A Simple CRO Checklist for Landing Pages

Before running complex A/B tests, fix the basics. Most landing pages lose conversions on clarity and friction, not on fancy design.

Here is the five-point checklist I run through every landing page before recommending a single creative change.

Why This Order Matters

Most people approach CRO backwards. They test new headlines, new colors, new button styles — while the page still has a broken mobile layout or a confusing offer.

The checklist follows a specific order, from biggest impact to smallest. Fix the first item before moving to the second.

1. Headline Match

The most common reason a landing page fails: the ad promises X, but the page talks about Y.

When a user clicks an ad that says "50% off running shoes," the landing page headline should not say "Welcome to Our Store." It should say "50% Off Running Shoes — Limited Time."

Match the ad's headline, offer, and primary visual as closely as possible. The user should feel like they landed exactly where they expected.

2. One Primary CTA

Every landing page should have one primary action, visible above the fold.

Common mistake: multiple buttons competing for attention. "Buy Now" and "Learn More" and "Contact Us" all on the same screen.

The user gets confused. Confusion kills conversion.

The fix: pick the one action that matters most. Make it visually dominant. Secondary actions can exist but should be visually quieter.

3. Proof Near the CTA

Before someone clicks "Buy" or "Book a Call," they need a reason to trust you.

Put proof close to the CTA — not buried at the bottom of the page:

• Star ratings and review counts
• Client logos
• Numbers ("500+ orders this month")
• Short testimonial quotes

If you do not have proof yet, use concrete details: "Free returns within 30 days," "Secure checkout," "Response within 24 hours."

4. Form Friction

Every field you add to a form reduces completions. Ask only for what you need right now.

For a lead form, you usually only need:

• Name
• Email
• One piece of qualifying info (budget range, use case, etc.)

Things people often add that hurt conversion:

• Phone number (unless you actually call)
• Company name (unless B2B)
• Job title
• Address
• Date of birth

Each of these can be asked later — after the first step is complete.

5. Mobile Speed

Most paid traffic is mobile. If your page takes more than 3 seconds to load on a mid-range phone with 4G, you are losing conversions before the user even sees the page.

Quick wins:

• Compress images (WebP format, under 100KB each)
• Remove unused fonts and scripts
• Use a CDN (Cloudflare Pages is free)
• Lazy-load below-the-fold images
• Avoid layout shifts (set explicit width/height on images)

Test with Google PageSpeed Insights and Chrome's Lighthouse. Aim for a score above 85 on mobile.

How to Diagnose Issues Fast

Before running A/B tests, watch real users:

1. Install Microsoft Clarity (free) or Hotjar
2. Record sessions for 1-2 weeks
3. Watch the recordings — see where people hesitate, scroll back, or click the wrong thing
4. Look at heatmaps — where are people clicking that is not a link?
5. Fix the top 3 drop-off points before testing new creatives

Real user behavior shows you what to fix faster than any A/B test can.

What to Test First

Once the checklist is passed, test in this order:

1. Offer clarity — Is the value proposition obvious in 3 seconds?
2. Headline — Same message, different angle
3. Hero image — Product shot vs. lifestyle
4. CTA copy — "Buy Now" vs. "Get Yours" vs. "Start Free"
5. Proof placement — Above the fold vs. near CTA

Do not test colors or button shapes until the fundamentals are solid.

The Real Lesson

CRO is not about finding magic buttons. It is about removing friction and making the value obvious.

Fix the checklist first. Then test. Then scale what works.