Conversion rate
The conversion rate is the share of a website’s visitors who complete a desired action — such as sending an enquiry, completing a purchase or applying for a job.
It is calculated as the number of conversions divided by the number of visitors. If 1,000 people visit a page and 20 of them send an enquiry, the conversion rate is two per cent.
Raising the conversion rate is often more economical than buying more visitors: clear calls to action, short forms, fast loading, trust signals such as references and reviews, and answers to the key questions right on the page.
Each business defines what counts as a conversion — for an agency the project enquiry, for a shop the order, for a recruiting portal the application.
What to look out for
- Define what counts as a conversion — enquiry, call, order, application — and make it measurable.
- Offer a clear, visible call to action on every important page.
- Cut forms down to the essentials and test them on mobile.
- Place trust signals close to the button: references, reviews, response time.
- Test changes one at a time so it is clear what works.
Common mistakes
- Only visitor numbers are considered, not what visitors do.
- Long forms with many mandatory fields at first contact.
- Several equally loud buttons competing for attention.
Frequently asked questions
It depends heavily on industry, offer, price and traffic source. More meaningful than benchmarks is how your own rate develops over time.
Usually with a clearer call to action, a shorter form, faster loading and visible trust signals — start where most visitors drop off.