What is click-through rate (CTR)? Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of people who click your listing after seeing it — clicks divided by impressions. It applies to search results, ads and emails. A higher CTR means your title, description or ad is compelling and relevant to what people are looking for.
How is CTR calculated?
CTR = clicks ÷ impressions, expressed as a percentage. If 100 people see your result and 5 click, that’s a 5% CTR. It measures how appealing your listing is, not how many people saw it.
Why does CTR matter?
It tells you whether your titles, descriptions and ads are working. Two results in the same position can earn very different traffic depending on how compelling they are — CTR is how you spot and improve that.
What is a good CTR?
It varies widely by channel, position and industry, so there’s no universal number. The useful benchmark is your own trend — a title or ad that lifts CTR over your previous version is a win.
How do I improve CTR?
- Write clear, compelling titles and descriptions
- Match the searcher’s intent and keyword
- Add specifics — location, offer, benefit
- Use accurate, non-misleading copy
- Test variations and keep what performs