Customer Journey

Funnel Analysis

Analysing conversion funnels to identify drop-off points and optimise the path to purchase.

What is Funnel Analysis?

Funnel analysis is the process of tracking and measuring how users progress through a series of steps toward a conversion goal. By visualising drop-off rates at each stage, marketers can identify bottlenecks and prioritise optimisation efforts.

Key Benefits
  • Identify where users abandon the conversion process
  • Quantify the impact of each funnel stage on overall conversion
  • Prioritise optimisation efforts based on drop-off severity
  • Measure the impact of changes on funnel performance
Marketing Funnel Visualisation
Marketing Funnel Analysis
Typical e-commerce conversion funnel showing drop-off rates at each stage
0250005000075000100000VisitorsAwarenessInterestConsiderationIntentPurchase
Awareness
100%
100,000 visitors
-55.0% drop-off
Interest
45%
45,000 visitors
-60.0% drop-off
Consideration
18%
18,000 visitors
-60.0% drop-off
Intent
7.2%
7,200 visitors
-65.3% drop-off
Purchase
2.5%
2,500 visitors

Overall Conversion Rate: 2.5% (2,500 purchases from 100,000 initial visitors)

Key Insight: Largest drop-off occurs between Awareness and Interest (55% loss), indicating potential issues with initial value proposition or targeting relevance.

This chart shows a typical marketing funnel with conversion rates at each stage, highlighting where the biggest drop-offs occur.

Funnel Types
Funnel TypeTypical StagesKey Metrics
E-commerceHomepage → Category → Product → Cart → Checkout → PurchaseAdd-to-cart rate, Cart abandonment, Checkout completion
SaaS TrialLanding → Sign-up → Activation → Engagement → ConversionSign-up rate, Activation rate, Trial-to-paid conversion
Lead GenerationVisit → Content → Form → MQL → SQL → Opportunity → CloseForm completion, MQL-to-SQL rate, Win rate
App OnboardingDownload → Open → Registration → Tutorial → First ActionDay 1 retention, Onboarding completion, Feature adoption
Funnel Metrics
Stage Conversion Rate

Percentage of users who progress from one stage to the next.

Formula: (Users at Stage N+1 / Users at Stage N) × 100

Overall Conversion Rate

Percentage of users who complete the entire funnel.

Formula: (Conversions / Funnel Entries) × 100

Drop-off Rate

Percentage of users who exit at each stage.

Formula: 100% - Stage Conversion Rate

Time to Convert

Average time users take to complete the funnel.

Helps identify stages causing delays

Funnel Optimisation Strategies
Top of Funnel (TOFU)

Focus on traffic quality over quantity. Ensure messaging aligns with user intent and landing pages match ad promises.

Middle of Funnel (MOFU)

Reduce friction with clear navigation, compelling content, and social proof. Address objections proactively.

Bottom of Funnel (BOFU)

Simplify checkout/conversion process. Offer multiple payment options, clear CTAs, and trust signals.

Recovery Tactics

Implement cart abandonment emails, retargeting ads, and exit-intent popups to recover lost conversions.

Funnel Analysis Best Practices
Segment your funnels: Analyse by traffic source, device, and user type for actionable insights
Set realistic benchmarks: Compare against industry standards and your historical performance
Focus on high-impact stages: Prioritise stages with highest drop-off and traffic volume
Test systematically: Use A/B testing to validate optimisation hypotheses
Monitor continuously: Set up alerts for significant changes in funnel performance