Among the words bantered about in marketing, none is more important or perhaps more mysterious than meets the eye than conversion. Clicks don’t matter, you might hear. It’s all about conversions. So what is a conversion in marketing? I’m Jason McDonald, director of the JM Internet Group, and in this edition of WordThink, let’s investigate.
THE MANY MEANINGS OF CONVERSIONS
First up, let’s ponder the primary meaning, or should I say, primary meaningS of “conversion.” Its basic meaning is “to change” as when ice “converts” to liquid water, or when liquid water “converts” to steam. Conversion means change. In religion, you can also speak of conversion, as when an Atheist converts to a Christian, or when a Buddhist might become a Muslim. And in football, a conversion is the act of scoring an extra point after a touch down.
Now that last one gives us an additional clue as marketers. A conversion has to do with a goal, with getting something done. Just as football players kick that ball between the goal posts and “score,” this last meaning clues us in that conversions for marketers mean getting something done that helps us “score.”
TWO TYPES OF CONVERSIONS
As marketers, we care about change. We care about building our brand, and selling more stuff. We want our potential customers to change into our real customers, our real customers to become fans, and our fans to become evangelists. Conversions, for marketers, have to do with the achievement of one, or both, of two types of goals: either the purchase of something in an e-commerce store, or at least the filling out of a feedback form as a sales lead, in which a potential customer gives you his name, email address, company name, job title, phone number and other contact points so that your sales staff can follow up.
Conversions – these two types at least – means the achievement of goals, usually moving a prospect down the sales funnel from prospect to customer.
WHAT IS A CONVERSION
In summary, a conversion – for marketers – is the achievement of a goal, usually either an e-commerce purchase on your website and/or the filling out of a feedback form to become a sales lead.
Thank you for watching.
