In marketing, conversion is when a user, reader or targeted individual follows through with the call to action. In an email marketing campaign, that might mean when a reader opens the email and clicks a link within. In an online advertising campaign, that might mean when a person sees an ad on the sidebar and clicks on it. Conversions are key, and they are often the primary objective when implementing SEO strategies and marketing campaigns. Let this serve as your guide to understanding the basics of conversion, what factors inhibit conversions and what can be done to boost conversion rates.
Understanding Conversion
Conversion can mean a variety of things within the scope of marketing. For a for-profit business, a conversion might imply that someone has gone from a casual browser to a paying customer through a sale. For a political organization, a conversion might mean going from someone who sees a link on social media to a person who clicks on that link and then “likes” a certain political candidate as a result. Overall, however, a conversion is when someone completes the action you hope they will take.
Conversions can be small or they can be large, and they can also be interconnected. For instance, sending a single email might result in four different conversions. The first conversion might be when the recipient receives the email, reads the headline, and decides to open it up in their inbox rather than immediately press delete. The second conversion might take place when they read through the content and then click a link in order to read more on your website. The third conversion could be when that same person gets to your website and submits their information in order to access past content or to subscribe to upcoming content. The fourth and final conversion might be paying for additional content, a product you offer or a related service from your website.
