The Website Conversion Checklist

This is the actual checklist we run through on every free web review. Work through it honestly and you’ll find your leaks. Fix the top three and you’ll feel the difference.

First impressions (the 5-second test)

1. Can a stranger tell what you do in 5 seconds? Not your industry - what you actually do, for whom, where. “Plumber in Stockport” beats “Solutions for modern living”.
2. Is there one obvious next step? A big, clear button above the fold. If everything’s important, nothing is.
3. Does the headline talk about the customer, not you? “Get your boiler fixed today” beats “Welcome to Smith & Sons”.
4. Would you trust this site with your card details? Dated design reads as “might not still be trading”.
5. Does it load in under 3 seconds on your phone? Test it on 4G, not your office wifi. Every extra second loses visitors.

The message

6. One page, one job. Each page should exist to move one type of visitor one step forward.
7. Benefits before features. Nobody buys “CRM & automation setup”. They buy “never lose another lead”.
8. Plain English throughout. If your nan wouldn’t understand it, rewrite it.
9. Prices - or at least “from” prices. Hiding prices doesn’t create intrigue. It creates suspicion.
10. Answers to the awkward questions. Cost, timings, guarantees, “what if it goes wrong”. The questions people ring to ask are the questions your site should answer.

Proof

11. Real reviews, near the buying decision. Testimonials belong next to your call-to-action, not hidden on a “testimonials” page.
12. Names and faces on your reviews. “J.S., Manchester” convinces nobody.
13. Your Google rating, shown on the site. If it’s good, why is it a secret?
14. Real photos of you and your work. Stock photos of smiling call centres actively hurt trust.
15. Numbers where you have them. Years trading, jobs done, customers served. Specifics beat superlatives.

The ask

16. A form that takes under a minute. Every extra field costs you enquiries. Name, contact, question. Done.
17. A phone number that’s clickable on mobile. Obvious, and yet.
18. Multiple ways in. Some people call, some fill forms, some want to book straight into a calendar. Offer the options your customers actually use.
19. A reason to act now. Not fake urgency - a genuine reason: “Free review”, “Response within one working day”.
20. What happens next, spelled out. “Fill this in and we’ll call you within 24 hours” converts better than a bare Submit button.

The follow-through

21. Does the form actually work? Test it monthly. You’d be amazed.
22. Does someone reply within an hour? The first business to respond usually wins the job.
23. Is there a thank-you page? Confirm it worked, set expectations, offer something useful to read while they wait.

Foundations

24. Does every page work on a phone? Over half your visitors are on one.
25. Is your site secure (https)? Browsers literally label you “Not secure” otherwise.
26. Can Google understand your pages? Proper titles and descriptions on every page - it’s how you get found.
27. Is your Google Business Profile linked and consistent? Same name, address, phone everywhere online.

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What to do with your score

• 22-27: Your site’s in good shape. Your growth is probably a traffic and visibility problem, not a conversion one.
• 15-21: You’re leaking. Fix the message and the ask first - those move fastest.
• Under 15: Honestly? You’re probably better rebuilding than patching. It’s cheaper than it used to be, and faster than you think.

Want us to run this properly on your site - with a video walkthrough of exactly what we’d fix first? That’s what the free web review is.