Click-through rate is the percentage of users who click on a specific link, ad, or search result after viewing it.
CTR is a key performance metric in digital marketing and SEO. It helps measure the effectiveness of your title tags, meta descriptions, ads, email subject lines, and CTAs by tracking how many impressions lead to actual clicks.
Why CTR Matters in SEO and Marketing:
- Indicates Relevance – A high CTR means your content is relevant and appealing to users.
- Affects Rankings – Search engines may use CTR as a signal for content quality and user satisfaction.
- Improves Ad Performance – In paid ads (like Google Ads), better CTR can reduce CPC (Cost Per Click).
- Helps Optimize Content – Low CTR identifies areas needing better headlines, meta descriptions, or visuals.
CTR Formula:
iniCopyEditCTR = (Clicks / Impressions) × 100
Example:
If your ad received 500 impressions and 25 clicks:
(25 ÷ 500) × 100 = 5% CTR
Ways to Improve CTR:
- Write compelling and clear meta titles and descriptions.
- Use power words or numbers in headlines.
- Add rich snippets like ratings, pricing, or FAQs.
- Optimize URLs and use relevant keywords.
- A/B test ad copies or subject lines.
Example:
If your blog post appears in Google Search 1,000 times and gets 70 clicks, the CTR is 7%.