Finding 01p. 6
Every store that added the full Power CTA Stack got more form leads.
Stores that added payment and credit CTAs to an existing trade CTA saw form leads rise 20.6% to 104.9% (July 2025). The report's summary rounds this to 25–100%.
Unlocking the Truth Behind Your Website’s CTA Strategy
Product review · AnalyticsDiscover how optimizing your CTA strategy can dramatically increase lead conversion on your dealership website.
In collaboration with
Protomiq
ProtomiqIncludesCCR calculation using GA4 ASC events
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Not every website button pulls its weight. The right ones can double form conversions.
This case study explores how dealers using TradePending's (now Protomiq) Trade and Payments tools saw significant increases in form conversions. By analyzing CTA Completion Rates (CCR) with GA4 and CRM data, it uncovers insights into tool performance, lead quality and website optimization.
67%completion rate on one dealer's trade CTA: 152 leads from 227 clicks
37%completion rate on one Hyundai store's payment CTA in July: 299 of 803 clicks
20.6–104.9%rise in form leads at stores that added payment and credit CTAs, July 2025
460 of 1,250TradePending leads that the CRM credited to TradePending, after unlock forms took first credit
Key findings
What the CTA data showed.
Finding 02p. 7
Shorter workflows turn more clicks into leads.
One dealer's trade CTA turned 67% of clicks into leads (152 of 227). One Hyundai store's payment CTA hit 37% (299 of 803). Longer forms complete less often.
Finding 03p. 4
Your CRM may be underreporting.
First-click attribution gives price-unlock forms the credit. In one example, TradePending sent 1,250 leads to the CRM, which credited it with 460.
Finding 04p. 11
Ten CTA rules for VDP design, placement and clarity.
Make the primary CTA a different color, use five buttons or fewer, answer affordability with rate, payment and trade CTAs, drop test drive buttons, and test on a phone.
In the full review
Inside the review
Eleven sections, from the CCR math to ten rules for your CTAs.
- 01
Introduction
p. 2Why the study measures CTA completion rate, and what it found for TradePending's tools.
- 02
Measuring Conversions & Engagement in Google Analytics
p. 2How ASC events track CTA clicks and form submissions, with the CCR math worked out.
- 03
How CRMs Process Website Leads
p. 4Why first-click attribution credits price unlocks and hides trade and payment leads.
- 04
How Many People Complete the RunMyLease Unlock?
p. 5Unlock-price completion rates at five brands, from 18.5% to 40%.
- 05
What Happens When Payments Are Added?
p. 6Form lead changes at stores that added payment and credit CTAs to a trade CTA.
- 06
Trade & Payment CCRs Are Different
p. 7Why longer forms complete less often, and how pre-opened tools add net new leads.
- 07
Variations by OEM Brand
p. 8Payment-to-trade lead ratios by brand, from 1.11 at BMW to 8.24 at Hyundai.
- 08
Automating CCR & the Five Factors
p. 9The five levers on website conversion, and tracking CCR on all four page types.
- 09
How to Interpret CCR Variations
p. 10Why CCR differs on MSRP-only brands, and testing new button text for 30 days.
- 10
General CTA Suggestions
p. 11Ten rules on button color, count, affordability questions and mobile checks.
- 11
Closing Thoughts
p. 12Why CCR should be a monthly KPI, and the case for tools that offer an exchange of value.
Tools you can use on Monday
- CCR calculation using GA4 ASC events
- Five factors that impact conversion
- General CTA suggestions (10 rules, incl. a mobile VDP check)
12 pages · Free PDF
About the research
Who's behind it, and how it was done.
The team, the method, and where the data came from.
- Data
- TradePending (now Protomiq) tool data, compared with GA4 ASC events and CRM lead source reports
- Sample
- Automotive CXO Network dealer websites, including Morgan Auto Group stores
- Measure
- CTA Completion Rate: form submissions ÷ CTA clicks, by tool, brand and page type
- Format
- 12-page product review of TradePending's (now Protomiq) trade, payment and credit CTAs
Read the full abstract
In a time when dealers are under pressure to maximize every online sales opportunity, understanding how customers engage with website tools is crucial. This case study investigates how TradePending’s Power CTA Stack—comprising trade-in and payment tools—performed across multiple dealerships. By measuring CTA Completion Rate (CCR) using Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and CRM reports, the study reveals the real impact of tool usability, button design, and placement on lead generation.
In single-store examples, TradePending’s trade and payment CTAs reached completion rates of 67% and 37%, though results varied widely by store and by button. The research also identifies key issues in CRM attribution and explains how dealers can misjudge tool performance by relying solely on CRM lead sources. Using GA4 and CRM data from multiple dealerships, the study provides actionable insights into CTA optimization, tool selection, and how to unify Google Analytics and CRM data to make smarter marketing and software decisions.
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Questions
Before you download.
Quick answers about the review and who it's for.
What is CTA Completion Rate (CCR)?
CTA Completion Rate is form submissions divided by CTA clicks. It shows which website buttons turn clicks into leads. Pasch Group's CTA strategy review measures CCR with GA4 ASC events and CRM data, by tool, brand and page type.
Do payment and credit CTAs increase dealer website leads?
In the stores studied, yes. Every store that added payment and credit CTAs to an existing trade CTA got more form leads, with rises of 20.6% to 104.9% in July 2025. The review calls the full set TradePending's Power CTA Stack.
What completion rates do trade and payment CTAs reach on dealer websites?
Results vary widely by store and by button. In single-store examples, one dealer's trade CTA turned 67% of clicks into leads (152 of 227), and one Hyundai store's payment CTA reached 37% (299 of 803). Shorter workflows complete more often, and longer forms complete less often.
Why does a dealer CRM show fewer leads than a website tool sent?
First-click attribution. A CRM using it gives the credit to the first form a shopper completed, such as a price-unlock form, which hides later trade and payment leads. In one example in Pasch Group's CTA strategy review, the tools sent 1,250 leads and the CRM credited them with 460.
How should dealers design CTA buttons on a VDP?
Make the primary CTA a different color, use five buttons or fewer, answer affordability with rate, payment and trade CTAs, drop test drive buttons and check the VDP on a phone. These come from the ten CTA rules in Pasch Group's CTA strategy review.
How often should dealers track CTA Completion Rate?
Monthly. Track CCR as a monthly KPI on all four page types, and test new button text for 30 days. Results also vary by OEM brand: payment-to-trade lead ratios ran from 1.11 at BMW to 8.24 at Hyundai.
Was the CTA strategy review produced in collaboration with Protomiq?
Yes. Unlocking the Truth Behind Your Website's CTA Strategy is Brian Pasch's product review of the trade, payment and credit CTAs from Protomiq (formerly TradePending), produced in collaboration with Protomiq. It compares Protomiq tool data with GA4 ASC events and CRM lead source reports from Automotive CXO Network dealer websites, including Morgan Auto Group stores.
Is Pasch Group's CTA strategy review free?
Yes. It's a free 12-page PDF from Pasch Group, about a 15-minute read, written for dealership marketing teams. Its full title is Unlocking the Truth Behind Your Website's CTA Strategy. Download it on this page.
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