The Only CRO Checklist for Shopify Brands You Need in 2025

You may have heard of conversion rate optimization (CRO), but you're still unsure where to start. The good news: you have landed in the right place. This blog post will not only touch on the nitty-gritty of CRO and its benefits in running an eCommerce store, but also tell you exactly which factors to zero in on to master this concept as well. If you have chosen Shopify as your home base, this is for you. Here is the only CRO checklist for Shopify brands you need, once and for all.

What is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) refers to the process of improving one’s website performance to increase conversion rate. If you are familiar with the definitions of "conversion" and "conversion rate", this term is pretty self-explanatory. That said, if you are not, let’s take a look at what these concepts are to have a full understanding of what CRO is.

Conversion is a desired action for visitors to take, which aligns with your business goal. It could be a purchase, email signup, form completion, or any other actions that are in your conversion checklist. 

Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who successfully performed this action on your website. This rate is calculated as per this formula:

Conversion rate = (Total number of conversions / Total number of website visitors) x 100

The success of your website is largely determined by conversion rate, so CRO was designed as a comprehensive strategy that encompasses all factors, however minimal, that contribute to boosting the conversion rate. It’s no exaggeration that CRO is a main driver in digital marketing, especially in a crowded community like Shopify.

Learn how to conduct an eCommerce CRO audit with our guide: How to Do eCommerce CRO Audit + Checklist

Why CRO Matters for Shopify Brands

Customer lifetime value is one of the focal points of a CRO strategy, which adds to brand loyalty and longevity.

Shopify CRO shares most of the basics with the general concept of CRO in eCommerce, but still possesses its own unique values that stores in this ecosystem ought to take notice of. Below are some of the benefits of putting CRO at the forefront to improve Shopify conversions for your consideration.

Boosting Your ROAS

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is one of the central elements in eCommerce marketing, as it is the most concrete proof that your advertising strategy either excelled or failed. CRO is able to give you peace of mind by directly increasing the revenue from your ad spend without raising the budget. It goes a little something like this: more revenue => boosted conversion rate => reduced cost per acquisition (CPA) => maximized ROAS.

Improving User Experience

Customers are what keep brands alive, so their experience on your website can’t be understated. UX stands among the core features of most, if not all Shopify conversion rate optimization strategies. By implementing CRO techniques such as navigation simplification, layout redesign, speed improvement, and other customer-centric modifications, you will be able to deliver a more intuitive user experience. As a result, better UX keeps cart abandonment and bounce rates at bay - the two kryptonites that online merchants dread.

Maximizing Shopify’s Built-in Features

Shopify is not short of built-in features that are waiting to be discovered by merchants, and CRO is the GOAT in making sure that these effective add-ons are utilized to their best potential. You could be putting these tools to work as of this moment, but CRO offers a more detailed view into how they can be combined and taken advantage of side by side to hit that Shopify optimization sweet spot. Here are Shopify’s most prominent features that can be maximized in a CRO strategy:

• Shop Pay

• Shopify themes

• Shopify App Store

• Shopify’s SEO tools

• Shopify Analytics

More on Shop Pay as a popular payment method for Shopify merchants: Shop Pay vs. Afterpay: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Features and Functionality. 

Catering to Mobile Traffic

Did you know that the global mobile commerce market is forecasted to reach an astounding value of $3.4 trillion by 2027? This means mobile shopping will account for 63% of the total eCommerce sales. So, taking care of this matter is the ultimate secret to keep yourself afloat in the market. As CRO covers every facet of a website, mobile optimization is no exception. With the right CRO tactic, mobile traffic is accounted for as one of the most important metrics to evaluate a site’s layout, speed, design, and more.

Shopify is a pioneer in this mobile-first revolution, as it fully supports mobile CRO facets like thumb-friendly CTAs, simplified navigation, fast checkout options, and so on. The right CRO strategy not only shows you how to gear toward mobile users but also equips you with the right mindset to adapt to this trend in the long haul as well.

Curious about mobile optimization for your eCommerce store? Check out our guide: Mobile-First Online Store Design: 10+ Technical Considerations for Responsiveness.

Focusing on Customer Lifetime Value

Creating a satisfactory one-time user experience is simply not enough. What you should aim for as online sellers is customer lifetime value (CLV) - the ultimate measure of your brand’s longevity. Once you have got the basics of CRO nailed down, the long-term benefits of this concept will be as clear as day. With methods that prioritize business-to-buyer relationships, namely post-purchase support, personalized thank-you pages, reordering options, exclusive membership discounts, or relevant upsells, your customers are more prone to come back to your store over the competitors. For Shopify users, these simple yet effective practices can be easily implemented with useful apps on its official app store.

The Ultimate CRO Checklist for Your Shopify Store

1. Homepage CRO Checklist

Heads will be turning at this striking banner image on Pangaia’s homepage - a great tactic to obtain CRO.

If your website were to be a brick-and-mortar shop, then think of the home page as the storefront. It is the first sight that your customers will get to learn about who you are, what you have to offer, and most importantly, why they have to buy from you and not other similar stores. Not sure what to include in a CRO checklist for Shopify brands? Take a peek at the elements below, starting from the home page.

• Hero section: The hero section lies above the fold and sets the tone for your website in mere seconds, so make sure to showcase the crème de la crème: a visually arresting image or video, a strong headline and subheadline, and a cleverly placed CTA button. As pictured above, the sustainable clothing brand Pangaia has leaned into advertising its current sale campaign with an attention-grabbing hero section that hits all the marks.

• Announcement banner: Although it may not appear all the time, the announcement banner holds considerable importance in building trust and boosting limited-time offers. CRO experts highly recommend that brand owners reserve this spot for highlighting key campaigns, shipping info, and other urgencies without distracting customers in their shopping journeys.

• Navigation menu: The key to a top-tier navigation menu goes beyond trying to keep it as short as possible. Your task is to find the perfect balance between a concise yet informative system. To do this, favor a dropdown menu, easy-to-follow language (Shop All, About, Best Sellers, etc.), mobile-centric adaptation, and universal icons that are instantly understood.

• Exit intent pop-up: The homepage is where the bounce rate is usually manifested; that’s why exit intent pop-ups are widely used by eCommerce merchants to keep visitors on the site. Make sure not to make it too intrusive to avoid the opposite effect.

Build a CRO-focused homepage with GemPages’ 200+ templates that are tailored for Shopify sellers across all industries.

2. Product page CRO checklist

Aisle did an amazing job at showcasing an innovative product’s features clearly on its product page.

Your visitor has decided to check out the product in detail? Great! Now it’s your job to present a flawless product page that screams professionalism and convenience.

• Product images: Using only high-quality images is one thing, but product photographs have to stay on-brand, aesthetically pleasing, and diverse as well. Utilize multiple angles, lifestyle shots, zoom functionality, and the addition of GIFs and short clips to display the products in their best light.
• Product titles and descriptions: The brand Aisle specializes in period care items, and it has mastered the product titles and descriptions for an innovative product in this niche. By using SEO-friendly keywords, benefit-focused language, and a dropdown system, this is how you can ace CRO for your eCommerce store. Tip: test these copies regularly with a trustworthy A/B testing tool to find the winner.
• CTA buttons: Easy-to-find, action-oriented, and strategically placed are what should describe your CTA buttons, especially on the product page. While succinct language is recommended, take into account conversion-focused copy, such as ‘Add to Cart’ instead of ‘Buy’, to convey your message better. Tip: Let the CTAs follow your customers by making them sticky.
• Social proof: As buyers, we all instinctively look for reviews to find out whether others have had a worthwhile experience while online shopping. This habit calls for a thorough social proof system, all complete with customer testimonials, star ratings, picture sharing, and UGC to build brand reputation. This can be set up in minutes with a third-party app.
• Scarcity and urgency elements: Urgency gets customers to shop for things they did not know they needed. Make elements like a countdown timer, stock level, free shipping offer if you order now, etc., your besties if you aim to evoke FOMO within buyers.

3. Cart page CRO checklist

Add conversion-focused sections in your cart page to create a more worthwhile shopping journey for customers, as demonstrated by Blume.

The cart page acts as a bridge to take buyers to the checkout process, so it has to be accurate and straightforward, sans any type of distraction.

• Editing options: Save the trip to go back to the product page to edit the order by allowing buyers to update product quantity, size, variant, etc., right on the cart page. Should there be any friction here, you could risk adding to the cart abandonment rate.

• Cart saver pop-up: Similar to an exit intent pop-up, a cart saver pop-up strings along an exclusive discount or limited-time bonus and is a good call to re-engage shoppers who plan to drop off. You can time it to appear when a user shows an intent to exit or appears idle on this page.

• Product upsells and cross-sells: Want to increase AOV? Product upsells and cross-sells are the answer. Learn from Blume’s tactic to place a best seller section on the cart page with a handy ‘Add’ button. This way, buyers can update their carts without leaving the page.

4. Checkout page CRO checklist

Snif put clever trust badges and a handy link to contact the company on its checkout page to reinforce brand trust - a simple practice that pays off greatly.

The shopping journey either ends in an order placement or an unfortunate last-minute drop-off - it all depends on how you design your checkout page.

• Progress indicator: Let customers know how far ahead they are in the checkout flow to reduce fatigue during this last stage. Simultaneously, it motivates them to complete the process, especially on mobile devices where things have to be quick.

• Payment gateways: Shopify is built for CRO, as its one-click payment method, Shop Pay, is an outstanding medium to shorten checkout time and build shopper confidence. Other trusted gateways and credit cards should be included here as well for a complete checkout process with no transactional risk.

• Form fields: Nobody fancies filling in lengthy forms just to make a purchase, so your job is to keep the number of fields to a minimum and enable autofill on both desktop and mobile.

• Trust badges: When a transaction is involved, displaying trust indicators is a must to reassure customers that they are 100% protected when shopping on your site. Utilize SSL certification icon, payment provider logos, and trust-building language to guide buyers to the end of the sales funnel.

More from GemPages: How to Customize Your Shopify Checkout Page in Minutes.

5. Sitewide CRO checklist

Website design plays a pivotal role in setting the mood for your visitors since it conveys your brand image, mission, and overall identity.

Apart from page-specific elements, other sitewide components are equally vital in a CRO checklist.

• Page load speed: Don’t kill off your conversion rate by having an inadequate loading speed. Opt for a speed optimization tool to compress media and offload unused code to keep that site delay under 2 seconds.

• Website accessibility: Design your website for everyone, including those with disabilities. This means having alt-texts for images, text readability, and eye-pleasing fonts.

• Page design and layout: An A1 page design possesses both functionality and aesthetics. Whatever vibes you go for, remember to keep it uncluttered and appropriately structured for smooth navigation.

• Mobile optimization: The mobile-first era is no longer in the future; it is now. To master CRO, aim for a responsive theme, touchscreen-friendly design, and fast load time.

• Third-party app integration: Pick your app wisely and audit installed apps regularly to make sure they are integrating properly with your website. For instance, building a high-converting landing page with a Shopify-compatible app like GemPages alleviates worries about technical errors and malfunctions.

• Customer support: Live chat, FAQ, email, AI-powered support, etc., are all recommended practices to show customers that you are always willing to help. This point is especially important for first-time buyers.

Useful Tools to Ace Your CRO Goals

GemX - A/B Testing Tool

Using A/B testing as a part of your CRO strategy is a surefire practice to hit the goals and elevate your brand’s performance.

Want to know whether your CRO efforts have paid off? A surefire method is to test, but not manually. Get yourself a tried-and-true A/B testing tool like GemX to be privy to the ideal version of your website, web page, landing page, and the like. 

With the keyword CRO at its core, this newly improved app from our team at GemPages will be able to answer all your questions regarding the insights of your website, suggest appropriate solutions, and assist you in building a long-lasting business. No code, no redundant setup, no technical hiccups - this tool is designed for sellers with a laser focus on all things CRO.

TinyIMG - Speed Optimization Tool

Don’t risk your website’s performance with an inadequate loading speed - a one-in-all tool like TinyIMG can offer a simple solution to reach your CRO goals.

To attain speed optimization, your website has to operate swiftly in all facets. In most cases, heavy visual media such as images, GIFs, videos, and slideshows rise to the top as the culprits who bring your performance down. That is when a tool like TinyIMG comes in. 

This crowd’s favorite app reduces your image sizes without compromising the quality, optimizes third-party apps and other plugins, and utilizes the magic of AI (link) to produce high-quality, SEO-focused metadata. Better yet, it integrates seamlessly with Shopify’s interface. As a whole, TinyIMG is a brilliant choice to avoid unfortunate cases where a prospect bounces off your site due to a 2-second delay in loading time. Your CRO goals are easily obtainable when speed is no longer a matter.

Crazy Egg - Analytics Tracking Tool

Know exactly which area to improve by using a reliable tracking tool that creates detailed reports on your performance, namely Crazy Egg.

Crazy Egg takes advantage of deep user behavior insights to help merchants improve CRO. This tool has everything you need, from heatmaps and session recordings to confetti reports and traffic analysis. What makes this app stand out is its seamless integration with Shopify via no-code testing and easy script setup. Trusted by the largest brands out there, so you know Crazy Egg is legit.

Judge.me - Social Proof Tool

It’s always a good call to display social proof where customers want to see it most, now made easy by tools like Judge.me.

It is not easy to expect a visitor to turn into a customer when they are not presented with any signs of trust in your eCommerce store. Although it seems trivial, a customer review section is king when it comes to CRO. Our pick for the best social proof tool is Judge.me - a popular app that lets merchants display testimonials, trust badges, and specific endorsements on their website. Start free and scale up whenever you need. This tool lets your brand shine with the reviews that will have your goods fly off the shelves like hot cakes. Bonus points: it has 24/7 support and enterprise-grade compliance.

Final Words

CRO has been a buzzword in the eCommerce sector lately as more and more merchants are tailoring their business plans around this concept. If you are worried that it is only a fad, it certainly is not. We have scouted the web to curate the best CRO checklist for Shopify brands, so this is your all-in-one guide to learning how to improve Shopify conversions step-by-step. Ready to completely revamp your store? Head over to GemPages’ website and start creating your masterpiece.

FAQ about CRO Checklist for Shopify Brands