CVR

Conversion Rate

Quick definition

Conversion rate is the percentage of a defined group (visitors, sessions or clicks) that completes a chosen goal, such as a purchase or a signup.

Formula

Conversion Rate = Conversions ÷ Total Visitors, Sessions or Clicks × 100

Formula variables

Conversions
The number of times the chosen goal was completed in the period.
Total Visitors, Sessions or Clicks
The base the conversions are measured against. Pick one base and keep it constant.

Worked example

Sessions
24,000
Conversions (orders)
600

600 ÷ 24,000 × 100

Result: 2.5%

Of every 100 sessions, 2.5 ended in an order. The figures are illustrative.

How definitions differ

Session-based
Conversions ÷ Sessions × 100
The most common form in web analytics; one person visiting twice counts as two sessions.
User-based
Converting Users ÷ Users × 100
Counts people instead of visits, so it is usually higher than the session-based rate for the same data.
Click-based
Conversions ÷ Ad Clicks × 100
Used for paid media, where the base is clicks on ads rather than site sessions.
By segment
The same calculation applied to one segment gives the landing page conversion rate, channel or organic conversion rate, or email conversion rate. These are views of the same metric rather than separate metrics; keep the base and goal definition the same when comparing them.

How to interpret it

A conversion rate says how effectively a defined audience is turned into a defined outcome. It changes if either the audience or the goal changes, so compare like with like.

A higher rate is not automatically better if it comes with fewer or lower-value conversions. Read it with volume, value and the cost of getting the traffic.

When it is useful

  • Evaluating pages, offers and funnels on how well they convert.
  • Comparing channels or campaigns once traffic quality is accounted for.
  • Measuring the effect of changes in an A/B test.

Limitations

  • Different bases (sessions, users, clicks) give different rates from the same data.
  • It treats every conversion as equal, whatever its value.
  • Small samples make the rate unstable.

Common mistakes

  • Comparing a session-based rate with a user-based one.
  • Counting several conversion types in one rate.
  • Optimising the rate while lowering conversion value.

Related KPIs

Related marketing terms

Related tools

Campaign URL Builder

Marketing

Consistent campaign tags let analytics break conversions down by campaign and channel. The builder only tags links; it does not calculate the rate or track conversions.