101 Guide to Micro Conversions

A newsletter subscription doesn’t contribute to the bottom line as a software subscription does.

Signing up to download content isn’t the same as signing up to schedule a call for a sales demo.

And yet, every action is vital.

That’s because all the secondary actions other than ‘Buy Now’ have a different intent. And figuring out how those translate into a sale is what micro conversions are all about.

They paint the complete picture of the customer journey for you, from the first moment a visitor first lands on your website to when they become a paying customer.

Let’s dive deeper into the micro conversions below.

What is a Micro Conversion?

A micro conversion is a single or a set of specific actions a user takes. These actions strongly indicate the user is progressing toward the primary conversion goal of your website. For example, if you’re a SaaS business, multiple visits to the pricing page would be a micro conversion as it signals a strong desire to buy. 

Micro conversions are further divided into two categories. 

• Process milestones are positive actions signaling the visitor is moving toward a revenue-based conversion.
• Secondary actions are desirable actions signaling the visitor has a strong interest in the content and might convert in the future. 

To better understand the concept, let’s look at Buffer’s sample conversion flow. 

In this particular customer journey, actions like reading Buffer’s blog and email list subscription are secondary actions. Meanwhile, actions like creating a freemium Buffer account is a process milestone.  

But if micro conversions are not the primary goals of a website, why even bother? 

Here is why. 

Why Should You Monitor Your Micro Conversions? 

Monitoring micro conversions along the customer journey is an effective method of identifying the points of friction in the customer journey. Why? Because at every touchpoint where we ask the visitor to do something, we’re giving them two options: continue or click away. 

As Dr. Flint McGlaughlin, Managing Director and CEO of MECLABS, says:

“I would call them micro-yeses. These are a series of micro-yeses necessary to help someone achieve an ultimate yes.”

So, in essence, a micro conversion is a display of positive intent. 

By keeping a close watch on micro conversions, therefore, you can:

Map out the user journey:

‍By tracking micro conversions, you get to know how your customers became your customers. It allows you to identify the most common path to conversion. You can also see the most successful conversion channels and points of friction in the same breadth. 

With such deep, behavioral insights, building a conversion funnel also becomes easy. 

Gauge buyer readiness:

Not every micro conversion is equally important. In the SaaS space, signing up to view a product demo will indicate a greater desire to buy the product than downloading a copy of your latest report. 

This segmentation of contacts eventually becomes the key to marketing campaigns that convert.  

How to Track Micro Conversions? 

One of the best ways of tracking micro conversions is using an analytics service like Google Analytics 4, which lets you monitor and assess how users engage and navigate your website. 

To start the process, map out all the micro conversions on your website. Having a bird’s eye view of the user journey will help you identify and focus on the key micro conversions.

Once your micro conversion goals are set, you can start micro conversion tracking and use Google Analytics 4 to monitor how users progress.  

You can set up your GA4 by creating a ‘New conversion event’ under the ‘Conversions’ tab, and name it. So, every time a conversion event occurs (eg. filling a contact form), you can see the event name tracked and displayed under the ‘Conversions’ tab in the analytics dashboard.

GA4 has replaced Universal Analytics. Google has covered the entire process here. But if you want a quick rundown, watch this: 

Hot resource 🔥 This macro and micro conversion spreadsheet tracker by Andy Young, an Angel Investor, is also a good resource for small and growing startups looking to track conversions. Just plug in your GA and pull in the data for the record.

6 Micro Conversion Examples in SaaS 

It’s all too common in SaaS to mistake micro conversions for macro conversions. Let’s correct that.

Here are six micro conversion examples commonly seen in SaaS.

1. Interactions with Product Demo

Any form of interaction with a product demo indicates a desire to see the product in action. This could include demo requests, viewing a demo by signing up or completing the list of steps in case of an interactive demo.

It isn’t the same as getting on a demo call with a sales rep. But when done right, like embedding an interactive product demo or adding ‘Take a Tour’ as a CTA on the homepage, they can pull in visitors and boost conversions. As is the case with 4ALLPORTAL, a DAM/PIM software provider.

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Since 4ALLPORTAL’s software is on the intricate side, it comes with a steep learning curve. Providing an ungated, interactive product tour created using Storylane helped the company achieve:

• 48% engagement rate
• 3.7% conversion rate

2. Subscribing to the Newsletter 

Anyone consenting to receive direct emails is a sure sign of interest. It means they’re interested in the content and information you’re offering. But like we’ve mentioned earlier, it’s only a sign.

This micro conversion example is, therefore, a golden chance to build trust and authority. And nudge the subscriber into the funnel, towards the next action in the path to purchase with timely promotional materials.

Toplyne, a behavioral AI platform for sales and marketing teams, hosts a newsletter on Substack called Top of the Lyne.

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To encourage visitors to subscribe, they plug a simple, one-field form to collect email information on their blog. Which, by the way, are deeply resourceful. 

Plus, the humble brag of ‘..8000+ growth leaders’ and the logos of renowned brands like Airtable, Canva, and more, act as the perfect bait. 

3. Following the Business Page on Social Media

Another secondary action in the path to conversion is engagement with social media. It may not signal a strong interest in buying. But like newsletter subscriptions, they should be seen as a sign of interest.

If a prospect is choosing to follow you, they want to see your content on their feeds. This gives you the leverage to stay top of mind and earn quality mindshare. So when they’re ready to buy, you’ll be the one they seek out first.

To earn a following, you must offer valuable, relevant, and humanized content. This is where Gong’s LinkedIn game is the industry's gold standard.

4. Viewing the Pricing Page 

This action is a clear indication of the visitor’s buying intent. They could be checking out the features of each pricing tier or evaluating the best plan to buy with the given budget. But they could also be looking at your pricing page to compare the offers by other vendors.

In either case, the action reflects the person is ready to take the macro conversion action. That is, making a purchase.

See how cleverly Clearbit has set up its pricing page. All three plans have a clear messaging and display the key features. But notice how their Business plan has the biggest size, a visually prominent CTA button, and a benefit-focused action call? It’s the plan they want visitors to notice first.

Pro Tip: When tracking pricing page visits, make sure the visitor has spent significant time on the website, scrolling through the feature and other pages. A direct visit to the pricing page should be suspected. 

5. Communicating with the Chatbot 

Upon landing on a new website, the feeling of being overwhelmed and confused is universal. In such moments, chatbots on websites are like sales clerks inside a shop.

If the visitor is there to seek information about the product’s features, pricing, or best use cases, they are most likely to use the chatbot for navigation. For example, the AI-powered Drift Bot on Drift’s website lets the visitor choose from multiple choices.

• I need support
• I’m just browsing
• I have a question

Or share other responses, if needed.

Each choice also reflects the three types of visitors that land on Drift’s website. This is a convenient way of nudging the visitor (without obstructing) to take the desired funnel actions.

6. Downloading Gated Content 

If someone fills out a form and shares personal information to read your content, then they’re deeply interested in the subject matter. It is also a strong indicator of the visitor’s desire to engage and learn more.

So, delivering the value you promised will be key to converting. Such a micro conversion, if met with a positive outcome, can lead to long-term engagement and earn you loyalty points.

That’s why the content on offer must be top-of-class. And Intercom is one example we can’t recommend enough.

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Also, notice how they only use five fields in the form? Lead forms are a major friction point. To avoid drop-offs and get quality leads, the ideal number of form fields should be 3-5. 

5 Tips to Optimize Your Website for Micro Conversions 

While micro conversions don’t directly contribute to the bottom line, they’re nevertheless important in building a conversion funnel that does. This is why optimizing a website for micro conversions pays off. 

Here are five website optimization tips to get started.

1. Demonstrate Value with Interactive Demos

Between a picture of a horse and a description of a horse, what would be more memorable? The latter, right? 

It’s the same thing with website visitors. They want to see the product in action. They want to understand how it’s going to eliminate their pains, rather than reading long lines of texts.

Providing interactive video content is a proven way to engage and convert visitors. When embedded on websites, they can improve engagement and capture leads. For example, SevDesk, an accounting software for small businesses and freelancers, converted 28% of its website visitors using an interactive demo tour created using Storylane. 

Storylane is a no-code, interactive demo creation platform that lets you build demos, tours, and walkthroughs to cater to every stage of the conversion funnel.   

2. Use Forms with Multiple Steps to Improve Lead Quality

How many fields are ideal for a website form? According to research, a single-column layout results in faster form filling. However, a multi-step form results in a higher conversion rate. 

For a company like Notion, a single step makes sense since they offer a freemium. Interested visitors can sign up and start testing the product. 

But for more intricate, complex software – such a form would be a disaster. It will only create a pile of unqualified leads. In contrast, using a multi-step form with 3 to 5 fields would help you capture leads with higher buying intent. 

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3. Refine the Homepage to Reduce the Bounce Rate

Homepages are the first touch points in the customer journey. It should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and visually appealing to lower the bounce rates.

To understand what’s lacking in your homepage and what UX improvements to make, consider:

• Value proposition: Is the messaging clear and convincing? Are you positioned well?
• Navigability: How smoothly can the visitors navigate? Is it overwhelming or intuitive?
• Desirability: Do visitors like what they’re reading? Are they engaging with interactive content?
• CTA: Is it clear on the benefit? Is it actionable? This is vital to drive micro conversions.

A SaaS website homepage that meets all three criteria? Basecamp. With a refreshing copy and informative, interactive elements, it has one of the best homepages around.

4.  Provide Social Proof to Persuade Visitors on the Fence

As humans, we like to do things with people we trust and admire. The same goes for doing business. When we see how recognized brands benefit from a tool, we want to try it too. This is why adding social proof can improve conversion rates.

When used strategically in places like CTAs or above the fold, they can catch the attention of the visitor. And successfully persuade and compel them for micro conversion.

The key is to know where to use what type of social proof. Look how brilliantly Intercom has sprinkled its social proof. 

Some social proof to add to your SaaS website:

• Mention brand logos
• Share testimonials
• List the number of users
• Provide success stories and case studies
• G2 badges of honor
• Reviews from users

5. Ensure the Website is Mobile Friendly 

Here’s a fun fact: Over 55% of your website traffic comes from mobile devices. That means – 11 in every group of 20 people are scrolling your website on their phones, including potential customers. This is why having a SaaS website that’s responsive and functional even on devices like Smartphones and tablets is important.

Besides, Google also favors mobile responsiveness. Having a mobile-friendly website will give you leverage on SERPs and help you get found.

Conclusion

And, there you go! 

Along with these actionable tips, we’re also leaving you with some of the most commonly asked questions about micro conversions. Read on. 

Q1. What is micro conversion in Google Ads?

A micro conversion in Google Ads is a specified action or a group of actions that a user performs after clicking or viewing an Ad. For example, signing up for a newsletter. 

Q2. Which is the best example of a micro conversion?

Filling out a form is the best example of a micro conversion. Anyone willing to fill out a multi-step form to share contact details is more likely to become a paying customer. 

Q3. How do you calculate micro conversions?

You can calculate the micro conversion rate by dividing the number of micro conversions by the total number of website visitors and multiplying the result by 100. For example, if 50 people visited your blog and only 10 subscribed, the micro conversion rate will be 20% (10/50x100).