Conversion Rate: worked example
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions | 12,000 |
|---|---|
| Conversions | 360 |
| Revenue | $18,000 |
| Conversion rate | 3.0% |
| Revenue per eligible unit | $1.50 |
| Revenue per conversion | $50 |
Conversion Rate: formula
Common error: Comparing rates across different goals. A newsletter signup and a purchase are different conversions with very different typical rates.
Choose a consistent counting basis: converted visitors divided by visitors, converted sessions divided by sessions, or conversion events divided by eligible interactions. Enter conversions, eligible units and revenue for the same period and attribution scope. Repeat events are not unique converted people.
Conversion Rate: changing Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions | Conversion rate | Revenue per eligible unit | Revenue per conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,600 | 3.8% | $1.88 | $50 |
| 10,800 | 3.3% | $1.67 | $50 |
| 12,000 (example) | 3.0% | $1.50 | $50 |
| 13,200 | 2.7% | $1.36 | $50 |
| 14,400 | 2.5% | $1.25 | $50 |
Conversion Rate: compare input ranges
| Input | Tested from | To | Conversion rate: low input | Conversion rate: high input | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions | 10,800 | 13,200 | 3.3% | 2.7% | 0.606% (20%) |
| Conversions | 324 | 396 | 2.7% | 3.3% | 0.600% (20%) |
| Revenue | $16,200 | $19,800 | 3.0% | 3.0% | 0.000% |
Conversion Rate: individual input comparisons
| Input | Value | Conversion rate | Revenue per eligible unit | Revenue per conversion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions | 9,600 | 3.8% | $1.88 | $50 |
| 10,800 | 3.3% | $1.67 | $50 | |
| 12,000 | 3.0% | $1.50 | $50 | |
| 13,200 | 2.7% | $1.36 | $50 | |
| 14,400 | 2.5% | $1.25 | $50 | |
| Conversions | 288 | 2.4% | $1.50 | $63 |
| 324 | 2.7% | $1.50 | $56 | |
| 360 | 3.0% | $1.50 | $50 | |
| 396 | 3.3% | $1.50 | $45 | |
| 432 | 3.6% | $1.50 | $42 | |
| Revenue | $14,400 | 3.0% | $1.20 | $40 |
| $16,200 | 3.0% | $1.35 | $45 | |
| $18,000 | 3.0% | $1.50 | $50 | |
| $19,800 | 3.0% | $1.65 | $55 | |
| $21,600 | 3.0% | $1.80 | $60 |
Conversion Rate: combined input changes
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions / Conversions | 288 | 360 | 432 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,600 | 3.0% | 3.8% | 4.5% |
| 10,800 | 2.7% | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| 12,000 | 2.4% | 3.0% | 3.6% |
| 13,200 | 2.2% | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| 14,400 | 2.0% | 2.5% | 3.0% |
Conversion Rate: which assumptions move the result?
Conversion Rate: values and definitions
| Quantity and definition | Value used |
|---|---|
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions | 12,000 |
| Conversions | 360 |
| Revenue | $18,000 |
| Conversion rate | 3.0% |
| Revenue per eligible unit | $1.50 |
| Revenue per conversion | $50 |
Conversion Rate: half and double Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions
| Eligible visitors, sessions or interactions | Conversion rate |
|---|---|
| 6,000 | 6.0% |
| 12,000 | 3.0% |
| 24,000 | 1.5% |
An event rate can exceed 100% when an eligible interaction has multiple counted conversions. A unique converted-visitor share cannot. Zero eligible units makes the rate undefined; zero conversions makes revenue per conversion undefined.
Attribution does not establish that a campaign caused an event.
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Conversion rate is the share of visitors who do what you want, and it becomes more useful next to the money. Of 12,000 visitors, 360 converting is 3 percent, and $18,000 of revenue is $1.50 per visitor and $50 per conversion. The revenue per visitor is the number to compare across pages and campaigns, since a lower rate with a bigger order can beat a higher rate with a small one.
Count visitors and conversions over the same period and the same audience. A conversion count from a bigger window than the traffic count inflates the rate.
Use a controlled A/B comparison to assess a change in conversion behavior. For campaign economics, compare the event definition with the cost-per-conversion inputs before combining the results. Define the event before reading the percentage.
A purchase, submitted form and repeated event count are different numerators; changing that definition while retaining the old visitor count creates an inconsistent comparison.
What is a good conversion rate?
There is no universal rate independent of the audience, traffic source and conversion definition. Compare like periods and cohorts using the same denominator. A purchase, a lead and a repeat visit are different events, so a percentage from another business is not automatically an appropriate target.
How can I improve my conversion rate?
Clarify the offer, speed up the page, reduce friction in forms and checkout, add trust signals, and test changes one at a time.
Should I measure by visitors or sessions?
Be consistent. Visitors count people, and sessions count visits, so a person who returns is counted twice in sessions.