---
title: "Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) — free course"
description: "Research, test and improve funnels with evidence — from customer insight to statistically sound, well-tooled experiments"
url: https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization
updated: 2026-10-05
---

Marketing · Advanced · 424 minutes · free · updated Sep 2026

# Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Research, test and improve funnels with evidence — from customer insight to statistically sound, well-tooled experiments

- **Lessons:** 20 in 6 modules
- **Video lectures:** 20 lectures, 173 minutes
- **Updated:** Sep 2026

## Tools you'll use

- GA4
- Microsoft Clarity
- Hotjar
- VWO
- Optimizely
- AB Tasty
- Convert
- GrowthBook
- PostHog
- Statsig
- LaunchDarkly
- Lyssna
- Maze
- Optimal Workshop
- PageSpeed Insights
- BigQuery
- Figma
- Python

[Start the course](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/what-cro-really-is)

## About this course

Traffic is expensive; converting more of it is often the fastest route to growth. But real CRO is not button colours and copied 'best practices' — it is a disciplined loop of **research, hypotheses, prioritisation, experimentation and learning**.

You will diagnose funnels in GA4 and with Core Web Vitals, uncover *why* visitors hesitate with recordings, surveys, user tests and **UX research methods** (card sorts, tree tests, prototype tests), and write evidence-backed hypotheses. You will learn A/B testing statistics hands-on — **sample size and power calculators in Python**, SRM checks, the peeking problem, **sequential testing caveats** and **CUPED** — and choose an experimentation stack after Google Optimize (VWO, Optimizely, AB Tasty, Convert, GrowthBook, PostHog and more).

Finally, you will personalise responsibly, audit checkouts, avoid dark patterns that regulators now target, use AI with verification, and report impact credibly. For growth marketers, ecommerce managers, agency strategists and founders.

## What you will learn

- Diagnose where and why a funnel leaks using analytics, speed data, recordings, surveys and UX research methods
- Write testable, evidence-backed hypotheses and prioritise them with transparent scoring and feasibility checks
- Audit landing pages, forms and checkouts against UX, copy, accessibility and local-payment heuristics
- Plan A/B tests with Python sample size calculators, SRM checks and pre-registered decision rules
- Explain peeking, sequential and Bayesian caveats and use CUPED-style variance reduction appropriately
- Choose and validate an experimentation stack after Google Optimize, including feature flags and A/A tests
- Run an ethical, well-governed CRO programme and report impact conservatively with holdouts

## Before you start

- [Web Analytics with Google Analytics 4](https://optimizeall.com/learn/web-analytics-with-ga4)

## Course content

### CRO foundations

What conversion optimisation really is, how to locate the biggest opportunities, and how to persuade ethically.

- [What CRO really is (and is not)](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/what-cro-really-is): 10 min
- [Funnel diagnosis: finding the biggest opportunities](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/funnel-diagnosis): 11 min
- [Persuasion psychology and ethical boundaries](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/ethical-persuasion): 11 min

### Conversion research

Find where and why visitors hesitate with analytics, speed and search data, behavioural tools, voice-of-customer research and UX research methods such as card sorts, tree tests and prototype tests — using AI to speed up synthesis, with human verification.

- [Quantitative research: analytics, forms and speed](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/quantitative-research): 11 min
- [Qualitative research: heatmaps, recordings and user testing](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/qualitative-research): 11 min
- [Voice of customer: surveys, interviews and reviews](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/voice-of-customer): 11 min
- [UX research methods: card sorts, tree tests and prototype testing](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/ux-research-methods): 8 min

### Hypotheses and prioritisation

Turn research into testable hypotheses, score them transparently and decide what to test, build or drop.

- [Writing strong hypotheses](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/writing-hypotheses): 10 min
- [Prioritisation with ICE, PIE and evidence scoring](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/prioritisation-frameworks): 11 min
- [Test, build or drop: choosing the right action](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/test-build-or-drop): 10 min

### Landing pages, copy and UX heuristics

Apply proven structures and heuristics to landing pages, forms and checkouts — as starting points for evidence, not rules.

- [Landing page anatomy and message match](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/landing-page-anatomy): 11 min
- [UX and copy heuristics for conversion](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/ux-and-copy-heuristics): 11 min
- [Optimising forms and checkout](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/forms-and-checkout): 11 min

### A/B testing statistics and experimentation platforms

Design sound experiments, calculate sample size and power in Python, understand peeking, sequential and Bayesian caveats, choose a post-Google Optimize experimentation stack and reduce variance with CUPED.

- [A/B test fundamentals and experiment design](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/ab-test-fundamentals): 11 min
- [Sample size, significance and power](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/sample-size-and-significance): 12 min
- [Peeking, pitfalls and reading results honestly](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/peeking-and-pitfalls): 11 min
- [Experimentation platforms, CUPED and variance reduction](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/experimentation-platforms-and-variance-reduction): 8 min

### Personalisation and running a CRO programme

Personalise responsibly, manage a CRO programme with the right cadence and tools, and report impact credibly.

- [Personalisation and segmentation that pays off](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/personalisation): 11 min
- [Running a CRO programme](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/running-a-cro-programme): 11 min
- [Measuring and reporting CRO impact credibly](https://optimizeall.com/learn/conversion-rate-optimization/measuring-cro-impact): 10 min

## Certificate: Certified Conversion Optimization Specialist

The holder can diagnose funnels with quantitative, qualitative and UX research, write and prioritise evidence-based hypotheses, audit pages and checkouts, design statistically sound A/B tests with correct sample sizes, apply sequential and variance-reduction concepts, choose experimentation tools, avoid dark patterns and report CRO impact credibly.

- **Final assessment:** 25 questions, 40 minutes
- **Passing score:** 80%