Landing Points · The checklist we use

Conversion rate optimisation: the checklist we use

More leads from the traffic you already have. The maths that makes CRO the highest-leverage work you can do, the ten-point checklist we run, and how to test changes properly.

4916monthly AU searches, CRO
Same trafficmore leads from what you have
10point checklist we run
Testdecisions from data, not opinion

The short answer

What is conversion rate optimisation, and why does it matter so much?

Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is the practice of getting more of your existing visitors to take action, by improving the page rather than buying more traffic. It is the highest-leverage work in marketing, because a small lift in conversion multiplies every visit you already pay for. This is the ten-point checklist we run, and how to test changes so the decisions come from data, not opinion.

Key takeaways

01

CRO improves the page, not the traffic, so every gain multiplies the visits you already pay for.

02

Lifting conversion from 2 to 3 per cent is 50 per cent more leads from the same traffic. That is the maths that makes it matter.

03

Run the ten-point checklist: clarity, one action, proof, less friction, speed, mobile, trust, match, focus, follow-up.

04

Test properly. Change one thing, measure against a control, and let the data decide rather than the loudest opinion.

The leverage

Why CRO is the highest-leverage work

Same traffic, more leads. The maths is hard to argue with.

Most marketing spends to bring more people in. CRO makes more of the people already there, which is why it compounds with everything else you do.

2% to 3% is +50% leadsLift a page from a 2 per cent conversion rate to 3 per cent and you get 50 per cent more enquiries from the same traffic, at no extra ad spend. That is the leverage CRO has, and why we treat it as a first move, not an afterthought.

It also makes everything else pay off harder. A better-converting page lowers your real cost per lead from Google Ads, lifts the return on your SEO, and turns the same social and email audience into more customers. Fix the page first, and every channel improves at once.

The checklist

The ten-point CRO checklist we run

This is the checklist we run on a page, in roughly this order. Most pages lose the most leads on the first four.

Clarity

Make the offer obvious in five seconds

A visitor should know what you do, who it is for and why it is better, almost instantly. Confusion is the biggest leak.

One action

Lead with one clear call to action

Decide the single thing you want a visitor to do and make it the obvious next step. Competing buttons split attention and lose both.

Proof

Show real social proof

Reviews, results, logos and testimonials near the decision. People trust other people more than they trust your claims.

Friction

Cut the steps to convert

Shorten forms to the fields you truly need, remove logins where you can, and make the path to enquiry as short as possible.

Speed

Make it fast

A slow page loses people before they read a word. Speed is a conversion factor, not just a technical one.

Mobile

Design for the thumb

Most visits are mobile. If the page is awkward to use one-handed, you are losing the majority of your traffic.

Trust

Remove the risk

Guarantees, clear pricing, contact details and security signals reduce the fear that stops people acting.

Match

Match the message

The page must answer the exact ad, email or search that brought the visitor. A mismatch breaks the promise and the visit.

Focus

Remove distractions

On a conversion page, strip out anything that pulls attention away from the action. Fewer exits, more conversions.

Follow-up

Catch the ones who do not convert

Most visitors leave. Capture an email, retarget, or offer a lighter next step so a no today is not a no forever.

Your landing page is the hardest-working salesperson you have. CRO is simply training it to stop losing the leads you already paid for.
Anthony Betzis, Founder

Testing

How to test changes properly

CRO is a loop, not a redesign. The discipline is to change deliberately and measure honestly, so you keep what actually works.

Change one thing

Test a single, meaningful change against the current version so you know what caused any difference. Many changes at once tell you nothing.

Measure against a control

Compare the new version to the old over the same conditions, and look at conversions and leads, not just clicks or time on page.

Give it enough data

Let a test run until the result is clear, not until you like it. Small samples lie, and so does ending early on a hunch.

Anthony Betzis
Founder, Snowball Productions

Anthony founded Snowball Productions, a Sydney digital agency that turns search and audience data into landing points that convert. He works hands-on with Australian businesses on conversion, web and paid media, and writes the Snowball Knowledge Hub from the field.

Quick wins

The fastest wins to start with

If you only do a few things this month, start here. These are the changes that most often move the number.

  • One clear call to action above the fold. Remove the competing buttons.
  • Add real reviews near the action. Proof at the moment of decision.
  • Shorten the form. Every extra field costs you conversions.
  • Speed up the page. Especially on mobile.
  • Match the page to the ad or search. Keep the promise that brought them.

Start here

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Good questions

Conversion rate optimisation FAQs

What is a good conversion rate?

It varies by industry and traffic source, but many service businesses sit around 1 to 3 per cent on their main pages. Rather than chase a benchmark, measure your own rate and improve it: a lift from 2 to 3 per cent is 50 per cent more leads from the same traffic.

Is CRO better than buying more traffic?

Often, yes, as a first move. Improving the page multiplies every visit you already pay for and lowers your real cost per lead, which also makes any traffic you buy worth more. Fix the page, then scale the traffic.

How do I test a change properly?

Change one meaningful thing, compare it against the current version over the same conditions, look at conversions and leads rather than vanity metrics, and let the test run until the result is clear. Small samples and early calls will mislead you.

What is the fastest CRO win?

Usually clarity and focus: one clear call to action above the fold, real social proof near it, and a shorter form. Then page speed and a page that matches the ad or search that brought the visitor.

Do I need special software for CRO?

No, to start. You can make the obvious improvements and measure the change in enquiries over a fair period. Testing tools help as you scale, but most of the early gain is in fixing obvious friction properly.