What is a conversion rate?

Definition

A conversion rate is the percentage of a website's visitors who complete the desired action — for example a purchase, a quote request or filling in a form — divided by the total number of visitors.

Context

Conversion rate is one of the few figures that directly shows whether a website actually works, regardless of how many visitors arrive. A site with low traffic but a high conversion rate can outperform a site with high traffic and a low rate.

What drives the rate rarely comes down to one button or colour. Load time, clarity of the offer, the number of steps to the action, and whether the site builds trust all play a role. On a custom platform this is measurable and adjustable, because the entire structure — from load time to form — is under direct control rather than bounded by a template.