Landing Page CRO Analysis

Skill Purpose

Perform a comprehensive Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) analysis on any landing page. This skill produces a section-by-section teardown with prioritized, actionable fixes that directly impact conversion rates.

When to Use

• User provides a landing page URL and asks for conversion optimization
• User asks for landing page feedback, review, or audit
• User wants to improve signup, lead capture, or purchase rates
• Triggered by /marketkit:landing <url> or /marketkit:landing <url>

How to Execute

Step 0: Grounding and Business Context

1. Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/grounding.md and load any _grounding/ folder it finds.
2. Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/business-context.md, resolve the business type, and load the single matching example pack.

3. Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/output-location.md. Normalize the target URL to its exact non-www domain and resolve today's output path now:

   python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/resolve_audit_output.py" --purpose LANDING-CRO --scope <domain> --extension md

   Use python3 on macOS/Linux. Retain audit_dir (to check for a same-scope MARKETKIT - MARKETING-AUDIT - <domain>.md) and the exact output_path for the final write.

Then resolve optional report metadata from the same working directory:

python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/resolve_report_metadata.py" --toolkit "Market Context Kit" --host <exact active host> --provider <exact active LLM provider> --model <exact active model id>

Never guess a runtime value. Handle the three outcomes exactly as ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/output-location.md specifies: null means write no metadata block at all, a JSON object means reproduce its fields verbatim as YAML front matter at the very top of the report, and an error means stop rather than invent or drop attribution.

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/webfetch-artifacts.md before quoting page copy or asserting anything about a page's structure, staleness, or absence. Page text used as evidence must come from scripts/analyze_page.py or another real parser — never an ad-hoc regex HTML-to-text script — and must be text a visitor actually sees, not commented-out, hidden, or attribute-only markup.

The pack supplies the objection set, the risk reducers that actually reduce risk for this buyer, and the CTA conventions. Applying the wrong set is the most common way a CRO review gets rejected by the client — a procurement buyer offered a money-back guarantee concludes the reviewer does not understand the purchase.

Step 1: Identify the Page Type

Determine which type of landing page you are analyzing. This affects benchmark expectations and scoring weights.

Conversion-rate figures below are US-market averages published for consumer and self-serve businesses. Treat them as orientation, and say which market and business model a number came from whenever you quote one.

Step 2: Run the 7-Point CRO Framework

Analyze each section in order. Score each section 1-10 and provide specific findings.

Section 1: Hero Section (Weight: 25%)

The first screen a visitor sees. This is where 80% of conversion decisions begin.

Checklist:

• Headline is visible within 2 seconds of page load
• Headline communicates the primary benefit (not a feature)
• Headline is under 10 words
• Subheadline expands on the headline with specificity
• Primary CTA is above the fold
• CTA button color contrasts with the background
• CTA text is action-oriented (not "Submit" or "Click Here")
• Hero image or video supports the message (not generic stock)
• Trust badges or social proof visible above the fold
• Page loads in under 3 seconds
• No navigation menu competing with the CTA on dedicated landing pages; for corporate/B2B homepages, navigation is allowed but the primary inquiry path must remain visually dominant

Scoring Criteria:

• 9-10: Headline is benefit-driven, specific, and compelling. CTA is clear and contrasting. Visual supports the message. Trust indicators present.
• 7-8: Strong headline and CTA but missing one element (trust badges, supporting visual, or specificity).
• 5-6: Generic headline or weak CTA. Missing multiple above-the-fold elements.
• 3-4: Headline is feature-focused or vague. CTA is below the fold or unclear.
• 1-2: No clear headline or CTA. Visitor cannot understand the offer within 5 seconds.

Section 2: Value Proposition (Weight: 20%)

How clearly the page communicates WHY someone should convert.

Checklist:

• Clear statement of what the product/service does
• Specific outcomes or results promised
• Differentiation from alternatives (why THIS solution)
• Target audience is clear (visitor knows if this is for them)
• Benefits are quantified where possible (save X hours, increase Y%)
• Value proposition is scannable (not buried in paragraphs)

Evaluate Using the 4U Framework:

1. Useful - Does it solve a real problem the visitor has?
2. Urgent - Is there a reason to act now?
3. Unique - Is it different from competitors?
4. Ultra-specific - Are claims concrete, not vague?

Section 3: Social Proof (Weight: 15%)

Evidence that others trust and benefit from this product/service.

Types of Social Proof (ranked by persuasion power):

1. Revenue/results metrics ("$2.4B processed", "500K users")
2. Named customer testimonials with photos, titles, and companies
3. Recognizable client logos
4. Case studies with specific results
5. Star ratings and review counts
6. Media mentions ("As seen in...")
7. Certifications and awards
8. Standards, technical test data, association memberships, customer approvals, and named experts (especially for regulated/industrial buyers)
9. User-generated content
10. Social media follower counts

Checklist:

• At least 2 types of social proof present
• Testimonials include real names and photos
• Testimonials mention specific results or outcomes
• Social proof is placed near decision points (close to CTAs)
• Numbers are specific (not rounded - "11,847" beats "10,000+")
• Logos are recognizable to the target audience
• Social proof is recent and relevant

Section 4: Features and Benefits (Weight: 15%)

How the page presents what the product/service includes.

Checklist:

• Features are translated into benefits (what the feature DOES for the user)
• Content is scannable (icons, bullet points, short paragraphs)
• Visual hierarchy guides the eye through features
• Most important features/benefits are listed first
• Each feature section has a clear mini-headline
• Screenshots, demos, or visuals accompany feature descriptions
• Feature list is comprehensive but not overwhelming (3-7 key features)

Feature-to-Benefit Translation Check: Bad: "AI-powered analytics dashboard" Good: "See exactly which campaigns drive revenue -- AI analyzes your data so you don't have to"

Section 5: Objection Handling (Weight: 10%)

How the page addresses reasons a visitor might NOT convert.

Common Objections:

Use the objection set from the loaded example pack — Landing pages — objections and how to answer them in either pack. Check the page against each objection in that set and note which go unanswered.

Checklist:

• FAQ section addresses the top 3-5 objections for this buyer
• Risk reducers present, of the kind this buyer recognizes (see the pack — refund-style guarantees in one context, certification and test evidence in the other)
• Commercial transparency appropriate to the model (no hidden fees; or stated lead times and response commitments where pricing is quoted)
• Security, privacy and compliance indicators where relevant
• Comparison with alternatives (if applicable)

Section 6: Call-to-Action (Weight: 10%)

The conversion mechanism itself.

CTA Button Checklist:

• CTA text names what the visitor gets, not the mechanic ("Get My Free Report", "Download the datasheet" — not "Submit")
• CTA button is visually dominant (size, color, whitespace)
• CTA appears multiple times on long pages
• A lower-commitment secondary CTA exists for visitors not ready for the primary action
• CTA has supporting microcopy that removes the next unknown (what happens after the click, and when)
• CTA is specific to the offer (not generic)

CTA Copy Scoring:

• Weak in any context: "Submit", "Click Here", "Learn More"
• Medium in any context: "Sign Up", "Get Started", "Download Now"
• Strong: take the phrasing patterns from the loaded example pack — Landing pages — CTA phrasing in consumer-online.md, CTA phrasing in b2b-technical.md. The conventions genuinely conflict: first-person button text and stated scarcity lift consumer conversion and reduce it with technical buyers.

Write CTAs in the language of the page. Do not leave English CTA text on a non-English site.

Section 7: Footer and Secondary Elements (Weight: 5%)

The bottom of the page and supporting elements.

Checklist:

• Final CTA present at bottom of page
• Contact information or support options visible
• Privacy policy and terms of service linked
• Trust badges repeated near final CTA
• No competing links that lead away from conversion
• Copyright and legal information present
• Social media links (only if they support conversion, not distract)

Step 3: Copy Scoring

Score the overall page copy on 5 dimensions (1-10 each):

1. Clarity - Can a visitor understand the offer in 5 seconds?
2. Urgency - Is there a reason to act NOW vs later?
3. Specificity - Are claims concrete with numbers, timeframes, outcomes?
4. Proof - Are claims backed by evidence, data, or testimonials?
5. Action Orientation - Does the copy drive toward a specific next step?

Calculate the Copy Score: average of all 5 dimensions, multiplied by 10 for a score out of 100.

Step 4: Form Optimization Audit

If the page has a form, evaluate:

Step 5: Mobile Responsiveness Audit

Mobile accounts for 60%+ of web traffic. Check:

• CTA is thumb-reachable (bottom half of screen)
• Text is readable without zooming (16px minimum body text)
• Forms are usable on mobile (large tap targets, appropriate keyboards)
• Images resize properly and don't break layout
• No horizontal scrolling required
• Page loads under 3 seconds on 4G
• Click-to-call for phone numbers
• Sticky CTA bar on scroll (if applicable)

Step 6: Page Speed Impact Assessment

Reference these conversion impact benchmarks:

Check for common speed issues:

• Unoptimized images (use WebP, lazy loading)
• Render-blocking JavaScript
• Missing browser caching
• No CDN
• Excessive third-party scripts
• Unminified CSS/JS

Step 7: Generate A/B Test Recommendations

Format each test as a hypothesis:

Template: "If we [CHANGE], then [METRIC] will [IMPROVE/INCREASE] because [REASON]."

Example tests to consider:

1. Headline variations (benefit-focused vs outcome-focused)
2. CTA button color and text
3. Social proof placement (above vs below fold)
4. Form field count (reduce by 1-2 fields)
5. Hero image vs hero video
6. Long-form vs short-form page
7. Adding urgency elements (countdown, limited spots)
8. Price anchoring and presentation
9. Testimonial format (text vs video)
10. Adding a chatbot or live chat widget

Step 8: Heat Map Interpretation Guidance

Even without actual heat map data, provide guidance on:

• Expected attention zones based on page layout
• F-pattern vs Z-pattern reading based on content density
• Scroll depth predictions based on page length and content breaks
• Click probability zones based on visual hierarchy
• Rage click indicators (elements that look clickable but aren't)
• Dead zones where content may be ignored

Output Format: MARKETKIT - LANDING-CRO - <domain>.md

Write the exact output_path resolved in Step 0 with:

[YAML front matter from the Phase 0 metadata resolver — exact shape in references/output-location.md. Omit the whole block when the resolver returned null.]

# Landing Page CRO Analysis

## [Page URL]

### Analysis Date: [date]

---

**Overall CRO Score:** [X/100]

**Page Type:** [identified type] \
**Current Estimated Conversion Rate:** [estimate based on findings] \
**Target Conversion Rate:** [realistic improvement target]

---

## Section-by-Section Analysis

### 1. Hero Section [Score: X/10]

**Findings:**

- [specific observations]

**Fixes (Priority: HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW):**

- [specific, actionable recommendations]

[Repeat for all 7 sections]

---

## Copy Score: [X/100]

| Dimension          | Score | Notes   |
| ------------------ | ----- | ------- |
| Clarity            | X/10  | [notes] |
| Urgency            | X/10  | [notes] |
| Specificity        | X/10  | [notes] |
| Proof              | X/10  | [notes] |
| Action Orientation | X/10  | [notes] |

---

## Form Audit

[findings and recommendations]

---

## Mobile Audit

[findings and recommendations]

---

## A/B Test Recommendations

1. [Hypothesis format test]
2. [Hypothesis format test]
3. [Hypothesis format test]

---

## Prioritized Fix List

### Quick Wins (implement this week)

1. [fix with expected impact]

### Medium-Term (implement this month)

1. [fix with expected impact]

### Strategic (implement this quarter)

1. [fix with expected impact]

---

## Before/After Wireframe Suggestions

[Text-based wireframe descriptions of current vs recommended layout]

Key Principles

• Always tie recommendations to REVENUE IMPACT. Don't just say "change the button color" -- say "changing the CTA button to a contrasting color typically increases clicks 15-30%, which at your current traffic could mean X more conversions per month."
• Prioritize fixes by effort-to-impact ratio. Quick wins first.
• Be specific. "Improve your headline" is useless. "Change your headline from 'Welcome to Our Platform' to 'Cut Your Reporting Time by 75% -- Automated Analytics for Growth Teams' because it adds specificity, a quantified benefit, and targets a specific audience" is actionable.
• Reference industry benchmarks so the client understands where they stand.
• If you have access to the page via browser tools, take screenshots and reference specific elements.
• If MARKETKIT - MARKETING-AUDIT - <domain>.md exists in the Step 0 audit_dir (same exact domain scope), incorporate those findings into the CRO analysis for a more complete picture. Never search older audit folders.