Here’s a curated list of the best conversion rate optimization (CRO) books, based on consistent recommendations from industry experts, agencies (like Invesp, CXL, Conversion Rate Experts), and 2025 rankings. These classics and modern essentials focus on practical strategies, testing, psychology, and landing pages—timeless despite the field's evolution.
You Should Test That by Chris Goward Foundational guide to structured CRO with the LIFT framework; packed with case studies and prioritization techniques. Widely called the "bible" of modern CRO.
Making Websites Win by Karl Blanks and Ben Jesson From Conversion Rate Experts agency; in-depth on research, testing, and scaling wins. Includes real client stories (Amazon, Google) and a step-by-step process.
Conversion Optimization: The Art and Science of Converting Prospects to Customers by Khalid Saleh and Ayat Shukairy Comprehensive overview covering planning, heuristics, testing, and persuasion. Great for beginners to intermediates.
Landing Page Optimization by Tim Ash Focuses on usability, psychology, and A/B testing for landing pages. Updated editions keep it relevant; pioneer-level insights.
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug Usability classic essential for CRO; teaches intuitive design that reduces friction and boosts conversions.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini Core principles (reciprocity, scarcity, etc.) applied heavily in CRO copy and design.
Always Be Testing by Bryan Eisenberg Practical Google Optimizer guide (principles still apply); emphasizes testing culture.
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley Excellent for CRO copywriting; practical tips on clear, empathetic content that converts.
A/B Testing: The Most Powerful Way to Turn Clicks Into Customers by Dan Siroker and Pete Koomen Real-world Obama campaign stories; strong on experimentation mindset.
Experimentation Works by Stefan Thomke Business-wide experimentation (beyond web); Harvard insights on testing at scale.
From Moz community discussions, Clutch.co, industry lists (e.g., Invesp, Single Grain, Conversion Rate Experts), and 2025 agency rankings:
Tim Ash (SiteTuners) – Pioneer since mid-1990s; author of Landing Page Optimization; worked with major brands.
Peep Laja (formerly CXL/Speero) – Founder of ConversionXL; evidence-based experimentation expert.
Khalid Saleh & Ayat Shukairy (Invesp) – Authors of key CRO book; 36k+ A/B tests; top-ranked agency.
Bryan Eisenberg – NY Times bestselling author; persuasion and data-driven marketing legend.
Conversion Rate Experts (CRE) – Queen's Award winners; worked with Amazon, Apple, Google; codified modern CRO methodology.
Single Grain – Full-funnel growth + CRO; named best overall in some 2025 lists.
KlientBoost – High-velocity testing; strong for PPC + CRO integration.
Speero (ex-CXL Agency) – Research-heavy, behavioral science focus.
CRO Metrics – Enterprise-scale experimentation.
Northpeak – UX + data-driven; trusted by Fortune 500s.