5 CRO best practices to boost landing page conversions

Why conversion rate optimization matters (now more than ever)

Traffic isn’t cheap anymore.

And it’s getting more expensive by the minute.

That’s exactly why conversion rate optimization isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the secret weapon smart marketers use to squeeze maximum value from their existing traffic.

Think about it. You’re already paying for visitors. But are you doing everything possible to turn those visitors into customers?

CRO isn’t some side project you tackle when you have spare time. It’s a core strategy that directly impacts your bottom line. And when marketing budgets face constant scrutiny, the ability to do more with less isn’t just valuable—it’s essential.

Let’s break down why CRO deserves your full attention right now.

CRO boosts ROAS without needing more spend

Picture this:

Your landing page currently converts at 2%. After applying some strategic CRO tweaks, you bump that to 3%.

That’s not just a 1% increase—it’s a 50% lift in results from the exact same ad spend.

This is the magic of conversion rate optimization. It amplifies the performance of every dollar you’re already spending on traffic. While your competitors fight over more expensive clicks, you’re quietly extracting more value from the traffic you already have.

The math is compelling:

A $5,000 monthly ad budget with a 2% conversion rate = 100 conversions
That same $5,000 with a 3% conversion rate = 150 conversions

Those extra 50 conversions didn’t cost you an extra penny in ad spend. That’s the power of focusing on what happens after the click with smart landing page optimization.

CRO improves overall marketing ROI

Your marketing funnel doesn’t exist in silos—and neither do the benefits of conversion rate optimization.

When you fine-tune your landing pages to convert better, the ROI improvements ripple across all your marketing channels:

Email campaigns drive more value when they point to high-converting pages
Social media efforts become more profitable
SEO traffic turns into more customers
Even direct traffic converts at higher rates

The beauty of CRO is that it makes everything else work harder.

Instead of pumping more resources into getting traffic, you’re maximizing what you do with the traffic you already have.

Think of it like tuning up an engine. You could keep adding more fuel (traffic), or you could improve the engine’s efficiency so it gets more miles from each gallon. CRO is that tune-up—making your entire marketing machine more efficient.

CRO helps you scale without scaling cost

Let’s be real—scaling traffic gets exponentially more expensive.

The first 1,000 visitors might be affordable, but as you push for more volume, you inevitably hit more competitive keywords, saturate your core audiences, and face diminishing returns on ad platforms.

CRO flips this challenge on its head.

Instead of paying more for additional visitors, you’re extracting more value from each visitor you already have.

This creates a powerful pathway to growth that doesn’t demand proportionally bigger budgets:

Double your conversion rate instead of doubling your ad spend
Enter new markets with confidence that your pages will perform
Test new offers without bleeding cash on inefficient pages
Build a foundation for sustainable growth that isn’t dependent on ever-increasing traffic costs

That’s why forward-thinking marketers don’t just throw money at traffic—they invest in making their pages work harder through continuous optimization.

5 CRO best practices that actually move the needle

Ready for strategies that deliver real results? These five practices are chosen specifically for marketers who need wins without heavy dev support or complicated tools.

1. Prioritize mobile-first experiences

Here’s a reality check:

Most of your traffic is coming from mobile devices. Yet most landing pages are still designed desktop-first.

This disconnect is killing your conversion rates.

Mobile users face unique challenges that desktop visitors never encounter. Tiny tap targets. Awkward scrolling. Forms that require thumb gymnastics. Pages that load at glacial speeds over cellular connections.

Each friction point pushes potential customers closer to the back button.

Smart marketers flip the script. They design for mobile first, then adapt for desktop—not the other way around.

Start by checking your own analytics. How much of your traffic comes from mobile? What’s the conversion rate difference between devices? This gap represents your biggest optimization opportunity.

The most impactful mobile optimizations often include enlarging buttons to be at least 44×44 pixels (approximately 12mm)—the size of an average fingertip. Simplifying forms by removing unnecessary fields can also dramatically boost conversions, as can ensuring critical content appears above the “thumb scroll” point.

One company we worked with doubled their mobile conversion rate by simply reworking their form layout and enlarging tap targets. The change took less than a day to implement but permanently improved their campaign ROI.

2. Use A/B testing to validate what actually works

Guessing is expensive. Testing is profitable.

Too many marketers make decisions based on hunches or “best practices” that might not apply to their specific audience. A/B testing cuts through the noise by showing exactly what resonates with your visitors.

The key is structuring tests properly. Start with a clear hypothesis: “Changing X will improve Y because Z.” Test only one variable at a time (unless using multivariate testing), and run tests until you reach statistical significance. Document everything—even failed tests contain valuable insights.

With tools like Unbounce’s A/B testing features, you don’t need a statistics degree to set up proper experiments. The platform handles the heavy lifting, from visitor splitting to confidence calculations.

Begin with high-impact elements like headlines (they’re often the only thing people read), call to action buttons (text, color, placement), and hero images (they set the emotional tone). Form length and layout along with price presentation often yield significant results too.

Remember—small wins compound. A 5% lift here and 10% lift there quickly adds up to dramatic improvements in your overall conversion rate.

3. Reduce friction across the conversion path

Every step between “I’m interested” and “I’m converting” is a chance for visitors to drop off.

Friction kills conversions. Period.

Think about the last time you abandoned a checkout process or signup form. Was it because you changed your mind about the product? Or was it because the process was annoying?

For most people, it’s the latter.

The most common friction points include lengthy forms with unnecessary fields, required account creation before purchase, and slow-loading elements. Confusing navigation paths, unexpected steps in the conversion process, and distracting links that lead visitors away from conversion all contribute to abandoned conversions.

The beauty of reducing friction? It’s often about removing things, not adding them.

Take forms, for example. One study found that reducing form fields from 11 to 4 increased conversions by 120%. That’s not adding fancy features—it’s taking away barriers.

To run an effective friction audit on your landing pages, try converting as if you were a first-time visitor. Note every moment of confusion or irritation. Then have someone else do the same (fresh eyes spot different issues) and fix the common pain points first.

The goal isn’t perfect UX—it’s removing enough obstacles that motivated visitors don’t get derailed before converting.

4. Make your value proposition immediately clear

You have about three seconds to answer the question: “Why should I care?”

If visitors can’t immediately grasp what you’re offering and why it matters to them, they bounce. No fancy design can save a page with an unclear value proposition.

Your value proposition needs to address a specific pain point, communicate a clear benefit, differentiate from alternatives, and be instantly understandable. This isn’t about clever copywriting. It’s about clarity and relevance.

Place your value proposition front and center—typically in the headline and supporting subhead. Then reinforce it visually with images that show the benefit in action.

When testing different angles of your value proposition, consider trying benefits-focused approaches (“Save 5 hours every week”), problem-focused messaging (“Never miss a deadline again”), or outcome-focused statements (“Become the go-to expert in your field”).

The strongest value propositions make visitors think, “This was made specifically for someone like me.” That’s when conversion magic happens.

5. Use social proof where it matters most

We’re hardwired to follow others’ leads. When someone’s on the fence about converting, seeing that others have already taken the leap can be the final push they need.

But not all social proof is created equal—and placement matters as much as content.

The most strategic places to add social proof include near call to action buttons (which reduces last-minute hesitation), adjacent to forms (which eases privacy concerns), and near pricing information (which justifies the investment). Adding social proof below high-friction requests can also build confidence when visitors hesitate.

Customer testimonials that address specific objections tend to be the most effective type of social proof. Usage statistics (“Joined by 10,000+ marketing teams”), trust badges, recognizable client logos, and third-party reviews can all contribute to a sense of confidence and trust.

Make your social proof specific and relevant. Generic testimonials like “Great service!” do little compared to targeted ones like “We increased lead quality by 40% in the first month.”

And remember—authentic social proof beats perfection every time. Real language from real customers will always outperform polished marketing speak.

Top CRO tools for marketers who want results fast

You don’t need a massive tech stack to start getting results. The right tools can help you test, optimize, and improve your landing pages without waiting for dev resources or learning complex systems.

Here’s what actually works for marketers who need to move quickly:

Unbounce: Yes, we’re a little biased here—but for good reason. The Unbounce platform combines a drag-and-drop landing page builder, built-in A/B testing, and AI-powered optimization to help you create, test, and improve your pages in one place. Plus, with Smart Traffic, you can automatically route visitors to their best-fit variant after just 50 visits, continuously improving conversion rates while you focus on other priorities.
Hotjar: Provides visual insights into how visitors interact with your pages through heatmaps and session recordings. It’s like having X-ray vision into user behavior—showing exactly where people click, scroll, and focus their attention.
Mixpanel: Takes a data-driven approach to understanding the customer journey. Instead of guessing which steps cause drop-offs, you track specific events and see exactly where visitors abandon your funnel. Their cohort analysis helps spot patterns across different user segments.
Microsoft Clarity: Completely free and offers surprisingly robust heatmaps and session recordings. While it lacks some advanced features, it gives you the essentials without spending a cent—perfect for initial optimization efforts.

Each tool serves a different purpose in your CRO toolkit. Some help you build and test pages. Others reveal visitor behavior. The best approach is combining tools that give you both the ability to make changes and the insights to know which changes matter.

Want a deeper dive into all your options? Check out our complete guide to CRO tools for marketers for detailed breakdowns of pricing, features, and use cases.

Build a culture of continuous experimentation

Great CRO isn’t a campaign—it’s a mindset.

The difference between teams that get occasional wins and those that transform their results comes down to one thing:

Making experimentation a habit, not a project.

When you build testing into your workflow, those small conversion lifts start compounding. A 5% here and 8% there suddenly becomes a 50% improvement in overall performance over a quarter.

Here’s how to make experimentation part of your team’s DNA:

Create a simple test backlog—a running list of ideas your team can pull from whenever they launch something new.
Use tools that reduce friction, not create it—like Unbounce’s A/B testing features that make testing just a click away.
Share results (even negative ones) with everyone involved to spark new ideas and build an evidence-based approach.
Establish a “no ego” zone when reviewing tests—the data doesn’t care who came up with the idea.

Remember that failed tests aren’t failures—they’re learning opportunities that help you avoid wasting resources at scale. The most successful teams don’t just celebrate wins—they celebrate learning. Every test, regardless of outcome, gets them closer to understanding what resonates with their specific audience.