MQL is marketing qualified lead, a lead that meets marketing-defined criteria for sales readiness or nurture priority. In conversion rate optimization and lead generation, this term gives marketers, designers, developers, and business owners a precise way to talk about work that affects visibility, user experience, measurement, and revenue.
In practical cro and lead generation work, the important question is not just what MQL means, but how it should influence decisions. It matters because more traffic is not always the answer. CRO and lead generation terms help teams improve the path from visitor to qualified opportunity, often producing more revenue from the same audience.
A strong approach should connect MQL to measurable outcomes such as qualified traffic, calls, form submissions, booked appointments, ecommerce revenue, or lower acquisition costs.
Example
Example: A lead who downloaded a guide, visited pricing, and matches the target industry may become an MQL before being sent to sales.