Bookmark this CRO checklist
This is where most brands lose revenue
Hey there,
It’s Suze. If you’ve spent any time with me, you’ve probably heard me come back to the same equation: Revenue = Sessions × CVR × AOV
(Also, before I go on, I have to credit my mentor and friend Kaplan, he’s the one who originally taught me to think about it this way.)
Back to the point - most founders focus on sessions. Some think about AOV. Very few spend enough time on conversion.
Which is surprising, because it’s one of the most immediate levers you have. You don’t need more traffic to grow. You need more of the traffic you already have to convert.
And when conversion is underperforming, it’s rarely because you need a new tool or a clever tactic. It usually comes down to something more fundamental.
Over time, the simplest way I’ve found to think about CRO is through four lenses:
Clarity - do I understand this instantly?
Motivation - do I actually want this?
Friction - what’s making this harder than it should be?
Trust - do I feel comfortable buying?
When conversion is low(er), it’s almost always one of those breaking. Usually more than one.
A quick aside before we get into the checklist, if you want a really honest read on your site, I like using Ugly Baby - the name still cracks me up, but the TL;DR of this tool is the concept that those around you won’t tell you your baby (website) is ugly, but these users will. The feedback is unfiltered in a way that’s actually useful for this. I’m also curious about Keak from the AI side of things, I’ll share more once I’ve spent more time with it.
That said, you don’t need tools to get started. The most useful thing you can do is step out of your operator mindset and look at your site the way a customer does.
This is the checklist I come back to when I want a quick reset. I originally made it for pre-launch founders, but it’s just as relevant once you’re live. Things drift. Pages get cluttered. What used to work quietly stops working.
So think of this as a quick sanity check. Bookmark it. Come back to it before you scale, or anytime something feels off.
Suze
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The CRO checklist I actually use
You should be able to get through this in 10–15 minutes. Move quickly and trust your instinct.
1. First impressions (mobile homepage)
Open your site on your phone.
Within a few seconds, you should be able to answer:
What is this?
Who is it for?
What should I do next?
Then try to navigate:
Can you reach a best-seller in under 10 seconds?
Is your main call-to-action visible without scrolling?
If you hesitate here, that’s your first issue.
2. Product page walkthrough
Pick your top SKU and behave like you’re actually considering buying it.
Is the add to cart button obvious and easy to reach?
Are reviews visible without scrolling?
Do images feel clear, high quality, and easy to use?
Count how many taps it takes to add to cart.
If it feels even slightly annoying, it is.
3. Trust & reassurance
Look for reasons not to buy.
Can you find returns and guarantees easily?
Are shipping costs and timelines clear before checkout?
Is there an obvious way to contact support?
If any of this is hidden, you’re introducing doubt right at the decision moment.
4. Navigation & wayfinding
Browse like a normal person.
Does your menu guide you to best-sellers or just list categories?
Can you filter products quickly?
Does search return what you expect?
If it feels confusing, people leave.
5. Checkout experience
Add something to cart and go through the process.
Is guest checkout available?
Are forms minimal?
Do you have express pay (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay)?
Are there any surprises with pricing or shipping?
Every extra step costs you revenue.
6. Speed & performance
Does your site feel fast on your phone?
If not, that’s a problem.
What to fix first
Once you go through this, you’ll likely see a lot.
Don’t try to fix everything at once.
Start here:
Mobile clarity
Checkout friction
Trust at the point of decision
Everything else layers on top of that.
Final thought
At every step of your site, your customer is asking:
“Should I keep going?”
Your job is to make that answer feel obvious.