CRO checklist: the full conversion rate optimization checklist

The full CRO checklist

Each line below is written so that "yes" is the good answer. Where a check needs a tool, the tool is named in the line. Where Convertica has seen a check matter in a published test, the section links to the case study. For most sections, the CRO blog has a longer guide.

1. Measurement and tracking

Check these first. If the numbers are wrong, every later finding points the wrong way.

• Each page type has one named primary conversion (order, lead, signup or merchant click)
• Conversions in analytics match real orders or leads for the same dates, within a small margin
• Key steps are tracked as events: add to cart, start checkout, form start, form submit
• Revenue is recorded with each order, so revenue per visitor can be calculated
• Test orders, staff visits and bots are filtered out of reports
• Cross-domain journeys (for example a separate checkout or booking domain) are tracked as one visit
• Consent settings are known, so you know which share of visitors analytics cannot see
• Thank-you or confirmation pages cannot be reached without converting
• Someone owns the tracking and checks it after every site release

2. Research

A checklist finds common problems; research shows which ones cost you most.

• You know the conversion rate of each key page, split by device and traffic source
• You know the funnel step with the biggest drop-off
• Heatmaps and scroll maps exist for your busiest pages
• You have watched recordings of visitors who left at the weakest step
• An on-page poll or exit survey asks what stopped people
• A post-purchase or post-signup survey asks what nearly stopped people
• Support emails, chat logs and reviews have been read for repeated pre-sale questions
• At least a few real customers or target users have tried the main task while thinking aloud

3. Sitewide: navigation and clarity

• Every page says what it is about in its main heading
• Navigation labels use your customers' words, not internal names
• The main navigation has few enough items to scan at a glance
• Site search exists if you have many products or articles, and returns useful results for common misspellings
• Contact details, delivery and returns information are one click away from any page
• Pop-ups do not appear before visitors have had a chance to read the page
• Links look like links, and things that look clickable are clickable
• Error and empty states (no search results, out of stock, 404) offer a next step
• The look and wording are consistent from page to page

4. Homepage

• The first screen says what you offer, who it is for and what to do next
• The headline is specific: it could not be pasted onto a competitor's site
• Each main audience or product line has a visible path
• One primary call to action stands out from the rest
• Proof (reviews, client names, ratings, guarantees) is visible without much scrolling
• Rotating sliders are not hiding important messages behind slides people never see
• The homepage loads quickly, including its main image
• Returning visitors can get straight to what they came for (search, account, cart)

5. Landing pages

More on each of these in the guide to landing page optimization.

• The headline matches the ad, email or search result that brought the visitor
• The page is built for one audience and one offer
• There is one primary call to action, repeated down long pages
• The button says what happens next ("Get my quote", not "Submit")
• Benefits come before features, and both are specific
• The main objections are answered on the page (price, time, risk, fit)
• Proof sits near the call to action, not only at the bottom
• Navigation and outbound links that pull people away are removed or reduced
• Images or video show the product or result, not generic stock photos
• The offer, price and any deadline are the same as in the ad
• The page has been checked on the device most of its traffic uses

6. Ecommerce CRO checklist: category and product pages

• Category pages have filters that match how shoppers choose (size, price, use, brand)
• Product cards show the price, key options and stock status
• Sorting includes the options shoppers expect, such as price and best selling
• Product titles say what the product is in plain words
• Images are large and sharp, show the product from several angles and in use, and can be zoomed
• Price, stock and delivery date are visible near the add to cart button
• Size guides, fit notes or compatibility information are next to the options
• Variant selectors (size, color) are easy to use and show which options are unavailable
• The add to cart button is the most prominent element and stays reachable on mobile
• Shipping costs and the free shipping threshold, if any, are stated on the product page
• Returns terms are summarized near the button, with a link to the full policy
• Reviews show the rating, the number of reviews and real text, including some critical ones
• Out-of-stock products offer an alternative or a back-in-stock alert

To review a whole store, page by page from collection to checkout, follow the ecommerce CRO audit guide.

7. Cart and checkout

More in the guides to shopping cart optimization and checkout optimization.

• The cart shows the total cost, including shipping and taxes or an estimate, before checkout
• Items can be edited or removed in the cart without starting over
• The checkout button is clear and visible without scrolling on mobile
• Guest checkout is available, with an optional account after the order
• Checkout asks only for the fields needed to deliver and bill the order
• Address lookup or autofill works and does not fight the browser's autofill
• Accepted payment methods are shown before the payment step, including any express wallets
• Every step shows where the shopper is and how many steps remain
• Error messages say which field is wrong and how to fix it, and keep what was typed
• Security and returns reassurance sits near the payment fields
• Discount code fields do not send shoppers off hunting for codes
• No new costs appear at the final step
• The confirmation page and email confirm what happens next and when

8. Forms and lead generation

More in the guides to reducing form abandonment and multi-step forms. In Convertica's Empire Flippers case study, rebuilding a valuation tool's submission process as a step-by-step flow lifted valuation tool submissions by 51.6% in 47 days.

• Every field is needed now; anything else is asked later or not at all
• Long forms start with easy questions and are split into steps with a progress indicator
• Each field has a visible label, not only placeholder text
• Phone number is optional unless you really call every lead
• The form says why sensitive fields are needed and how the data is used
• Validation is inline and friendly, and does not clear fields on error
• The submit button says what the visitor gets
• The page says what happens after submitting and how soon
• Form analytics shows which fields people abandon or correct
• Leads are delivered and answered quickly; test it yourself

9. SaaS: pricing and signup

• The pricing page has few enough plans to compare at a glance
• Differences between plans are stated in outcomes, not only feature names
• One plan is recommended for most buyers
• The total cost is clear, including billing period, taxes and any per-seat charges
• Billing, cancellation and data questions are answered beside the plans
• The trial or signup asks for as little as possible up front
• The signup page repeats what the visitor gets and what happens next
• The first session after signup leads to a quick, visible result
• Demo or contact options exist for buyers who need to talk to someone

10. Affiliate and review sites

These checks come from Convertica's early work with affiliate sites, where the comparison table and the top pick decide most of the clicks.

• The comparison table shows the features buyers actually compare, not every specification
• Each row in the table has a clear call to action to the merchant
• The table is not crowded: few enough columns to read on a phone
• The number one pick is explained: why it wins, and who should choose something else
• The products recommended are ones buyers want and merchants convert
• The comparison table sits where readers expect it, near the top for "best" searches
• Pros and cons are listed honestly for each product, including real drawbacks
• Product images are sharp and show the product clearly
• Pop-ups and display ads have been tested against no pop-ups and no ads
• Full-width and sidebar layouts have been tested against each other on key pages

11. Trust and social proof

More in the guide to trust badges.

• Reviews and ratings are real, recent and shown near the decision
• Testimonials name the person and, where possible, the company
• Guarantees and returns terms are stated in plain words
• Contact details and a real address or company name are easy to find
• Security and payment badges appear where payment happens, not everywhere
• Any scarcity or urgency message is true (real stock, real deadlines)
• Prices, fees and renewal terms are never hidden
• Claims and numbers on the page are specific and sourced

12. Mobile

More in the guide to mobile conversion optimization.

• Conversion rate on mobile has been compared with desktop on the same traffic source
• Key pages have been used on a real phone on mobile data, not only in a desktop browser
• Tap targets are large enough to hit with a thumb, with space between them
• The main button is within thumb reach or stays on screen
• Text is readable without zooming
• No pop-up or banner covers most of the screen
• Forms use the right keyboard for each field (number pad for phone numbers, email keyboard for email)
• Express payment options are offered where available
• Nothing scrolls sideways

13. Speed and technical

• Key pages pass Core Web Vitals in PageSpeed Insights, or you know which metric fails
• The largest image above the fold is compressed and sized for the screen
• The layout does not jump while the page loads
• Third-party scripts (chat, tracking, widgets) have been reviewed, and unused ones removed
• The site works in the main browsers your visitors use
• There are no broken links, missing images or console errors on key pages
• Forms and checkout have been completed end to end after the latest release
• Uptime is monitored, so you know when the site is down

14. Accessibility

• Text and buttons have enough color contrast to read easily
• Every image that carries meaning has alt text
• The whole funnel can be completed with a keyboard alone
• Focus is visible on every link, button and field
• Form errors are announced and described in text, not only shown in red
• Headings follow a logical order, so screen reader users can scan the page
• Nothing important depends on color, hover or a time limit alone

15. AI agent readiness

AI search and some AI assistants read your page's HTML rather than the design. This is a new area, and nobody has long-run data on it yet, so treat these as checks to measure, not guarantees.

• Product names, prices, stock and shipping terms are in the page HTML, not only drawn by scripts
• Key facts are written as text, not locked inside images
• Structured data (for example Product, Offer and Organization) is present and matches the page
• Return, shipping and guarantee policies are on readable pages an agent can quote
• The AI crawlers you want are allowed in your robots file and firewall
• Page titles and headings describe the content plainly
• Checkout and lead forms can be completed without steps that need a mouse, such as drag gestures
• You know how your brand and products are described in AI search answers

16. Testing and follow-through

Plan tests with the A/B test sample size calculator and read them with the statistical significance calculator. The complete A/B testing guide covers the method.

• Each finding is written as a hypothesis: change, expected effect, reason, metric
• Findings are scored on impact, confidence and ease before work starts
• Clear breakages are fixed without waiting for a test
• Each test has a sample size and run time decided before it starts
• Tests run for full weeks, to cover weekday and weekend behavior
• Tests are judged on the metric chosen in advance, ideally orders or revenue per visitor
• Results are checked by device and traffic source before rollout
• Winners are built properly into the site, not left running in the testing tool
• Every test, including losers, is recorded with what was learned
• The checklist is run again after a redesign, a platform move or an unexplained drop

How to use it as a CRO audit checklist

To use this as a CRO audit checklist, run it across your existing key pages rather than one new page, record the evidence for every "no", score each finding on impact, confidence and ease, and work from the top. The checklist finds the problems; the scores decide the order.

1. Pick the pages. Your busiest landing pages, the homepage, top product or pricing pages, and every step of the checkout or lead form.
2. Run the relevant sections on each page, on a phone first, then on desktop.
3. Record each "no" with evidence: a screenshot, an analytics number, a recording or a survey answer.
4. Score each finding from 1 to 10 on impact, confidence and ease, and average the three.
5. Fix what is broken now, test what you are unsure about, and keep a log.

The rows above are an illustrative layout, not real client data. For the full method behind the audit, including how to research where visitors leave and how to prioritize, see how to do a CRO audit. For what to change once you know the problem, see the conversion rate optimization strategies, and for the bigger picture, the conversion rate optimization guide.

CRO checklist FAQ