Introduction
Understanding where and why users drop out of your funnel is critical to maximising the performance of a film or content release. Conversion funnel data gives marketers a clear, visual way to diagnose friction points, wasted spend, and underperforming traffic sources, before a campaign ends.
At a high level, every release operates across two distinct phases:
Awareness Phase (usheru Connect only)
This phase focuses on discovery and intent-building, with conversions such as trailer views or page visits.Conversion Phase (usheru Select & Connect)
This phase measures meaningful outcomes, specifically, how effectively users progress from viewing showtimes to clicking through to cinemas or streaming services.
This article focuses exclusively on the Conversion Phase, where funnel analysis has the biggest impact on revenue and ROI.
Insights within usheru can be analysed:
At a high level across all campaigns and traffic sources
By traffic source (e.g. Paid, Organic Search, Email)
At the individual campaign or ad level
This layered approach allows teams to move from broad trends to precise optimisation.
Recommended Steps
1. Start with Showtimes Viewed
Showtimes Viewed is the first critical conversion metric in the funnel. It represents the percentage of users who actually see showtimes on their screen after landing.
Target benchmark: 85% or higher
Why it matters:
If users don’t see showtimes, they can’t convert, regardless of campaign quality.
What impacts this metric:
Showtimes not placed above the fold
Poor landing-page layout
Paid traffic landing on irrelevant pages
Mistaken or low-intent clicks (common in some social campaigns)
How to interpret drops:
A low percentage at campaign level often signals high bounce rates
For paid social, it may indicate creative-message mismatch
2. Analyse Redirects to Cinema or Streaming
The most commercially important metric in the conversion phase is Redirects to Cinema or Streaming Services.
Performance benchmarks:
< 5% → Underperforming (requires action)
5–15% → Adequate performance
20%+ → Strong performance
Expected patterns:
Higher redirect rates from:
Direct traffic
Organic Search
Email campaigns
These users typically have higher intent and are actively seeking showtimes.
Funnel shape matters:
A healthy funnel shows smooth progression with no sharp contractions.
A constricted funnel highlights a clear drop-off and conversion issue.
Sharp drops at this stage usually point to:
Poor showtime availability
Friction in cinema selection
Weak call-to-action clarity
Misaligned traffic sources
3. Compare by Traffic Source and Campaign
Once overall performance is understood, segment the data:
Compare Paid vs Organic vs Email
Drill into individual campaigns
Identify which sources drive quality engagement versus volume-only traffic
This is where funnel data becomes actionable rather than descriptive.
4. Monitor Daily in the Run-Up to Release
In the days leading up to a release, conversion behaviour can change rapidly.
Best practice:
Review funnel performance daily
Identify:
Campaigns delivering strong redirects
Campaigns consuming spend without conversion
Pair funnel data with:
Ad spend
Cost per conversion
Session duration
5. Use Session Length as an Early Warning Signal
Session duration is a powerful early-stage indicator, especially for paid campaigns.
< 5 seconds average session time
→ Low-quality traffic
→ Likely mis-targeting or accidental clicks
→ Should be paused or removed quickly
This allows teams to cut waste early, before it distorts overall funnel performance.
Summary
Conversion funnel data is one of the most effective tools for diagnosing marketing performance during a release. By focusing on the Conversion Phase, teams can:
Ensure showtimes are being seen
Identify meaningful drop-off points
Compare performance by traffic source and campaign
Optimise spend based on true conversion outcomes
Act quickly using session length and daily monitoring
A strong funnel shows steady progression with no major contractions. When sharp drops appear, they are signals, not failures, highlighting exactly where optimisation will have the greatest impact.