Conversion Funnel.

A conversion funnel represents the progressive stages a user moves through on the path to conversion, with each stage representing a smaller, more committed subset of the original audience—hence the funnel shape. For an e-commerce site, the funnel might be: Homepage → Category Page → Product Page → Add to Cart → Checkout → Purchase. Drop-off at each stage represents conversion opportunity.

Analysing Funnel Drop-Off

Funnel analysis identifies at which stage users abandon the process—directing optimisation effort to where it will have the greatest impact. A large drop-off between Add to Cart and Checkout initiation suggests a friction point at checkout entry; high drop-off during checkout might indicate form complexity, shipping costs disclosed too late, or lack of payment options. Session recordings and heat maps on high-drop-off pages reveal the specific causes.

B2B Funnel Considerations

B2B conversion funnels are typically longer and less linear than e-commerce funnels, involving multiple stakeholders and extended evaluation periods. The stages often include: MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead), SQL (Sales Qualified Lead), Opportunity, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won. Marketing's job is to move prospects from awareness to MQL and create conditions for sales to close efficiently.