A Goal Funnel is the ordered path of steps a user is expected to take before a target conversion—for example: Landing → Product → Cart → Checkout → Success. Funnels let you measure where users continue, where they leak, and how that impacts overall conversion rate. In practice, you define a canonical entry step (often a landing page), list the required steps in order, then track how many users progress at each hop within a single session.
Why analysts love funnels: they turn vague “why aren’t we growing?” into precise “Step 3 drops 30% on mobile from paid social.” That’s a fixable problem, not a philosophy debate.
Key formulas
- Step conversion (N) = Users at step N ÷ Users at step N-1
- Funnel conversion = Users at last step ÷ Users at first step
- Drop-off (N) = 1 − Step conversion (N)
Mini example: if 10,000 users hit Step 1 and 1,200 reach success, funnel conversion = 1,200 ÷ 10,000 = 12%.
Example funnel (illustrative)
| Step | Users | Step conv. | Cumulative conv. | Drop-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Landing | 10,000 | — | — | — |
| 2. Product view | 4,500 | 45% | 45% | 55% |
| 3. Add to cart | 2,000 | 44% | 20% | 56% |
| 4. Checkout | 1,400 | 70% | 14% | 30% |
| 5. Success | 1,200 | 86% | 12% | 14% |
Reading this: Step 2 is your first major leak; Step 3 is still soft; checkout is decent. That points to product detail clarity and cart UX before you touch payment.
Implementation notes (the stuff that bites)
- Define clear step rules; dedupe repeated hits within a session; avoid loops.
- Keep steps few and meaningful—include micro conversions only if they’re required, not “nice to have.”
- Segment aggressively (device, source/medium, geo, new vs returning). That’s where insights hide.
- Compare funnels over time to see if fixes actually move the needle, not just feelings.
SEO tip: Common intents include “what is goal funnel,” “goal funnel vs conversion funnel,” “how to build a goal funnel,” and “reduce funnel drop-off.”