The metric that hides the number
CVR is genuinely useful for comparing like with like, one ad against another at similar volume, or a page before and after a change. Where it misleads is when it is used to rank things of very different sizes. A 10% conversion rate on 20 clicks is 2 conversions; a 3% rate on 2,000 clicks is 60. Sorted by rate, the first looks like the winner, and it produced thirty times fewer customers.
Turn the rate into a count
Before ranking campaigns by conversion rate, multiply the rate by the base to see the actual number, then rank by that and by revenue or pipeline. Small samples also make the rate jumpy in both directions, so treat early or low-traffic rates as noise. We work through the trap in your best-converting campaign might have made almost no sales.
Common questions
What is a conversion rate?
The percentage of an audience that completed the target action: conversions divided by the base, such as clicks or sessions. A 3% CVR means 3 of every 100 converted.
Is a higher conversion rate always better?
No. A rate is only comparable at similar volume. A high rate on a tiny base can mean very few conversions, so multiply the rate by the volume before you compare campaigns of different sizes.