Conversion rate optimization for SaaS: the 20-point checklist I run on every site

Paid media makes a leaky funnel expensive. Before scaling spend on any SaaS account, I run the same audit. It takes a day and it has never once come back empty.

Above the fold

Does the headline name the outcome rather than the category? Is there exactly one primary action? Does the page load its largest element in under 2.5 seconds on a mid-range Android phone? Most B2B sites fail at least one of these, and the third is usually the silent killer.

The signup path

Count the fields. Every field removed from a trial signup typically adds a few percent to completion. Remove company size, phone number and job title — you can enrich those later. Ask for a credit card only if your sales motion genuinely depends on it.

Activation, not signup

Trial-to-paid is decided in the first session. Define the single action that correlates with retention, then design the empty state to push toward it — sample data, a guided first task, a template. Personalised onboarding paths based on a one-question intent selector are still the cheapest activation lift available.

Pricing page discipline

Three plans, one visibly recommended, annual toggle defaulting to the framing you want, and an FAQ answering the objections your sales team hears weekly. Add a comparison table only when a competitor comparison is the actual decision the buyer is making.

Measure honestly

Every test needs a pre-registered primary metric and a minimum sample size. Stopping a test the moment it looks green is the most common way teams convince themselves they improved something they did not.