A conversion is the whole point of a text: it's when a recipient takes the action you asked for. A donation from a fundraising text, an RSVP from an event text, a completed voter registration, a pledge to vote, each is a conversion. Conversions are the metric that actually matters, because they measure whether your texting did anything, not just whether it was sent or seen. Here's what they are and how to track them.
What is a conversion?
A conversion is a completed desired action tied to a message. Every text has a goal, an ask, and the share of recipients who complete that ask is your conversion rate. It's distinct from opens (nearly everyone opens) and even replies (engagement, not necessarily the goal): a conversion is the outcome you actually wanted. A fundraising text's conversion is a donation; a GOTV text's is a vote; an event text's is attendance. The specific action defines the conversion.
Why is conversion the metric that matters?
Because it's the only one tied to results. A big send count, a high open rate, even a healthy reply rate can all coexist with a program that isn't producing donations, RSVPs, or votes, the outcomes you're actually after. Conversion cuts through the vanity metrics to answer the real question: did the texts work? Optimizing for conversion, rather than activity, is what separates a program judged by outcomes from one judged by effort. See measuring texting ROI.
How do you track conversions?
Through the link and the destination:
- Tracked links record who clicked through to the giving page, signup, or lookup, attributing the click to the send.
- The destination's data confirms the completed action, the giving platform reports the donation, the RSVP form reports the attendance.
- Attribution ties the outcome back to the specific text, so you know which send drove it.
Some conversions are easy to track (a donation via a giving link) and some are hard (a vote, which you infer rather than observe directly). The rigor of your conversion tracking depends on the action, but the principle holds: measure the outcome, not just the send. Then use it to A/B test and improve.
Frequently asked questions
What is a conversion in texting?
When a recipient takes the action your text asked for, a donation, an RSVP, a completed registration, a vote pledge. It's the completed desired action tied to a message, distinct from opens or replies.
Why does conversion matter more than opens or replies?
Because it's the only metric tied to results. High opens, sends, and even replies can coexist with a program not producing donations, RSVPs, or votes. Conversion answers whether the texts actually worked.
How do you track conversions?
Through tracked links that record click-throughs and the destination's data confirming the completed action (a giving platform reports the donation), with attribution tying the outcome to the specific send. Some conversions are easy to track, some inferred.
Keep reading: what is link tracking? and measuring texting ROI. For carrier registration, see The Campaign Registry.