landing-page-audit

name	landing-page-audit
description	Audits landing pages for conversion optimization with layout, copy, social proof, and CTA recommendations. Use when you need to improve a landing page's conversion rate or identify why a page is underperforming.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Landing Page Audit

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Audit an existing landing page for conversion optimization opportunities
• Identify why a landing page has a low conversion rate
• Get actionable recommendations to improve layout, copy, social proof, and CTAs
• Prepare a structured audit report for a client or team

DO NOT use this skill for full website audits, SEO audits, or building a new landing page from scratch. This is specifically for evaluating and improving an existing landing page.

---

Core Principle

EVERY RECOMMENDATION MUST TIE DIRECTLY TO A CONVERSION OUTCOME — NEVER SUGGEST CHANGES FOR AESTHETIC REASONS ALONE.

---

Phase 1: Page Intake

Before auditing, gather the information needed to evaluate the page in context.

Required Inputs

Ask the user for each of these. If they do not provide one, use the default.

Input	What to Ask	Default
Page URL or content	"Share the landing page URL or paste the HTML/copy."	No default — must be provided
Page goal	"What is the single conversion action? (buy, sign up, book a call, download)"	Lead capture (email opt-in)
Target audience	"Who is this page designed for?"	Small business owners and solopreneurs
Traffic source	"Where does most traffic come from? (ads, organic, email, social)"	Paid ads
Current conversion rate	"What is the current conversion rate, if known?"	Unknown

GATE: Do not proceed until the user provides the page content or URL and confirms the goal.

---

Phase 2: Audit Framework

Evaluate the landing page across these five pillars. Score each 1-10 and provide specific findings.

1. Above-the-Fold Impact (First Screen)

• Headline clarity: Does it communicate the offer in under 5 seconds?
• Value proposition: Is the benefit obvious without scrolling?
• Visual hierarchy: Does the eye flow naturally to the CTA?
• Hero image/video: Does it support the message or distract?
• CTA visibility: Is there a clear, visible call-to-action above the fold?

2. Copy and Messaging

• Headline-ad match: Does the page headline match the traffic source promise?
• Benefit vs. feature ratio: Are benefits leading, with features supporting?
• Specificity: Are claims backed by numbers, timeframes, or concrete outcomes?
• Objection handling: Does the copy address the top 3 buying objections?
• Reading level: Is the copy accessible (target 6th-8th grade level)?

3. Social Proof and Trust

• Testimonials: Are there specific, attributed testimonials with results?
• Trust badges: Logos, certifications, security seals, media mentions?
• Numbers: User count, results achieved, years in business?
• Risk reversal: Money-back guarantee, free trial, no-commitment language?

4. CTA and Conversion Elements

• CTA copy: Does the button text communicate value (not just "Submit")?
• CTA frequency: Is there a CTA at least every 2 scroll-lengths?
• Form friction: How many fields? Can any be removed?
• Urgency/scarcity: Are there legitimate urgency elements?

5. Layout and UX

• Mobile responsiveness: Does it work on mobile without horizontal scrolling?
• Page speed: Are there heavy images or scripts slowing load time?
• Distraction audit: Are there navigation links, sidebars, or external links pulling attention away?
• White space: Is the page scannable or visually cluttered?

---

Phase 3: Report

Deliver the audit as a structured report with scores and prioritized recommendations.

Report Format

## Landing Page Audit Report

**Page:** [URL or page name]
**Goal:** [Conversion action]
**Audit Date:** [Date]

### Scores

| Pillar | Score (1-10) | Priority |
|--------|-------------|----------|
| Above-the-Fold | X | High/Med/Low |
| Copy & Messaging | X | High/Med/Low |
| Social Proof & Trust | X | High/Med/Low |
| CTA & Conversion | X | High/Med/Low |
| Layout & UX | X | High/Med/Low |
| **Overall** | **X/10** | |

### Top 5 Recommendations (Priority Order)

1. [Specific change] — [Expected impact] — [Effort: Low/Med/High]
2. ...

### Detailed Findings

[Section-by-section breakdown with specific observations and fixes]

---

Phase 4: Quick Wins

After the full report, deliver a shortlist of changes the user can implement in under 1 hour.

• Identify 3-5 changes that require minimal effort but high impact
• Provide rewritten headline or CTA copy if those scored low
• Suggest A/B test ideas for the top 2 recommendations

---

Example: SaaS Free Trial Landing Page

Intake: SaaS tool for project management, targeting freelancers, traffic from Google Ads, 2.1% conversion rate, goal is free trial signup.

Finding excerpt:

• Headline says "Project Management Made Easy" — generic, no specificity. Rewrite: "Manage Every Client Project in One Dashboard — Free for 14 Days"
• CTA button says "Get Started" — rewrite to "Start My Free Trial"
• No testimonials above the fold — move strongest testimonial to hero section
• Form asks for phone number — remove it, reduces friction

---

Anti-Patterns

• Suggesting redesigns without data — base every recommendation on conversion principles, not personal taste
• Overloading with 20+ recommendations — prioritize the top 5 that will move the needle
• Ignoring traffic source context — a page receiving cold ad traffic needs different elements than warm email traffic
• Generic advice — "make it better" is not actionable. Provide specific copy rewrites and layout changes
• Aesthetic-only feedback — "the colors don't match" is not a conversion recommendation unless it impacts readability

---

Recovery

• No URL or content provided: Ask the user to paste the page copy, screenshot, or HTML. Cannot audit without seeing the page.
• Multiple pages to audit: Audit one at a time. Offer to create a comparison matrix if they have 2-3 variants.
• User wants a full website audit: Redirect — this skill covers one landing page. Suggest auditing their highest-traffic page first.
• No conversion data available: Proceed with the audit but note that recommendations are based on best practices, not data-driven insights. Recommend setting up tracking.