Testing Checklist

The difference between a mediocre lead magnet that converts at 2% and a stellar one that converts at 20%+ isn’t just in the copy or design. It’s in the testing.

And I don’t mean the “I clicked the form once and it worked” kind of testing.

I mean methodical, deliberate, conversion-focused technical testing where you try to break your own funnel before your prospects do it for you.

In this lesson, you’ll learn the exact testing framework I use for every lead magnet funnel I launch. When you implement this framework, you won’t just get more opt-ins. You’ll collect accurate data. You’ll know exactly where your leads came from. Your tags will fire correctly. And your prospects will get exactly what they requested, when they requested it.

Think of this lesson as your technical armor against the mess that happens when you skip proper testing: lost leads, broken delivery links, and analytics blindness that keeps you from optimizing effectively.

The goal? To transform your lead magnet funnel from a leaky bucket into a precision conversion machine.

Let’s get started.

How to set up your testing environment

Before you run a single test, you need a system to track what you’re testing and what you find. There are three steps to putting this together.

Step 1: Create your Technical Baseline Document

Every time I launch a lead magnet, I create what I call a “Technical Baseline Document” – and it saves me hours of headaches and thousands in lost revenue.

Here’s exactly what you need in yours:

• Funnel flow map (list each page and action in sequence)
• Technical checklist (we’ll build this out in the next sections)
• Issues log (with columns for: issue description, priority, assigned to, status)
• Testing notes (document what you tested and what happened)

Step 2: Set up your testing accounts

You’ll also need emails, browsers and test accounts — you don’t want to use your own for testing.

You’ll need to:

• Create at least 3 separate testing email addresses (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)
• Set up a test account in your CRM/email system with these addresses
• Create a private browser profile specifically for testing

Step 3: Prepare your cross-device testing plan

Finally, make sure you’re ready to test multiple paths:

• Desktop (both Windows and Mac if possible)
• Mobile (both Android and iOS)
• At least 2 different browsers per device

Why this matters: When you test using your own account or email, you’re testing a path that most users won’t experience. You’ll miss critical bugs because your cookies, history, and permissions are already set up.

I learned this the hard way when a client’s lead magnet that worked perfectly in our tests failed for 47% of real users because we didn’t test in Internet Explorer (yes, people still use it).

The beauty of this framework isn’t just organization – it’s accountability. When something breaks (and something always breaks), you’ll know exactly what you tested, what worked, what failed, and have clear documentation to fix the issues.

Don’t skip this step! Your conversion rate depends on it.

Ensure your data capture works

Fact: If your pixels aren’t firing correctly, you’re flying blind. You think your lead magnet funnel is working, but you have no idea where your traffic is coming from, which campaigns are converting, or how to optimize.

So part of your testing needs to including verifying every single tracking mechanism in your funnel. Here’s how to tackle that.

Step 1: Install your pixel testing tools first

Which pixels you need will depend on your marketing set-up. This could include:

• Add the SegMetrics Pixel to your site
• Add the Facebook Pixel Helper Chrome extension
• Install the Google Tag Assistant extension
• Set up a real-time view in Google Analytics
• Have your ad accounts open in separate tabs

Step 2: Test every pixel on every page

You’ll want to check specific things for each pixel:

• SegMetrics Pixel (check that the “seg” pixel shows up)
• Facebook Pixel (check for both PageView and Lead events)
• Google Analytics (verify both the base code and event tracking)
• Ad platform conversion tracking (Google Ads, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Any third-party analytics tools (Heap, Mixpanel, HotJar, etc.)

Step 3: Verify data transmission

Final step is making sure you’re receiving all of the information you need:

• Submit test opt-ins using your test accounts (note that you may need to allow a few minutes for the test accounts to show in your CRM)
• Check that lead data appears in your CRM/email system
• Confirm conversion events register in ad platforms
• Wait 24 hours and verify the data appears in reports

Note: All this testing isn’t just about technical correctness. It’s about your marketing budget. When your pixels work correctly, your ad platforms can optimize toward actual conversions, your retargeting works properly, and your analytics tell the truth.

And when you’re pixels don’t work correctly…

Confirm your source attribution is accurate

If you don’t use UTM parameters properly, you’re making decisions based on incomplete data. It’s that simple.

UTM parameters are not optional extras – they’re the breadcrumbs that tell you exactly which marketing efforts are driving results. That’s why testing your UTM implementation is so important.

Here’s how to confirm your UTM attribution is accurate and effective.

Step 1: Create a UTM testing matrix

This makes it easy to guarantee you’re using the right UTMs for each link.

• List every traffic source (email, social, ads, etc.)
• Document the exact UTM parameter structure for each
• Include examples of complete URLs for each source
• Note which parameters should pass to your CRM

Step 2: Test each UTM combination methodically

Your funnel flow map from before will come in very useful here. When you’re testing, be sure you:

• Click through from each source using your test accounts
• Complete the entire opt-in process from beginning to end
• Verify UTM data appears correctly in your analytics platform
• Check that UTM data is captured in your email/CRM system

Step 3: Verify that your thank you page preserves UTM data

Many systems lose UTM data after form submission. Don’t let this happen to you!

• Confirm your thank you page URL maintains the parameters
• Test that download links/next steps preserve attribution

I worked with a SaaS company that increased lead quality by 43% simply by implementing proper UTM tracking and discovering that leads from industry-specific webinars were 5x more likely to convert than social media leads – but they’d been spending 80% of their budget on social.

Get this right, and you’ll know exactly where to double down your marketing efforts and which channels to cut. Consistency is key!

Test your segmentation framework

Tags are the secret weapon of sophisticated marketers. They’re how you transform a one-size-fits-all lead magnet into a personalized experience that boosts engagement and conversion. But they’re worthless if they don’t fire correctly.

Here’s how to verify your tagging system is working:

Step 1: Document your complete tagging framework

Thorough and clear documentation enables anyone to dive into the data later and know what’s happening. Don’t count on remembering everything! Document it.

• List every tag that should be applied at opt-in
• Note conditional tags based on form fields or sources
• Include tags that trigger automations or segment users
• Map out tag dependencies (if Tag A, then also apply Tag B)

Step 2: Test the full tagging sequence

Start to finish…

• Submit test opt-ins with different form field combinations
• Check tag application in your email/CRM system
• Verify that tag-based automations are triggered
• Test that segmentation works based on these tags

Step 3: Confirm tag persistence and removal

Some systems “lose” tags after certain actions. Make sure your system isn’t mysteriously losing any critical information or tags along the way.

• Verify tags remain after email opens, clicks, etc.
• Test any tag removal conditions to ensure they work
• Check that tags are visible in list exports and reports

Here’s the thing about tags: they’re invisible to your subscribers. When they work, nobody notices. When they fail, your automated sequences, your segmentation, and your reporting all break down. Your subscribers may or may not notice — and you might not realize it for weeks.

Test now to avoid that fate.

Testing critical handoff points

The moment of truth in any lead magnet funnel isn’t when someone lands on your page. It’s the 30 seconds after they hit “submit” on your form. This is the make-or-break handoff that determines whether they become an engaged lead or a frustrated abandoner.

Here’s how to test the most critical part of your funnel:

Step 1: Test every form field combination

Be thorough. Your subscribers will use tons of different combinations.

• Submit with minimum required fields only
• Test with all optional fields completed
• Try common special characters in name fields (O’Brien, Peña)
• Submit with different email formats (.com, .co.uk, etc.)

Step 2: Verify the delivery sequence

Does everything post-submission happen as it should?

• Time how long it takes for the lead magnet to arrive
• Check delivery across different email providers (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)
• Check to verify the email goes into your CRM and into SegMetrics. (You want to make sure there are no timing issues here.)
• Test what happens if someone submits the form twice
• Verify mobile vs. desktop delivery experience

Step 3: Document the complete user experience

Take the extra time to document your testing. You’ll thank yourself later.

• Take screenshots of each step in the process. (Alternately, you can use a screen recording tool like Loom and narrate all of the touchpoints — noting possible places of friction.)
• Record the exact messaging shown to users
• Note any confusing elements or friction points
• Test the download/access process for the lead magnet itself

The delivery disconnect: Here’s something most marketers miss: what you think happens after form submission is often completely different from what actually happens. Your ESP might queue emails during high volume. Spam filters might catch your delivery. Download links might break on mobile devices.

I audited a lead magnet funnel for a client that looked flawless in their testing. But they were using unique download links that expired after 24 hours – and 38% of their leads were opening the email after that window closed. They were literally telling 4 out of 10 leads “sorry, you’re too late” without realizing it.

This is why you need to test the complete experience multiple times, from multiple devices, and with multiple test accounts. Because if your lead magnet doesn’t reach your leads, or if the process frustrates them, you’ve not only wasted your acquisition cost – you’ve created a negative impression of your brand.

Summary

Testing isn’t just a final checkbox before launching your lead magnet—it’s what separates the high-converting funnels from the duds.

We’ve walked through the critical components of an effective lead funnel testing framework:

• Establishing your technical baseline
• Verifying your tracking pixels
• Confirming your UTM parameters
• Testing your tag application
• Validating the critical form submission and delivery process

When you implement this testing system, you’re not just preventing technical errors—you’re ensuring that every lead is properly tracked, segmented, and nurtured, and that your analytics actually reflect reality instead of a broken, partial picture.

You’re literally building the foundation for all of your future data-driven marketing decisions.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Document everything: Your testing plan is only as good as your documentation. Create your Technical Baseline Document before you start testing—not after things break.
2. Test the complete user journey: Don’t test in fragments or assume parts of your funnel work. Follow the exact path your prospects will take, from multiple devices, browsers, and email accounts.
3. Verify the invisible elements: The elements your users never see—pixels, tags, UTM parameters—are often more important than the visible ones. They determine whether your data is accurate and your automations work.

What To Do Next

Before you move on, complete your Technical Baseline Document and run through the complete testing checklist above for your current lead magnet. If you don’t have one live yet, create the document now so it’s ready when you launch.

In our next lesson, “How to Test Effectively,” we’ll move beyond the checklist and dive into creating a systematic approach to testing that you can apply to any lead magnet.