CRO for CTV Traffic: Fixing Law Firm Conversions
CTV drives traffic. Bad websites kill it. Page speed, mobile UX, trust signals. Here's what converts streaming TV visitors and what doesn't.
Your CTV campaign delivers 300,000 commercial airs. Completion rate: 95%. Households reached: 150,000.
Web visits generated: 500.
Leads generated: 12.
What happened? The CTV did its job. It drove traffic. The website killed the conversions.
This is the most common failure mode in legal CTV advertising. Firms invest $20-50K/month in streaming TV, drive meaningful traffic, then lose those visitors to slow load times, buried contact options, and websites built for desktop 2015 instead of mobile 2026.
Here’s what converts CTV traffic, and what kills it.
How CTV Visitors Actually Behave
CTV visitors aren’t search traffic. The behavior pattern:
The CTV Visitor Journey
Watch commercial
Big screen, lean-back, 10-foot viewing distance.
Grab phone
Already in hand. 88% second-screen behavior.
Search firm name
Or type URL directly.
Land on website
Mobile, likely. Impatient, definitely.
Decide in seconds
Engage or bounce. No middle ground.
Key Differences from Search Traffic
| Factor | Search Traffic | CTV Traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Intent | High (actively searching) | Medium (curious, not urgent) |
| Device | Mixed | Primarily mobile (70%+) |
| Context | Active research mode | Interrupted from entertainment |
| Patience | Moderate | Low |
| Brand awareness | Often none | Just saw your commercial |
| Expectation | Information | Continuation of TV experience |
CTV visitors know your brand. They just watched :30 about you. But they’re not in research mode. They’re checking you out quickly before returning to their show.
You have seconds, not minutes.
The Conversion Killers
1. Slow Page Speed
Every extra second between 1-5 seconds meaningfully erodes conversion.
CTV visitors are even less patient than search visitors. They’re holding their phone while a show is paused. If your site doesn’t load immediately, they’re gone.
What works:
- Compress images (WebP format)
- Minimize JavaScript
- Use CDN for faster delivery
- Eliminate render-blocking resources
- Target under 2 seconds on mobile
2. Mobile-Hostile Design
70%+ of CTV response happens on mobile. If your site is built for desktop:
Common problems:
- Tiny tap targets (buttons too small)
- Horizontal scrolling required
- Forms with too many fields
- Pop-ups that cover the screen
- Text too small to read
- Phone number not clickable
Do this instead:
- Mobile-first design (not responsive as afterthought)
- Thumb-friendly buttons (44px minimum)
- Click-to-call everywhere
- Simplified forms
- Large, readable text
- No intrusive interstitials
3. Buried CTAs
If visitors can’t find how to contact you in 3 seconds, they won’t look harder. They’ll leave.
Common problems:
- Phone number hidden in footer
- Contact form below three screens of scrolling
- “Free consultation” buried in paragraph text
- No sticky header with contact options
What converts:
- Above the fold: Phone number, form, and chat visible without scrolling
- Sticky header: Click-to-call persists as user scrolls
- Multiple paths: Call + form + chat all visible
- Clear microcopy: “Free consultation,” “No fee unless we win,” “24/7”
4. Missing Trust Signals
CTV builds awareness, not trust. Your website has to close that gap.
What visitors look for:
- Reviews and ratings (Google stars, count)
- Case results (verdicts, settlements)
- Credentials (bar associations, Super Lawyers, etc.)
- Media features (as seen on…)
- Real photos (attorneys, office, not stock)
Where trust signals belong:
- Above the fold (star rating, review count)
- Near CTAs (reinforcement at decision point)
- Throughout page (don’t make them hunt)
Higher-rated firms earn more contacts. Period.
5. Brand Disconnect
Your commercial has a look, feel, and message. Your website should match.
Option A
Option B
The viewer should feel like they arrived at the right place.
6. Too Much Friction
Every additional step loses visitors.
Friction sources:
- Long forms (more than 5 fields initially)
- Required fields that aren’t necessary
- CAPTCHAs
- Multiple page loads to submit
- Asking for sensitive info upfront
Form optimization reality:
- Completion drops significantly beyond 5-7 fields
- Multi-step forms (short first step) often outperform single long forms
- Dropdowns can be faster than text fields
- Pre-filled fields (where possible) increase completion
The minimum viable form:
- Name
- Phone
- Brief description (optional)
Get them in the door. Qualify on the phone.
7. No Live Chat
Why chat works:
- Lower commitment than calling
- Immediate response (or perception of it)
- Captures visitors who won’t fill forms
- Available 24/7 (with chat services)
Chat providers common in legal:
- Intaker
- LiveChat
- Smith.ai
- Ngage
Best practice: Chat widget visible but not intrusive. Proactive prompt after 10-15 seconds: “Have questions about your case?”
The Above-the-Fold Checklist
The first 600-800 pixels must function as a complete conversion unit:
Above-the-Fold Requirements
Case-type headline
“Injured in a car accident?” Match the TV creative.
Value proposition
“No fee unless we win.” Visible immediately.
Social proof
Stars + review count. Trust at a glance.
Click-to-call
Prominent phone number. Tappable on mobile.
Short form
3-4 fields max. Name, phone, email, brief description.
Chat widget
Alternative contact for the form-averse.
The test: Can a visitor understand what you do, trust you, and contact you without scrolling? If not, redesign.
Conversion Rate Benchmarks
PI Website Conversion Rates
| Site Type | Conversion Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Average PI website | 5-10% | Visit → lead |
| Optimized landing pages | 15-30% | High-intent traffic |
| Top-tier auto accident | 20-35% | After optimization |
What “Conversion” Means
For PI, conversion includes:
- Form submission
- Phone call
- Chat conversation
- Text message
Track all paths. A site with 3% form conversion but 8% call conversion is performing better than raw form data suggests.
Mobile-Specific Optimization
Since 70%+ of CTV response is mobile:
Click-to-Call Priority
| Placement | Priority |
|---|---|
| Header (sticky) | Essential |
| Hero section | Essential |
| After social proof | Important |
| Form area | Important |
| Footer | Standard |
Make the phone number tappable everywhere. Large touch target. Clear “Call Now” microcopy.
Form Considerations
| Field | Mobile Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Name | Single field (not first/last separate) |
| Phone | Numeric keyboard auto-trigger |
| Email keyboard auto-trigger | |
| Description | Optional, expandable |
| Dropdowns | Use for case type selection |
Minimize typing. Maximize tapping.
Page Speed (Mobile)
Mobile connections are slower. Optimize accordingly:
- Compress images aggressively
- Lazy-load below-fold content
- Minimize external scripts
- Consider AMP for landing pages
Target: under 3 seconds on 4G connection.
Testing Framework
Don’t guess. Test.
What to A/B Test
| Element | Test Variations |
|---|---|
| Headline | Case type vs benefit-focused |
| CTA text | ”Free consultation” vs “Get help now” |
| Form length | 3 fields vs 5 fields |
| Chat | Present vs hidden |
| Social proof | Stars vs case results |
| Layout | Form right vs form center |
Minimum Test Duration
- 2+ weeks
- 200+ conversions per variation (ideally)
- Statistical significance before calling winner
Tools
- VWO
- Optimizely
- Unbounce (for landing pages)
Landing Page vs Homepage
For CTV traffic, consider dedicated landing pages:
Option A
Option B
Test it: Send CTV traffic (via unique URL or UTM) to dedicated landing pages vs homepage. Many advertisers see 20-40% conversion lift from focused landing pages.
The CTV-to-Web Integration
Visual Continuity
| TV Element | Website Echo |
|---|---|
| Color palette | Same colors in header/CTAs |
| Attorney featured | Photo on landing page |
| Key message | Headline on landing page |
| Case results shown | Results featured prominently |
| Tone | Matching copy style |
Technical Integration
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| UTM parameters | Track CTV-specific traffic |
| Dedicated landing URL | Measure CTV directly |
| Call tracking number | Attribute calls to TV |
| Pixel placement | Enable retargeting |
| Session recording | Watch CTV visitor behavior |
Common Objections
”Our website is fine”
Is it? Check:
- Mobile page speed (Google PageSpeed Insights)
- Mobile conversion rate specifically
- Bounce rate on mobile
- Session recordings of mobile visitors
“Fine” by desktop standards is often terrible on mobile.
”We just redesigned”
Redesigns often optimize for aesthetics, not conversion. Pretty ≠ converting. Run the tests anyway.
”Chat is too expensive”
Compare chat cost to cost per lead from other channels. If chat generates $100 leads and your paid search CPL is $400, chat is cheap.
”We need all those form fields”
Do you? Really? Get them on the phone with name + phone number. Qualify there. Every additional field loses completions.
The 80/20 of CRO
If you do nothing else:
- Get mobile page speed under 3 seconds. Eliminates biggest drop-off
- Put click-to-call in sticky header. Captures impulse calls
- Add live chat. Captures form-averse visitors
- Show social proof above fold. Builds instant trust
- Match TV creative visually. Continuity increases confidence
These five changes will move conversion more than any other optimizations.
Measuring CRO Impact
Before/After Framework
| Metric | Before CRO | After CRO | Lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile bounce rate | X% | Y% | Z% |
| Mobile conversion rate | X% | Y% | Z% |
| Avg time on page | X sec | Y sec | Z% |
| Form completion rate | X% | Y% | Z% |
| Chat volume | X/month | Y/month | Z% |
Revenue Impact
| Scenario | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| CTV traffic | 500 visits | 500 visits (same) |
| Conversion rate | 3% | 6% (doubled) |
| Leads | 15 | 30 |
| Cases signed (20%) | 3 | 6 |
| Revenue @ $30K avg | $90K | $180K |
Doubling conversion rate doubles revenue from same traffic. CRO is leverage on your existing CTV investment.
The Bottom Line
CTV is a traffic machine. Your website is the conversion engine.
No amount of CTV spend compensates for a website that:
- Takes 5 seconds to load
- Hides the phone number
- Shows stock photos instead of real attorneys
- Requires 10 form fields to submit
- Looks nothing like the TV creative
The firms winning with CTV aren’t just running great commercials. They’re running great commercials that drive traffic to great websites that convert visitors to leads to cases.
CTV + bad website = expensive awareness
CTV + optimized website = profitable growth
Fix the website. Then scale the CTV.
References
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Google. “Find Out How You Stack Up to New Industry Benchmarks for Mobile Page Speed.” 2018. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/data-measurement/mobile-page-speed-new-industry-benchmarks/
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Portent. “Site Speed is (Still) Impacting Your Conversion Rate.” 2022. https://www.portent.com/blog/analytics/research-site-speed-hurting-everyones-revenue.htm
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Unbounce. “What’s a Good Conversion Rate?” 2025. https://unbounce.com/landing-pages/whats-a-good-conversion-rate/
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Majux. “PPC Benchmarks: CPL, CTR, Conversion Rate for Law Firms.” 2025. https://www.majux.com/ppc-benchmarks-cpl-ctr-conversion-rate-law-firms/
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Nielsen. “Second-Screen Behavior Study.” 2024.