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FeaturesFunnels

Funnels

Track conversion paths and identify where visitors drop off.

Overview

Funnels let you define a series of steps visitors should take toward a goal, then visualize how many complete each step. This reveals where people drop off in your conversion process, helping you identify and fix problems.

Navigate to Funnels in the main menu to access this feature.

How Funnels Work

A funnel tracks visitors through a defined sequence:

  1. Entry — Visitors enter at step 1
  2. Progression — Some continue to step 2, then step 3, etc.
  3. Conversion — Visitors who complete all steps
  4. Drop-off — Visitors who leave at each step

The funnel visualization shows exactly how many visitors make it through each stage.

Common Funnel Examples

Appointment Request Funnel

  1. Services page
  2. Provider page
  3. Appointment request form
  4. Form submission (thank you page)

Contact Funnel

  1. Landing page
  2. Contact page
  3. Form submission

Content Engagement Funnel

  1. Blog post entry
  2. Related article click
  3. Service page visit
  4. Contact form view

Patient Portal Funnel

  1. Portal login page
  2. Successful login
  3. Specific portal action

Creating a Funnel

  1. Navigate to Funnels
  2. Click Create new funnel
  3. Enter a funnel name (be descriptive)
  4. Add your funnel steps
  5. Configure each step
  6. Save the funnel

Defining Steps

Each step can be defined by:

Page URL

Match visitors who view a specific page:

  • Contains — URL includes a string (e.g., “/services/”)
  • Exactly matches — URL is an exact match
  • Regex — URL matches a pattern

Event

Match visitors who trigger a specific event:

  • Event category
  • Event action
  • Event name

See Event Tracking for setting up events.

Step Configuration Tips

  • Start with broader steps, then get more specific if needed
  • Ensure steps are in logical order
  • Don’t include steps that visitors might skip legitimately

Reading Funnel Reports

The Funnel Visualization

The funnel chart shows:

  • Step labels — Each step in your funnel
  • Visitor counts — How many visitors reached each step
  • Percentages — Conversion rate between steps
  • Drop-off — How many left at each step

Key Metrics

MetricWhat It Tells You
EntriesVisitors who started the funnel
CompletionsVisitors who finished all steps
Overall conversion ratePercentage who completed the funnel
Step conversion ratePercentage who continued from each step
Drop-off ratePercentage who left at each step

Identifying Problems

Look for steps with:

  • High drop-off — Many visitors leaving at this step
  • Lower-than-expected conversion — Worse than similar funnels
  • Significant decreases — Sharp drops compared to previous steps

Analyzing Drop-Offs

When you identify a problem step:

1. Quantify the Issue

  • How many visitors drop off?
  • What’s the revenue/lead impact?
  • Is this consistent over time?

2. Investigate the Cause

Use other Ghost Metrics features:

  • Heatmaps — See how visitors interact with the page
  • Session recordings — Watch visitors at the drop-off point
  • Form analytics — If a form is involved, see field-level data

3. Form Hypotheses

Common causes of drop-off:

  • Page is confusing or unclear
  • Too much information required
  • Technical errors or slow loading
  • Unexpected costs or requirements
  • Poor mobile experience

4. Test Solutions

Use A/B testing to validate improvements.

Funnel Comparison

Compare Time Periods

See how funnel performance changes over time:

  • Before and after website changes
  • Seasonal patterns
  • Campaign impacts

Compare Segments

Analyze funnel performance for different visitor groups:

  • Mobile vs desktop
  • Different traffic sources
  • New vs returning visitors

Best Practices

Keep Funnels Focused

  • 3-5 steps is usually ideal
  • Too many steps makes analysis difficult
  • Focus on the critical path to conversion

Match Business Reality

Design funnels that reflect actual user journeys:

  • Include steps visitors actually take
  • Don’t force visitors into artificial paths
  • Consider multiple entry points if applicable

Create Multiple Funnels

Different goals need different funnels:

  • One for appointment requests
  • One for contact form completions
  • One for specific campaign landing pages

Review Regularly

Funnel performance changes over time. Schedule regular reviews to:

  • Spot new problems early
  • Measure improvement efforts
  • Identify seasonal patterns

Document Your Funnels

Keep notes on:

  • What each funnel measures
  • Why steps were chosen
  • Changes made over time
  • Benchmark conversion rates

Funnel Examples by Industry

Hospital/Health System

Primary Care Appointment Funnel:

  1. Primary care landing page
  2. Provider directory
  3. Individual provider page
  4. Appointment request form
  5. Thank you page

Medical Practice

New Patient Funnel:

  1. Homepage or landing page
  2. Services page
  3. About/team page
  4. Contact page
  5. Form submission

Healthcare Marketing

Content-to-Lead Funnel:

  1. Blog article (entry)
  2. Service page visit
  3. Contact page view
  4. Form submission

Limitations

  • Funnels track sessions, not individual users across sessions
  • Steps must be completed in order (skipped steps break the funnel)
  • Very long funnels may have naturally low completion rates
  • Some visitor paths don’t fit a linear funnel model

Next Steps

Last updated on
Session RecordingsForm Analytics