Conversion Path

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A Conversion Path is a potential customer’s journey to complete a desired action on a website or app.

This action, also known as a conversion, could be anything from signing up for an email list to purchasing.

This path usually involves a few key parts: a call-to-action (CTA) button or link that grabs attention, a landing page that provides more details, a form to fill out, and a thank-you page or message at the end.

Each part helps turn visitors into leads or paying customers.1

Visual Representation

conversion path visual representation

Purpose

The main purpose of a conversion path is to guide website visitors towards taking a desired action, also known as a conversion.

This conversion can vary depending on your business goals, but it typically involves something valuable to you, like buying something, subscribing, or engaging in another way.

Conversion paths also let businesses see how users act at each step, giving valuable information to improve marketing strategies.2

How It Works

Here’s how the conversion path typically works:

  1. Getting Visitors: First, you get people to come to your website using things like cool blog posts, social media, or ads.
  2. Showing the Prize: When visitors are on your site, you show them something extraordinary they can get for free, like a discount or a guide.
  3. Telling Them What to Do: You put up a big, clear button that says “Get it now!” so they know exactly how to grab the freebie.
  4. Signing Up: If they click the button, they go to a special page that tells them more about the free offer and asks for their email or other information to receive it.
  5. Filling Out a Form: They put in their details to say, “Yes, I want this!” Now, they’ve turned from just a visitor to someone interested (a lead).
  6. Saying Thanks: After they sign up, you say “Thank you” and give them the free thing. This makes them happy and more likely to come back.
  7. Keeping in Touch: Now that you have their info, you can send them more cool stuff or offers, gently guiding them to buy something.3

Usage

Here’s where the conversion path is commonly applied:

  • E-commerce Websites: To lead visitors to make a purchase. The path might start with viewing a product, then moving to add it to the cart, and finally to the checkout process.
  • SaaS (Software as a Service) Platforms: For signing up new users or upgrading free accounts to premium. The conversion path could involve taking a free trial before committing to a subscription.
  • Content Marketing: To convert readers or viewers into leads by offering them valuable content (like ebooks, webinars, or whitepapers) in exchange for their contact information.
  • Online Services: Such as insurance quotes, loan applications, or any service requiring users to submit information or make a selection as part of the conversion process.
  • Membership Sites: To encourage sign-ups or subscriptions, they guide users through the benefits of joining and require them to complete a registration form.
  • Event Registration: For conferences, workshops, or online events, where the path leads from interest in the event to completing a sign-up form.
  • Lead Generation Sites: Any website whose primary goal is to gather leads for further marketing or sales efforts uses conversion paths to collect visitor information through contact forms.
  • App Downloads: On websites promoting mobile apps, guiding visitors to download the app from the App Store or Google Play.4

Example

For example, a fitness app wants more people to sign up for its free trial.

They use a conversion path that begins with ads on social media with an eye-catching call to action (“Start Your Free Trial”).

These ads take people to a landing page that explains more about the free trial and its perks.

The page has an easy form to fill out with just a few details.

Once the form is submitted, users go to a thank-you page that tells them how to start the trial and offers extra helpful content like workout advice and eating plans.

Related Terms

References:

1. Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, July 4). Conversion path. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_path

2. Øverland, A. P. (2016). Always On: Digital Brand Strategy in a Big Data World. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Always_On/ISvtCwAAQBAJ

3. Conversion Path. SendPulse. (2023, March 22). https://sendpulse.com/support/glossary/conversion-path

4. Conversion paths – the definitive guide. SEOwind. (2023, June 5). https://seowind.io/docs/conversion-paths-the-definitive-guide/

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