Website Conversion Audit: 15 Things to Check Before You Spend on Ads

Most websites lose 30-70% of potential conversions to fixable problems: slow pages, buried CTAs, missing trust signals, or forms that ask for too much. Running paid ads before fixing these issues is burning money.

This conversion audit covers 15 specific things to check, grouped by impact. Each item takes minutes to verify, and most fixes don't require a developer. Before you start, measure your current baseline with our free conversion rate calculator so you can track improvement.

How fast does your page load?

Every additional second of load time reduces conversions by approximately 7%, according to research by Portent. A page that loads in 1 second converts 3x better than one that loads in 5 seconds.

What to check:

• Run your top landing pages through Google PageSpeed Insights. Aim for a Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) under 2.5 seconds.
• Check image sizes. Uncompressed images are the #1 cause of slow pages. Convert to WebP format and lazy-load below-the-fold images.
• Minimize render-blocking JavaScript and CSS. Defer non-critical scripts.

Speed is the most overlooked conversion factor because it's invisible: you don't see the visitors who left before the page finished loading.

Is your value proposition clear in 5 seconds?

A visitor should understand what you offer, who it's for, and why they should care within 5 seconds of landing on your page. If your hero section is vague or cluttered, visitors bounce.

The 5-second test:

• Show your landing page to someone unfamiliar with your product for 5 seconds, then close it
• Ask them: "What does this company do?" and "What should you do on this page?"
• If they can't answer both clearly, your messaging needs work

Your headline should state the outcome, not the product. "Grow your email list 3x faster" beats "Email marketing platform." For more on writing compelling page copy, see our guide on increasing your conversion rate.

Do you have visible trust signals?

92% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase, according to BrightLocal research. Trust signals reduce the perceived risk of taking action.

Check for these trust elements:

• Customer reviews/testimonials visible on the page, not hidden behind a tab
• Trust badges: SSL certificate, payment security icons, industry certifications
• Social proof numbers: "Trusted by 10,000+ businesses" or "4.8/5 from 500 reviews"
• Real customer logos if you're B2B
• Money-back guarantee or free trial badge if applicable

Add a testimonials slider or social proof widget to your key landing pages. These display real customer feedback without requiring custom development.

Are your CTAs obvious and compelling?

If a visitor has to search for your call-to-action, you've already lost them. Your primary CTA should be visible without scrolling and repeated at logical points throughout the page.

CTA audit checklist:

• Is there one clear primary CTA per page? Multiple competing actions reduce conversions.
• Does the button text describe the outcome? "Start My Free Trial" outperforms "Submit."
• Does the CTA contrast visually with the surrounding design?
• Is the CTA above the fold on both desktop and mobile?
• Is there a secondary CTA for visitors who aren't ready to commit? ("See pricing" or "Watch demo")

For more on creating effective CTAs, we have a dedicated guide.

How much friction is in your forms?

Every additional form field reduces completion rates. Research from HubSpot shows that reducing form fields from 4 to 3 can increase conversions by 50%.

Form audit:

• Can you remove any fields? Only ask for what you genuinely need at this stage.
• Are field labels clear? Use "Work email" instead of "Email" if that's what you mean.
• Does the form show inline validation? Real-time error messages prevent frustration.
• Is the submit button descriptive? "Get My Free Report" beats "Submit."
• Do you show a progress indicator for multi-step forms?

Measure your current form performance with our free form conversion calculator, then test reducing fields. Use a form builder widget to quickly create optimized, mobile-friendly forms.

Does your site work on mobile?

Over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, yet most conversion optimization focuses on the desktop experience. A page that converts at 4% on desktop might convert at 0.5% on mobile if it's not optimized.

Mobile checks:

• Do all buttons and links have tap targets of at least 48x48 pixels?
• Is text readable without pinching to zoom?
• Do forms use the correct input types (email keyboard for email fields, number pad for phone)?
• Does the CTA appear within the first screen on mobile, without scrolling?
• Are images responsive and not overflowing the viewport?

Test your pages on actual mobile devices, not just browser emulators. The experience is often different.

Are you tracking the right metrics?

You can't improve what you don't measure. Before spending on ads, make sure your analytics are properly configured.

Essential tracking:

• Conversion rate by page, by traffic source, and by device type
• Bounce rate on landing pages: measure with our free bounce rate calculator
• Form abandonment rate: how many people start your form but don't finish?
• Scroll depth: are visitors even reaching your CTA?
• A/B test results: validate changes before rolling them out. Use our free A/B test calculator to check statistical significance.

For a deeper look at conversion optimization strategies, read our full guide on using heatmaps to boost conversion rates.

The full conversion audit checklist

#	Check	Impact
1	Page loads in under 3 seconds	High
2	Value proposition clear in 5 seconds	High
3	Customer testimonials visible on page	High
4	Trust badges near checkout/CTA	High
5	Primary CTA above the fold	High
6	CTA button text describes outcome	Medium
7	Form has minimal fields	High
8	Mobile tap targets 48px+	Medium
9	Mobile CTA visible without scrolling	High
10	Social proof numbers displayed	Medium
11	No competing CTAs on same page	Medium
12	Exit intent strategy in place	Medium
13	Analytics tracking conversions correctly	High
14	404 and error pages handled	Low
15	Landing page matches ad copy	High

Work through this list for your top 5 landing pages before launching any paid campaign. Most of these fixes take less than an hour each, and the compound impact on your conversion rate can be dramatic. Check out our guide on optimizing checkout pages for e-commerce-specific tips.