In electronic commerce, conversion marketing is a marketing technique aimed at increasing conversions—that is, turning site visitors into paying customers.
Conversion marketing addresses low online conversion rates by improving overall customer experience.
By focusing on elements such as site usability, support channels, and overall digital experience, conversion marketing is generally considered a long-term strategic investment rather than a short-term fix.[1] Conversion marketing strategies prioritize optimizing existing traffic rather than simply generating more visitors.
This approach includes proactive use of real-time analytics to identify signs of visitor hesitation or intent to abandon a site. In response, targeted messaging, interface enhancements, and personalized content are deployed to guide users, highlight value propositions, and increase the likelihood of conversion. Post-sale, marketers may continue engagement through support services or re-engagement campaigns to strengthen customer retention.
Conversion marketing spans the full customer lifecycle, using integrated tools to support transitions between each phase—from initial interest to repeat purchase.
Conversion marketing efforts are typically evaluated based on the conversion rate, which represents the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action—such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or submitting a form.
The conversion rate is the proportion of visitors to a website who take action to go beyond a casual content view or website visit, as a result of subtle or direct requests from marketers, advertisers, and content creators.
Successful conversions are defined differently by individual marketers, advertisers, and content creators. For online retailers, for example, a successful conversion may be defined as the sale of a product to a consumer whose interest in the item was initially sparked by clicking a banner advertisement. For content creators, a successful conversion may refer to a membership registration, newsletter subscription, software download, or other activity.
The process of improving the conversion rate is called conversion rate optimization. However, different sites may consider a "conversion" to be a result other than a sale.[2] Say a customer were to abandon an online shopping cart. The company could market a special offer, like free shipping, to convert the visitor into a paying customer. A company may also try to recover the customer through an online engagement method, such as proactive chat, to attempt to assist the customer through the purchase process.[3]
Methods to improve conversion include: