← DictionaryFriction
Anything that makes an intended action harder or slower than necessary.
Every extra step that loses people.
What It Is
Friction belongs to Marketing, specifically the Conversion part of it. The canonical meaning is anything that makes an intended action harder or slower than necessary.
It is an idea you reason with rather than a deliverable you hand over, so two teams can both hold it correctly and still apply it differently. Used with that meaning, it stays a working tool rather than a talking point.
How It's Used
Friction earns its keep in campaign planning, channel choices and the reporting that follows them. It rarely travels alone — expect it next to Conversion Rate Optimization, Form and User Experience. The practical test is whether a decision changes because of it.
Why It Matters
The cost of being vague about Friction shows up later, not today. When it is unclear, spend keeps moving but nobody can say what it bought. The businesses that treat it seriously spend less time redoing work.
Imagine a rule of thumb that helps you choose between options. Every extra step that loses people.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
In agency and in-house rooms, Friction means exactly anything that makes an intended action harder or slower than necessary.
In plain conversation it comes out as every extra step that loses people.
The Bottom Line
The practical takeaway on Friction: every extra step that loses people. Judge it by that, not by how it sounds.