CRO Red Flags
Red Flags That a Company Isn’t Ready for CRO (And Why You Shouldn’t Take the Job)
Let’s be honest: CRO is sexy on paper. Every company wants higher conversions, lower CPAs, more revenue—without spending more on ads. Sounds great, right?
But here’s the truth: not every company is ready for CRO. And trying to optimize a site that isn't set up for it is like trying to put a spoiler on a car with no engine. Useless. Worse, you’ll be blamed when things don’t magically improve.
If you're a CRO specialist, freelancer, or agency thinking about taking on a new client, watch out for these red flags. They'll save you headaches—and your reputation.
“We just need some quick wins.”
This is the #1 red flag. It sounds innocent enough, but it usually means:
They don’t have the patience for a real process.
They expect overnight results.
They think CRO is just “changing a button color.”
Quick wins can happen, but CRO is about long-term, systematic improvement. If they’re looking for a magic trick, pass.
No traffic, no data, no dice.
You can’t optimize what doesn’t exist. If their site has 200 visitors a month and no meaningful conversions… there’s nothing to test. No amount of split testing will help a site with zero volume.
Unless they’re pairing CRO with a big traffic push (like paid ads, SEO, or PR), they’re just wasting everyone’s time—including yours.
“We already know what’s wrong, we just need you to fix it.”
Ah yes, the ol’ “we just need someone to push pixels” routine. If a company claims they already know what needs changing, ask:
“What data led you to that conclusion?”
“Have you validated that assumption?”
“Are you open to testing other hypotheses?”
If they’re just looking for a designer or a yes-person, and not someone to actually run a proper CRO process, this is a hard no.
No tracking, bad analytics setup, or zero event data.
CRO without data is guesswork. If their GA4 is a mess, they’re not tracking key events (like form submissions or checkouts), or they have no clue what their funnel even looks like—pause.
They need analytics help before they need CRO. You don’t want to be the person trying to run A/B tests in the dark.
They treat CRO like a one-time project.
CRO is not a “set it and forget it” situation. If they’re talking about CRO like it’s a 4-week engagement and then done forever… they don’t get it.
Real optimization is iterative. It involves research, testing, learning, and repeating. If they want a silver bullet instead of a process, they’re not ready.
Final thoughts
Here’s the thing: walking away doesn’t mean you’re being picky—it means you’re protecting your time, energy, and professional integrity. You’re not a magician. You’re a strategist.
Work with companies that:
Have data (or are willing to get it set up)
Understand CRO is a process
Are open to being proven wrong
Have actual traffic and conversion goals
If they don’t check those boxes, wish them luck and move on. You’re not in the business of duct-taping broken funnels—you’re here to optimize.
CRO Readiness Checklist
Use this to evaluate whether a company is truly ready for Conversion Rate Optimization.
Traffic & Data
Website has at least 5,000+ unique visitors/month (varies by industry, but this is a good floor for testing)
Key conversion actions are being tracked (e.g. form submissions, purchases, signups)
Funnel steps are clearly defined and measurable
Analytics platform is correctly set up (GA4, Mixpanel, etc.)
Historical data available (minimum 3–6 months preferred)
Mindset & Expectations
Stakeholders understand CRO is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix
They’re open to testing ideas they disagree with
They’re not just looking for “quick wins” or “button color changes”
Success metrics are defined and realistic (e.g. +10–20% over time, not 10x overnight)
Tools & Tech
A/B testing tool is set up (e.g. Google Optimize*, VWO, Convert, Optimizely, etc.)
[Note: Google Optimize sunset in 2023—use an alternative]Basic dev/design support is available for implementing test variants
Site performance is stable (no major bugs or UX issues)
CRO Foundation
Company has a clear primary conversion goal (purchase, lead, signup)
There’s already some traction (conversions happening, even if low)
They’ve done basic user research or are willing to (e.g. surveys, heatmaps)
Willing to share access to tools, data, and decision-makers
Red Flags to Watch For
“We already know what’s wrong, just fix it.”
“We need results this month or we’ll stop.”
“We don’t really track conversions, but we want more sales.”
No one on the team understands what CRO actually is
Total Score
20–23 = Green light. Go for it.
15–19 = Caution. Set expectations, fix gaps first.
Below 15 = 🚨 Not ready for CRO. Recommend a strategy or analytics setup phase instead.
