A step-by-step checklist for auditing a landing page, sales page or product page (digital or physical) — traffic and offer first, then message match, hero, problem, mechanism, proof, objections, offer/guarantee, buy box/CTA, mobile and post-click flow — each item linked to its evidence note.

Sales / landing page audit checklist

Work top to bottom; stop and fix the first broken layer before polishing later ones. Marks: ✅ ok / ⚠️ weak / ❌ broken.

TL;DR

Audit list → offer → copy: traffic and offer problems can’t be fixed with words¹.
Then check message match with the ad that sends the traffic and its awareness stage²³.
Then walk the page as the buyer: right place? → will it work for me? → can I justify it?⁴
Finish with buy box/CTA mechanics, mobile, and what happens after the click.

Details

0. Traffic & offer (List, offer, copy — fix them in that order)

Who lands here (ad, audience, persona)? Is it one coherent group, or homepage-style mixed traffic?¹
Does the offer address the buyer’s main anxiety (time, risk, fit) — not just a discount?⁵

1. Message match (Message match between ad and landing page)

Hero repeats the hook/claim of the ad (verbatim is fine)⁶⁷.
Page starts at the awareness stage the ad left them in, and moves them one stage³.
One page per angle/persona, not one evergreen page for all ads².

2. Hero — “Am I in the right place?” (Nine copy triggers by funnel stage, Headline hooks and choosing a copy framework)

Names a specific category/audience; mirrors self-identity, doesn’t imply they’re wrong⁴⁸.
Leads with the problem or desired outcome in the customer’s words (VOC), not a vague 4–6-word slogan⁹.
The offer (and for e-com, the buy box/CTA) is visible above the fold¹⁰¹¹.

3. Problem & desire

Problem dimensionalised (cost, lived experience); blame removed (Identity and desire angles — selling who the buyer becomes).
Would a scroller feel “I’m on the ground and need this hand”? If not, the page has a hook but no heart (Why ads get clicks but no conversions)¹².

4. Mechanism & plausibility

Named problem + solution mechanism; passes the 10-word test (Name a problem mechanism and a solution mechanism)¹³.
Big claims phrased plausibly (timeframe, ratio, “more than”)¹⁴.
Every vague adjective replaced with a specific number or concrete detail (Proof placement and believable claims)¹⁵.

5. Proof

Each claim has its proof (testimonial, demo, data) right next to it — PCPO, no orphan testimonial wall¹⁵.
One big, relevant proof point leads; review widget lower down¹⁶.
E-com: testimonial opens the buy box; stars link to reviews (The product-page buy box)¹⁷.

6. Objections & trade-offs

Top three objections each killed in one plain sentence¹⁸.
The honest catch stated once near the close (“result, but effort”)¹⁹.
FAQ accordion with real support questions, refund and delivery terms (Product-page anatomy — header, carousel, description and support content)²⁰.

7. Offer, guarantee, close (Guarantees and offers that remove purchase anxiety)

Guarantee text + USP/trust icons directly under the CTA²¹.
Value perception visible: review count, gift with purchase, launch/acquisition offer, badges²².
If options are shown: three, with the recommended one in the middle²³.
Urgency is real (actual deadline/countdown), not fake.

8. CTA & buy box mechanics

CTA above the fold on mobile and desktop; ≥80% width on mobile; colour used nowhere else; hover state¹¹²⁴.
CTA text matches destination (“Check out now” only if it skips the cart)²⁵.
No exits on paid LPs (no nav); every CTA returns to the buy section; buy box on the page rather than a redirect to a PDP²⁶²⁷.
Carousel: ≥8 looks incl. in-use shots, fast loading, zoom, short demo video (physical products)²⁸.

9. Fluency & mobile

Read aloud — every stumble is friction; short sentences, familiar words²⁹.
Scannable: headlines + bullets carry the argument³⁰.

10. After the click

Pop-up / email / SMS carry the same angle and promo as the page³¹.
Confirmation page and first emails feel like a small ritual, not dead ends (Identity and desire angles — selling who the buyer becomes).
Decide copy debates with A/B tests and revenue, not opinions³².

Disagreements / caveats

The checklist merges a copywriter (Joanna Wiebe), an e-com operator (Ezra Firestone, 2023), a DTC brand marketer (Sofi, Dose) and an ad strategist (Ben Bennett). Proof volume is the main tension — see Proof placement and believable claims.
For web2app/subscription checkouts use Web paywall and checkout best practices for web2app alongside this list.

Sales / landing page audit checklist

Sales / landing page audit checklist

TL;DR

Details

Disagreements / caveats

See also

Footnotes