learn why people leave, then fix or test it.
- Ecommerce metrics: what to track, how to calculate it, and what it tells you
The ecommerce metrics worth tracking, with formulas and where to find them: traffic, funnel steps, conversion, average order value and revenue per visitor.
- Average bounce rate: why your own is the only one that counts
Why published average bounce rate figures mislead, how GA4 defines bounce rate, and how to find and read your own average bounce rate, page by page.
- CRM best practices: principles, strategy and setup that convert
CRM best practices: the principles of customer relationship management, a six-step CRM strategy, 12 setup and data habits, and how CRM connects to conversion.
Persuasion and psychology
The behavioral principles behind many tests, with the evidence and the limits. Start with the scarcity marketing guide, the hub for this topic.
Scarcity marketing examples: how 10 well-known brands use scarcity
10 scarcity marketing examples from Gmail, Amazon, Nike, Starbucks, LEGO and more: the scarcity tactic each one uses, why it works, and how to copy it honestly.
The foot-in-the-door technique: how a small yes leads to a bigger one
The foot-in-the-door technique gets a bigger yes by asking a small one first. The 1966 experiment, why it works, online examples and ethical use.
The familiarity effect: why people buy what they have seen before
The familiarity effect (mere exposure effect) makes people prefer what they have seen before. What the research shows, its limits, and 7 honest ways to use it.
Perceived value: what customers think they get, and how to raise it
Perceived value is what customers believe they get for what they give. The theory, real examples and 9 ways to raise perceived value on your website.
More in this topic
- Scarcity marketing: how the scarcity principle works, and how to use it honestly
Scarcity marketing uses real limits on time, quantity or access to prompt action. The scarcity principle, research, urgency messaging and the ethical line.
- The 7 principles of persuasion, and how to use them on a website
The 7 principles of persuasion (reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, scarcity, unity), the research and website examples.
- Psychological pricing: 9 strategies and the research behind them
Psychological pricing uses how people perceive prices: charm pricing, anchors, decoys and tiers. 9 strategies, the research behind each, and the legal line.
AI search and AI agents
How AI shopping agents and AI search read your site, and what to change so they can use it.
- Agentic commerce: what it is and what to change on your site
Agentic commerce explained for site owners: how AI agents shop, the ACP, UCP and AP2 protocols, and what to change on your site so agents can read it and buy.
- AI agent readiness checklist for your website
An AI agent readiness checklist for site owners: access, readable facts, structured data, usable checkout and measurement, with free ways to test your own site.
- AI conversion rate optimization: what AI can and cannot do for CRO
AI conversion rate optimization explained by a CRO consultant: where AI helps research, ideas and testing, where it misleads, and a safe way to use it.
- llms.txt: what it is, how to write one, and whether you need it
llms.txt explained: what the file is, the format, a real example, how to create one step by step, and what Google, Lighthouse and AI tools actually do with it.
- AI shopping assistant: when to add one to your store, and how to test it
AI shopping assistant guide for store owners: when to add one, the risks, how to test it with a holdout group, and how outside AI assistants pick products.
- AI ecommerce personalization: what works, what to skip and how to test it
AI ecommerce personalization for store owners: what to personalize, when it does not pay off, how to prove it with a holdout test, and what AI agents see.
- AI A/B testing: what AI can and cannot do for your tests
AI A/B testing explained for site owners: where AI helps (ideas, variants, analysis), where it cannot replace traffic or judgment, and a 7-step workflow.
- AI search engine optimization: how to optimize for AI search
AI search engine optimization explained: what you control on your own site, how to optimize for AI search in 8 steps, what to ignore, and how to measure it.
Case studies
Real Convertica tests, each with its metric and source, and its timeframe where the original write-up published one.
10Beasts case study: comparison table tests and 66.3% more ad fees on the winning pages
10Beasts case study: Amazon affiliate comparison table split tests and a pivot. Ad fees on the winning pages rose 66.3%, 20 March to 18 April.
Sticky CTA case study: 252.9% more mobile order completions in a 20-day test
Sticky CTA case study: a bottom-of-screen call-to-action bar lifted the mobile rate of order completion 252.9% in a 20-day test at 98% confidence.
Free shipping threshold case study: showing shoppers how close they are to free shipping
Free shipping threshold case study: a product page message showing how close the cart is to free shipping lifted desktop revenue per visitor 175.4%.
Variant selector case study: a redesign that lifted conversion rate 144.8% in three weeks
Variant selector case study: labeled option panels and image swatches lifted a furniture store's conversion rate 144.8% in a three-week A/B test.
Mobile pricing table case study: a slider that raised mobile revenue per visitor 36%
Mobile pricing table case study: a swipeable package slider raised a supplement store's mobile revenue per visitor 36% and order completion 43.9%.
SaaS CRO case study: two tests that raised free trial sign-ups
SaaS CRO case study: two tests that raised free trial sign-ups, including a slide-in blog call to action (+50.27% on desktop). Test lengths not published.
Free shipping badge case study: promoting free shipping beside the price
Free shipping badge case study: a "Free Shipping Included" badge beside the price lifted desktop revenue per visitor 60.3% and order completion 27%.
Factory to Home case study: product page FAQs that raised revenue per visitor 12.7%
Factory to Home case study: shipping, warranty and payment FAQs on the product page raised order completion 18.1% and revenue per visitor 12.7%.
Lead generation case study: a popup quote form vs a form on the page
Lead generation case study: a popup quote form beat an in-page form on a home services site, +45.08% successful bookings. Test length not published.
Affiliate case study: an extra $15,048 in monthly revenue in 34 days, with no new content or links
Affiliate case study: how heatmaps, buttons, comparison tables and split tests took a site's monthly revenue from $20,403 to $35,451 in August 2017.
Homepage trust signals case study: revenue per visitor up 57.9% on desktop in 12 days
Homepage trust signals case study: a shipping, reviews and secure checkout strip on a store's homepage lifted desktop revenue per visitor 57.9% in 12 days.
Ecommerce search bar case study: desktop order completion up 71.9%
Ecommerce search bar case study: a visible search bar on a luxury goods store's pages raised the desktop order completion rate 71.9% at 98% confidence.
Product rating case study: a rating above each button and a sticky way back to the table
Product rating case study: a rating above each call to action and a sticky button back to the comparison table, split tested on an Amazon affiliate site.
Exit popup case study: an exit popup and sticky footer on an affiliate review site
Exit popup case study: an exit popup and a sticky footer call to action on an affiliate review site lifted clicks 29.6% across 10 pages in a 3-week test.
Comparison table case study: a top 3 picks table lifted desktop sales per visitor 35.4%
Comparison table case study: an Our Top 3 Picks table replaced an At a Glance list on an Amazon affiliate site: desktop sales per visitor +35.4% in 11 weeks.
Affiliate income case study, part 2: about 50 split tests and $32,532 more monthly income in under 90 days
Affiliate income case study, part 2: about 50 split tests in three months on one affiliate site, how the wins compounded and how to read test data.
Homewares CRO case study: sending Add to Cart straight to the cart lifted conversions 26.9%
Homewares CRO case study: sending shoppers straight to the cart after Add to Cart lifted a tableware store's mobile conversion rate 47.7% in a 19-day A/B test.
Reviews section case study: moving product reviews up the page lifted orders 42.38% on mobile
Reviews section case study: moving product reviews up to just below the product lifted a bedding store's mobile orders 42.38% in a 2-week A/B test.
Policy visibility case study: cart page policies lifted desktop order completion 21.8%
Policy visibility case study: shipping and refund policy badges on a store's cart page raised the desktop order completion rate 21.8% at 97% confidence.
Assisted living website conversion optimization case study
Assisted living website conversion optimization: calls to action after each property page section lifted form submissions 42.32%. Test length not published.
Product page redesign case study: desktop order completion rate up 56%
Product page redesign case study: a cleaner page with a sticky Add to Cart and Buy Now bar raised the desktop order completion rate 56% at 98% confidence.
dScryb case study: 49.4% more paid membership sign-ups in a 17-day A/B test
dScryb case study: access-aware calls to action in a membership store's search results lifted paid membership sign-ups 49.4% in a 17-day A/B test.
Amazon affiliate split testing: why most tests fail, and the triple setup that fixes the data
Amazon affiliate split testing often gives results Amazon's sales data never confirms. Why the traffic split skews, and the triple setup that fixed it.
Empire Flippers case study: 51.6% more valuation tool submissions in 47 days
Empire Flippers case study: how Convertica rebuilt a valuation tool form as a step-by-step flow, split-URL tested it and lifted conversions 51.6% in 47 days.
JustThrive case study: revenue up 101.82% across two sequential split tests
JustThrive case study: two sequential split tests on a supplement store's product page raised revenue 101.82% cumulatively, 7 December to 24 March.
More in this topic
- CRO case studies: what changed, how it was tested, what moved
CRO case studies from Convertica: 24 client tests across lead generation, eCommerce, affiliate and membership sites, each result with its metric and source.
Free calculators
Plan and read your own tests with Convertica's free calculators, each with its formula and a worked example: the A/B test sample size calculator, the statistical significance calculator, the conversion rate calculator, and for paid media the ROAS calculator and the cost per acquisition calculator. See all free calculators.
Questions about the CRO blog
Who writes the Convertica CRO blog?
Founder Kurt Philip leads the Convertica CRO blog with Convertica's CRO team, and guides carry his byline. Kurt has worked in SEO since the early 2000s and founded Convertica in 2017. Case studies report real Convertica tests.
What does CRO mean in marketing?
In marketing, CRO means conversion rate optimization: improving a website so that a larger share of its visitors take the action that matters, such as buying, booking or signing up. It works through research and testing rather than more traffic. Outside marketing, the same letters can mean contract research organization or Chief Revenue Officer.
Where did the monthly CRO round-ups go?
Convertica no longer publishes monthly round-ups of other people's articles. The old round-up pages are retired and their links now land on this page. The guides listed here replace them, and they are updated instead of being republished.
Where should I start if I am new to conversion rate optimization?
Start with the conversion rate optimization guide, which explains what CRO is and the process step by step. Then use the CRO checklist to review your own pages, and the free CRO audit for a score out of 100 and three fixes you can make now.
Are the statistics on the Convertica blog sourced?
Yes. A number appears only when it comes from primary research that Convertica has opened, linked with its year, or from a published Convertica case study with its metric, timeframe and source. Numbers that cannot be traced to the original study are left out.
