2026-07-07 · 8 min read
Conversion Rate Optimization Basics for Small Sites
Classic A/B testing needs traffic most small sites do not have. That does not mean optimization is off the table — it means you optimize differently.
Measure the funnel, not the page
Track four numbers: visitors, engaged visitors, action starts and completions. The biggest drop between two of those steps is your first project.
Session recordings and scroll depth beat statistical tests when volume is low. Ten recordings will usually reveal the same friction an A/B test would take three months to prove.
Change big things, not button colours
With low traffic, only large changes produce a signal you can see. Rewrite the offer, restructure the page, change the pricing presentation.
Micro-tests are a tax on your attention at this stage. Save them for when you have thousands of sessions a week.
Build a feedback loop
Ask five recent customers what nearly stopped them from buying. Their answers become your next three page sections.
Re-audit the page every quarter. Pages decay as offers, pricing and competitors change.
Small sites win by shipping fewer, bolder changes and listening closely to a handful of real users.
Roast my site