Free field guide · Updated 8 October 2026
Your next conversion win might be hiding in plain sight.
Spend 15 minutes walking through your site as a first-time visitor. Leave with one specific improvement to test, instead of another redesign project.
Download the checklist (plain text) · No account needed.
1. Make the promise clear — 3 minutes
- Open the homepage on your phone. Without scrolling, can you say who this is for and what it helps them do?
- Read the main button aloud. Does it explain the next step, or just say “Submit”?
- Check that the promise beside the button matches what actually happens after a click.
2. Walk the path — 4 minutes
- Choose one goal: enquiry, signup or purchase. Follow that path from the homepage to its final confirmation.
- Write down each question the site leaves unanswered: cost, timing, eligibility, commitment or what happens next.
- Remove one unnecessary decision or field. Keep checks needed for safety, consent and the service itself.
- Try a missing or invalid field. Does the error explain how to recover without losing your work?
3. Check the small-screen experience — 3 minutes
- Read the page without zooming. Tap the main action without hitting its neighbour.
- Use the keyboard to reach links and fields. Check that focus is visible and labels are clear.
- Try a slower connection. Notice whether useful content and the next action arrive before large decorative images.
4. Earn the next step — 3 minutes
- Show a useful example, checklist or preview before asking for commitment.
- Use only real, permitted proof. A demonstration is not a customer result.
- For visitors who are not ready to buy, offer a genuinely useful way to stay in touch. Make email permission explicit and separate from account creation.
5. Choose one test — 2 minutes
Complete this sentence: “I think [specific friction] stops [visitor] from [goal]. I will change [one thing] and check [outcome] over [period].”
Record the current outcome before changing the page. If measurement is unavailable or traffic is too low, say so. A handful of conversions cannot establish that a change caused an improvement. Keep privacy choices and accessibility intact.
Your working note
Page: ____ · Visitor goal: ____ · Observed friction: ____ · Evidence: ____ · One change: ____ · How and when to check: ____ · What would make you undo it: ____