Click-through rate CTR

Why it matters

CTR tells you whether your message earns a click once it is seen. A low CTR means the ad or listing is not speaking to the searcher, so you pay for views that go nowhere or, in organic search, you rank but don't get the visit.

It shows up in two places. In Google Ads, CTR feeds expected click-through rate, a component of Quality Score, so a better CTR can lower what you pay per click. In Search Console, CTR is clicks divided by impressions for your pages in organic results, which makes it a quick way to spot a page that ranks but has a weak title.

How to improve it

• Match the search. Put the words people used in the headline. A clinic ad that says "Dentist in Anna Nagar" beats one that says "Quality care you can trust".
• Say something specific. A price band, an offer, a timing or a distinguishing fact beats a generic claim.
• Test copy, one change at a time, and give each version enough impressions to mean something.
• Rewrite organic titles and descriptions for pages with plenty of impressions and few clicks.

Common mistakes

• Chasing CTR alone. A clickbait ad can have a great CTR and zero sales. Check it against conversion rate and cost per acquisition.
• Comparing across different placements. Search ads, display and social feeds have very different normal rates.
• Reading a few hundred impressions as a verdict.
• Forgetting position. A page at position 1 earns a very different CTR from one at position 8.