Conversion rate optimization

Conversion rate optimization, or CRO, is the process of finding out why visitors do not take the action you want and changing the page so more of them do. It works on the traffic you already have, which is why it often pays off before spending more on ads.

Good CRO follows a loop. First, gather evidence: analytics showing where people drop off, recordings or heatmaps, customer feedback and an audit of the page itself. Second, form a hypothesis, for example: visitors do not understand what the service costs, so adding a pricing range near the CTA will increase enquiries. Third, make the change and measure it, ideally with an A/B test. Finally, keep what works and repeat.

Most improvements come from a few basics: a clear value proposition, a specific call-to-action, believable proof, low friction in forms and checkout, and a page that loads quickly on mobile. Design tweaks such as button colour matter far less than whether the visitor understands the offer and trusts you. CRO is also not only about the page. The traffic source, the ad message and what happens after the conversion all affect results, so the page should match the promise that brought the visitor there.

How to improve it

• Start with an audit of clarity, proof, friction and speed before testing small design details.
• Write each change as a hypothesis with a reason and an expected effect.
• Prioritise fixes by likely impact and effort, and tackle the big clarity problems first.
• Check whether test results are reliable with the free A/B test significance calculator (open tool).
• Make sure your ad or email message matches the headline on the landing page.

How PageScore checks it

PageScore audits the page side of CRO: CTA placement and wording, forms, proof, trust, copy clarity, SEO basics and real mobile speed from Google PageSpeed Insights, plus an AI review of copy, UX, conversion and trust. It returns a 0 to 100 score with ranked fixes.