Skip to content
Telemetry
Product analytics SQL recipe

Compare funnel conversion by acquisition source

Measure signup-to-activation conversion by acquisition source while deduplicating repeated milestone events.

Intermediateproduct_eventsReviewed 2026-07-27Tested with Apache DataFusion 45.2.0

Reviewed by the Telemetry product team on . We checked the SQL syntax, required event fields, sample results, and limits on using the query. Who reviews this page

Question answered

Which acquisition sources produce users who activate?

Total signups can make a channel look successful even when its users do not activate. A user-level funnel keeps source volume and downstream quality visible together.

Event schema

Fields the query expects

FieldTypeWhy it exists
timestamp_utcTimestampEvent time.
user_idUtf8Stable user identifier.
event_nameUtf8signup_completed or first_meaningful_action_completed.
acquisition_sourceUtf8First-touch or agreed attribution source.
DataFusion SQL

Copy the query

sql
WITH users AS (
  SELECT
    user_id,
    MIN(acquisition_source) AS acquisition_source,
    MAX(CASE WHEN event_name = 'signup_completed' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS signed_up,
    MAX(CASE WHEN event_name = 'first_meaningful_action_completed' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS activated
  FROM product_events
  WHERE timestamp_utc >= now() - INTERVAL '30 days'
  GROUP BY user_id
)
SELECT
  acquisition_source,
  SUM(signed_up) AS signups,
  SUM(activated) AS activated_users,
  100.0 * SUM(activated) / NULLIF(SUM(signed_up), 0) AS activation_rate_pct
FROM users
WHERE signed_up = 1
GROUP BY acquisition_source
HAVING SUM(signed_up) >= 20
ORDER BY activation_rate_pct DESC;

This read-only query is planned and executed against an empty typed table with Apache DataFusion 45.2.0. We review the synthetic sample output separately. Check field types, thresholds, and counting rules against your own data. Read the testing methodology.

Query result

Activation rate by acquisition source

Documentation sends fewer signups than organic search but the highest activation rate.

acquisition_sourcesignupsactivated_usersactivation_rate_pct
documentation42021851.9
organic_search98039240
paid_social61012820.98

Synthetic example output. Run the query against your own event schema and thresholds before using it for operational decisions.

Activation rate by acquisition source: static chart of synthetic activation_rate_pct values from the Compare funnel conversion by acquisition source example result
Download this SVG chart of the sample results for an article, runbook, or design review. Please credit Telemetry.

Reproduce the example

Download the sample data

The JSON bundle includes the event schema with field types, illustrative input rows, exact SQL, expected output, review notes, and engine version. The CSV contains the displayed result.

How the SQL works

  1. 1The user CTE turns repeated milestone events into one row per user.
  2. 2The same agreed attribution field is carried into both the numerator and denominator.
  3. 3The minimum-signup rule prevents small sources from dominating a ranked percentage.

Edge cases to check

  • MIN(acquisition_source) is only safe if the source is stable per user; otherwise create a dedicated attribution event.
  • Activation needs a time window long enough for the product's normal onboarding cycle.
  • Compare qualified segments and cost before declaring one channel better.

Recommended dashboard

  • Bars: activation rate by source
  • Table: signups, activated users, and cost
  • Trend: source conversion by signup cohort

Alert guidance

Review sustained source conversion changes; do not page on normal acquisition variation.

Read alert setup

Set up the events this query needs

Related instrumentation and guides

Continue the analysis

Run it on your events

Create a table, adapt the fields, and save the result

Start free, send structured events, and use the query result as a chart, shared dashboard widget, or alert input.

Get an API key