Conversion Rate
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What conversion rate is
A conversion is any action you count as a success: an order, a booking request, a newsletter sign-up, a demo request or a lead captured in a chat. Conversion rate shows how many people out of a group took that action. Because businesses define goals differently, conversion rates are only comparable when the goal and the base are the same.
How it is calculated
The basic formula is: conversion rate = conversions ÷ visitors × 100. A few rules keep it meaningful:
- Use one goal per rate, for example completed orders.
- Pick the base consistently: unique visitors, sessions or, for a chatbot, conversations.
- Use the same time period for both numbers.
- Segment where useful, for example by traffic source or device.
Example
A hypothetical online shop has 8,000 sessions in a month and 160 orders, so its conversion rate is 160 ÷ 8,000 × 100 = 2%. In the same month its chatbot holds 400 conversations, and 36 end with a captured email address: a chat lead rate of 9%. The two numbers measure different things and should not be added up or compared directly.
Why it matters for business chatbots
A chatbot can influence conversion by answering the question that would otherwise stop someone from buying or getting in touch, such as delivery times, sizing or pricing. It also creates its own conversion point: visitors who leave contact details in the chat. To judge the effect fairly, compare periods before and after launch with the same goal definition, and remember that seasons and campaigns move conversion rates too.
Measuring chat conversions with intoCHAT
The intoCHAT dashboard shows conversations, messages and leads, with daily charts for 7, 30 or 90 days. Dividing leads by conversations gives the share of chats that produced a lead. intoCHAT does not track purchases, so use your web analytics for sales. To track leads, use the Leads tab in intoCHAT, or count clicks on the booking or contact link the agent shares in its answers.