eCommerce Landing Page Checklist (Pt 2)

Your 10-part guide* to converting website visitors into paying customers. Print it out and use it as a launch checklist, or email us for a Google Doc version.

*This checklist was put together for a broad range of eCommerce applications, so not all items may be relevant to your business.

January 15, 2024

A sketched woman holding a magnifying glass to a checklist

Read the summary

Effective Copywriting

Use customer-focused copy that is plain, simple, and without jargon.

Is your homepage headline clear, compelling, and easy to understand? Run your copy through Sharethrough’s headline analyzer to see how it ranks.

Section headlines should tell a clear story on their own. Are your headers easily skimmable? Headlines shouldn’t rely solely on supporting context from subparagraphs.

Do you address a specific problem that your customers face, and provide a solution to that problem?

Define meta information:

Title Tag (60 character limit): this text is displayed in your browser tab

Meta Description (160 character limit): this text is displayed in Google search results. It should include relevant keywords.

Review web forms:

All web forms have auto-complete enabled

All web forms have success states and error states with relevant copy

You only ask for mandatory information in web forms (e.g. if you don’t need first and last name for a newsletter email capture, don’t ask for it)

Design Elements and User Experience

Use consistent capitalization and other style standards

Similar items are grouped in the top navigation and footer

You've mapped out key customer journeys and funnels

A customer can clearly articulate the following: who you are, what your products are, how to navigate your website, how to place an order, how to contact customer service, how to make a return, how to sign in to their account

Hyperlinks open in new tabs

Customers can easily search for (and find) a product

You’ve added breadcrumbs for easy navigation between pages

For brands with large product catalogs, you’ve included pagination

Include hover states, empty states, and tool tips wherever applicable, such as buttons, links, icons, and images

Consider using a cart drawer instead of a traditional cart page

Benefits

Clearly articulate the benefits and use cases

Focus on benefits over features

Identify your USPs (or value props) and emphasize why they are valuable for your audience, as well as how you differ from key competitors

Consider adding a comparison chart (this is more relevant for SaaS businesses and brands with a single SKU)

Product imagery is annotated with key benefits

Call-To-Actions (CTAs)

Consider implementing a fixed/sticky top navigation bar so your CTA is always visible

CTA buttons are in contrast with the overall page design

For pages that are high in content, be sure to include secondary CTAs throughout the page

Include key information under or around your CTAs (e.g. limited time offers, free shipping and returns, money back guarantee, terms & conditions)

Include a banner at the top of your page for newsworthy content like a funding announcement, time sensitive promotion, or partnership

Build Trust With Testimonials and Social Proof

Leverage onsite testimonials or customer reviews. Consider including a combination of images and quotes.

Logo reel of notable press

Logo reel of top clients (if you work with businesses)

Case study (if you work with businesses)

How can you help visitors assess the suitability and quality of your products? For example: Vrai’s ring sizer, Crate & Barrel’s fabric swatches, Sephora’s skin care quiz, Thorne’s online health advisor & supplement quizzes

Customer Support

Include FAQs on key conversion pages such as category pages, product pages, pricing, or your help center

Consider implementing live chat to address visitor doubts in real time. Set up automated workflows like a welcome message, automated reply outside of business hours, or CSAT.

Include a “Contact Us” link on your homepage (we recommend adding it to the Footer). Encourage your customers to contact you on their preferred channel, wherever you’re available: email, web form, SMS, social media, phone, or live chat.

Speed and Performance

Aim for a website load time of less than 2 seconds on desktop and mobile. Check your performance with Google’s PageSpeed Insights. FYI: In 2023, the average page load time on desktop was 2.5 seconds and 8.6 seconds on mobile.

Compress images (we like Compressor.io)

Remove redirects that you no longer need

Run a site audit to uncover technical issues and SEO opportunities (Ahrefs has a free version)

Mobile Optimization

Include a sticky add-to-cart button so users don’t need to search for a CTA once they've decided to check out

You tested key funnels on the main mobile devices: iPhone, Android, Samsung Galaxy

You tested key funnels on the main mobile browsers: Safari, Chrome

You reviewed images, videos, animations, interactions, and complex designs to ensure they function properly on mobile

Avoid horizontal scroll on mobile—users often don't notice a scrollbar and end up missing content that’s offscreen

Analytics and Conversion Tracking

If you aren’t currently tracking site analytics, start here: Google Search Console, Google Analytics, June, Heap, Hotjar, Freshpaint, Fathom

Set up key goals, funnels, and reports in your analytics tool (you may need a developer for this). Most tools have reporting templates to help you get started.

Measure performance on a regular basis. Start by doing this weekly, then as you grow and begin running more experiments, you may move to daily reporting.

Testing and Feedback

Include a way for customers to record feedback (e.g. via email or using a tool like Canny), and specify how the feedback will be addressed. Will it be read by customer service? Is it sent to the engineering team for future prioritization?

Ask for customer feedback at specific milestones (e.g. send an NPS survey 30 days after purchase)

Implement A/B testing with a tool like Optimizely, Splitbee, or VWO

Consider implementing a tool like Bugherd for bug tracking

Use an auditing tool like Flourish Commerce to quickly review your website and identify important fixes. Flourish Commerce will even give you an ordered list of fixes that you can hand straight to a developer for easy implementation—with a task list that’s prioritized by effort and impact.

About the Author

Erin Gusty is the co-founder of Flourish Commerce, delivering actionable design audits to help eCommerce brands grow their business through website optimization. Erin is a seasoned operator and leader with 10+ years of startup experience across marketing, product, eCommerce, and customer experience.