A micro conversion is a small but meaningful user action that moves a visitor one step closer to a business outcome. Think of it as the “yes, keep going” signal inside your funnel: newsletter signup, pricing page view, add-to-cart, starting checkout, clicking a primary CTA, or scrolling to 90%. Micro conversions don’t bring direct revenue, but they strongly predict the likelihood of a macro conversion later.
Why it matters in web analytics
Micro conversions give faster feedback loops than rare purchases or lead submissions. They improve your signal density for experimentation, segmentation, and forecasting. You can model them as precursors in your Goal Funnel, monitor their Conversion Rate, and use them as features in attribution and LTV models.
How to measure (simple)
- Micro Conversion Rate (MCR)
MCR = (Micro conversions / Sessions) × 100%
Example: 120 micro conversions across 2,000 Sessions →120 / 2000 × 100% = 6%. - Per-User Frequency
Frequency = Event count / Users(handy for actions that can repeat, e.g., “Add to cart” clicks). See Event Count and User.
Practical examples
| Micro conversion | Funnel stage | Why it’s useful |
|---|---|---|
| Click on primary CTA | Awareness → Consideration | Early intent signal; correlates with Click-Through Rate (CTR) |
| Newsletter signup | Consideration | Builds owned audience; assists future sessions |
| Add to cart | Consideration → Intent | Strong predictor of checkout start |
| Start checkout | Intent | High-value precursor; watch drop-offs step-by-step |
Analyst tips
- Track micro conversions as discrete goals (see Goal) with clear definitions and de-duplication rules.
- Separate quality from quantity: pair counts with downstream lift on macro outcomes (e.g., how many checkout starts become orders).
- Build segment-level MCR (channel, device, campaign) and compare against benchmarks to prioritize fixes.
- In attribution, give partial credit to touchpoints that raise micro-conversion probability; see Attribution Model.