Two pressing needs in digital marketing analytics are estimating ROI and improving conversions through better web metrics. I’ll be talking to you about both in the weeks to come.

The first focuses on optimizing the flow of qualified traffic. The second looks at optimizing what you do with that traffic. Both lead to better online profits.

Let’s actually start with the second one: conversions. To improve your site’s “close rate,” you first have to acknowledge that it’s a lot like running a bricks-and-mortar store — even if what you’re trying to “sell” is the action of subscribing to an e-newsletter or downloading a whitepaper.