- Conversion rate = enquiries ÷ visits. Measure it per page and per source, not just site-wide.
- Check tracking first: many 'conversion problems' are broken forms or missing key events.
- Low conversion is often a traffic problem: visitors who were never going to buy.
- The biggest gains usually come from clearer offers, visible proof and simpler forms.
What is a website conversion rate?
Your website conversion rate is the share of visits that end in the action you want, usually an enquiry for a B2B firm.
Conversion rate = conversions ÷ sessions × 100
So 40 enquiries from 2,000 sessions is a 2% conversion rate.
A site-wide figure is a starting point, but it hides most of what matters. A guide that attracts researchers will convert far lower than your contact page, and that's fine. The useful numbers are conversion rate by page and by traffic source.
Benchmarks vary so much by industry, offer and traffic mix that comparing yourself with a published "average" is rarely useful. Compare your own pages with each other, and with your own past performance.
How to measure it in Google Analytics 4
- Make sure enquiries are key events. Form submissions (or the thank-you page view), phone link clicks and email link clicks should be marked as key events. See how to use Google Analytics.
- Conversion by page: in Reports, open the Landing page report and add key events. Compare key events with sessions for each landing page.
- Conversion by source: in Traffic acquisition, compare sessions and key events by channel.
- Count real enquiries too. Check GA4's numbers against your inbox or CRM, and track how many were qualified.
Why is my website not converting? A diagnosis
Work through these in order. The first is the most often missed.
1. Is tracking working?
Submit a test enquiry. Does it arrive? Does GA4 record the key event? A broken form, a form that goes to an old inbox, or a missing key event can make a healthy site look like it isn't converting, or hide that it genuinely stopped.
2. Are they the right visitors?
Look at what brings people in: Search Console queries and GA4 traffic sources. If your traffic comes mostly from a popular guide, from searches for definitions, or from places outside your service area, low conversion is expected. The fix is attracting more buyers, not changing the button. See how to do keyword research.
3. Are they landing on the right page?
If people searching for a specific service land on a generic homepage or services list, they have to work to find what they need. Give each service its own page, and link campaigns to the most relevant one. See services page.
4. Is the offer clear?
Within a few seconds, a visitor should know what you do, who it's for and what to do next. Vague headlines ("Solutions for a changing world") and buried calls to action cost enquiries.
5. Is there enough proof?
B2B buyers are taking a risk. Reviews, client names, accreditations, case studies and specific results reduce it. Put proof near the call to action.
6. Is it easy to act?
Long forms, required fields you don't need, no phone number, a form that's hard to use on a phone, slow pages and pop-ups all add friction.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Lots of visits, almost no enquiries site-wide | Wrong traffic, or broken tracking | Test the form; review search queries |
| A service page gets traffic but no enquiries | Unclear offer, weak proof, hidden CTA | Rewrite the intro; add proof and a clear CTA |
| Enquiries dropped suddenly | Broken form, tracking or a site change | Test the form; check recent changes |
| Mobile converts far worse than desktop | Mobile usability or speed | Test the form and page on a phone |
| Visitors start the form but don't submit | Too many fields, errors, unclear next step | Shorten the form; fix validation messages |
| Paid traffic converts poorly | Message mismatch with the ad | Match the landing page headline to the ad |
How to improve your website conversion rate
Start with your highest-traffic pages that should produce enquiries (service pages, pricing, contact), not with the whole site.
- Clarify the headline and intro: what you do, who it's for, the outcome.
- Make the call to action specific and visible: "Book a free 20-minute review" near the top and at the end. See call to action examples.
- Add proof beside the CTA: a review, a client logo strip, a result.
- Answer objections on the page: pricing approach, process, timescales, FAQs.
- Simplify the form: ask only for what you need now. See contact us page.
- Show a phone number if your buyers prefer to call, and make it tappable on mobile.
- Speed up the page, especially on mobile. See Core Web Vitals.
- Build dedicated landing pages for campaigns. See how to create a landing page.
Test changes properly
Change one thing at a time on a page, note the date, and compare conversion over the following weeks with the weeks before. On low-traffic sites, judge changes over a longer period, and look at enquiry quality as well as volume.
Website traffic but no sales?
If enquiries are coming in but not turning into customers, the problem may be after the website: lead quality, response time or the sales process. Check:
- how quickly enquiries get a reply (speed matters)
- what share of enquiries are qualified, by source
- where in the sales process deals stall
Sometimes the website is attracting the wrong enquiries. Being clearer about who you work with, and showing pricing or a pricing approach, can reduce volume but raise quality.
Questions
What is a good website conversion rate?
It depends on your industry, offer and traffic mix, so published averages are a poor guide. Compare your own pages and sources with each other and over time, and focus on qualified enquiries.
How do I calculate my website conversion rate?
Divide conversions (such as enquiries) by sessions for the same period and multiply by 100. Calculate it per page and per traffic source to find where to improve.
Why is my website getting traffic but no enquiries?
Common reasons are visitors who aren't buyers, landing on the wrong page, an unclear offer, little proof, a hidden or vague call to action, a long form, or a broken form or tracking.
How can I improve my website conversion rate quickly?
Test your forms, then improve your highest-traffic service pages: a clearer headline, a specific call to action near the top, proof beside it, and a shorter form.
Does website speed affect conversion rate?
Yes. Slow pages, especially on mobile, lose visitors before they read your offer. Check your Core Web Vitals and fix the slowest key pages first.
Every guide is checked against the platform it describes before it’s published, and re-checked when the platform changes.