cro-auditor

Conversion Rate Optimization auditing for landing pages, signup flows, checkout funnels, forms, and CTAs. Identifies friction points, runs heuristic evaluations, produces prioritized recommendations using ICE/PIE frameworks. Use when the user asks about conversion optimization, funnel analysis, landing page audits, form optimization, CTA testing, or checkout improvement.

CRO Auditor

Conversion Rate Optimization — audit landing pages, funnels, forms, and CTAs for friction and opportunities.

Install

git clone https://github.com/thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing.git && cp -r claude-marketing/skills/cro-auditor ~/.claude/skills/

Audit Framework

Heuristic Evaluation (LIFT Model)

Score each page element on 6 dimensions:

FactorQuestionIncreases/Decreases Conversion
Value PropositionIs the benefit clear and compelling?Increases
RelevanceDoes this match what brought the user here?Increases
ClarityIs the message and action obvious?Increases
UrgencyIs there a reason to act now?Increases
AnxietyAre there concerns about taking action?Decreases
DistractionAre there elements competing for attention?Decreases

Page-Level Audit Checklist

Above the Fold

  • Value proposition visible without scrolling
  • Primary CTA visible and prominent
  • Hero image/visual supports the message (not stock photo)
  • Navigation does not distract from primary conversion goal
  • Page loads in under 2.5 seconds (LCP)

Value Proposition

  • Headline communicates specific benefit (not feature)
  • Subheadline provides supporting detail
  • Unique differentiator is clear (why you vs alternatives)
  • Social proof near the value proposition (logos, count, rating)

Call to Action

  • CTA text is action-oriented and specific ("Start Free Trial" not "Submit")
  • CTA button contrasts with page design (stands out visually)
  • Single primary CTA per page section (no competing actions)
  • CTA appears multiple times on long pages (top, middle, bottom)
  • Microcopy near CTA reduces anxiety ("No credit card required")

Social Proof

  • Customer logos (if B2B)
  • Testimonials with real names, photos, and specific results
  • Case studies or metrics ("Helped 5,000+ companies increase revenue by 34%")
  • Trust badges (security, certifications, awards)
  • User count or activity ("Join 50,000+ marketers")

Forms

  • Minimum fields necessary (every field reduces conversion 5-10%)
  • Labels above fields (not placeholder-only)
  • Inline validation with helpful error messages
  • Progress indicator for multi-step forms
  • Autofill enabled (autocomplete attributes)
  • Mobile-friendly input types (tel, email, number)

Friction & Anxiety

  • No unexpected costs or requirements revealed late
  • Privacy policy and terms linked (not gating)
  • Money-back guarantee or free trial clearly stated
  • Contact information visible (phone, chat, email)
  • FAQ section addressing common objections

Funnel Analysis

Funnel Mapping

Awareness → Interest → Desire → Action → Retention
   ↓          ↓          ↓        ↓          ↓
 Ad/SEO → Landing → Pricing → Signup → Onboarding
            Page      Page      Form      Flow

For each stage:

  1. Traffic volume: How many users enter this stage?
  2. Drop-off rate: What percentage leave without advancing?
  3. Top exit pages: Where exactly do users abandon?
  4. Friction indicators: Time on page, scroll depth, rage clicks

Conversion Benchmarks

Page TypeGoodAveragePoor
Landing page (paid traffic)>5%2-5%<2%
Landing page (organic)>3%1-3%<1%
Signup form>25%10-25%<10%
Checkout (e-commerce)>3%1.5-3%<1.5%
Free trial → paid>25%10-25%<10%
Email opt-in>5%2-5%<2%
Pricing page → signup>10%5-10%<5%

Prioritization Frameworks

ICE Score

DimensionDefinitionScale
ImpactHow much will this change improve conversion?1-10
ConfidenceHow sure are we this will work?1-10
EaseHow easy is it to implement?1-10

ICE Score = (Impact + Confidence + Ease) / 3

PIE Score

DimensionDefinitionScale
PotentialHow much room for improvement?1-10
ImportanceHow valuable is the traffic to this page?1-10
EaseHow easy is it to run a test?1-10

PIE Score = (Potential + Importance + Ease) / 3

Audit Output Format

Executive Summary

  • Current conversion rate vs benchmark
  • Top 3 conversion killers identified
  • Estimated revenue impact of fixes
  • Quick wins (implementable in <1 day)

Issue Format

**Issue:** [What is wrong]
**Location:** [Page/element affected]
**Impact:** [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW] — [Estimated conversion impact]
**Evidence:** [Data, heuristic principle, or benchmark comparison]
**Fix:** [Specific recommendation]
**Test:** [A/B test hypothesis: "Changing X will increase Y by Z%"]
**ICE Score:** [X/10]

A/B Test Recommendations

For each recommendation, provide:

  • Hypothesis: If we [change], then [metric] will [improve/increase] because [reason]
  • Primary metric: The conversion metric to measure
  • Minimum sample size: Based on current traffic and expected effect size
  • Test duration: Minimum days to reach significance (usually 2-4 weeks)

Common Conversion Killers

  1. Slow page load — Every 100ms delay reduces conversion by 1%
  2. Unclear value proposition — Visitor cannot answer "What is this and why should I care?" in 5 seconds
  3. Too many form fields — Each additional field reduces completion by 5-10%
  4. Weak CTA — Generic text ("Submit", "Click Here") vs specific ("Start Free Trial")
  5. No social proof — 92% of consumers read reviews before purchasing
  6. Hidden costs — Unexpected shipping/fees are the #1 reason for cart abandonment
  7. Competing CTAs — Multiple equal-weight actions create decision paralysis
  8. Mobile friction — Tiny buttons, horizontal scroll, slow load on mobile
  9. Trust deficit — No security badges, reviews, or contact info
  10. Exit without capture — No email capture, exit intent, or remarketing pixel

Integration with Other Skills

  • google-analytics — Pull conversion data to ground CRO recommendations in real metrics
  • landing-page-optimizer — Deep-dive on specific landing pages (when built)
  • a-b-testing-framework — Design and analyze tests for CRO recommendations (when built)
  • pro-report-builder — Generate professional CRO audit deliverable