What is Click-Through Rate (CTR)?
TL;DR
Click-through rate is the percentage of users who click on your search result or ad after seeing it.
Definition
Click-through rate is the percentage of users who click on your search result or ad after seeing it. In organic search, CTR is calculated as clicks divided by impressions (how many times your result appeared in search results).
Why It Matters
CTR is a signal of relevance and appeal. A high CTR tells search engines and AI systems that your result is relevant and appealing for that query, which can improve rankings. Optimizing titles and meta descriptions improves CTR.
Examples
- A result shown 1,000 times and clicked 50 times has a 5% CTR
- A compelling title and description increasing CTR from 2% to 5% - a 150% increase in traffic from the same rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
What is click-through rate (CTR) in SEO?
Click-through rate is the percentage of users who click on your search result after seeing it. In organic search, CTR is calculated as clicks divided by impressions (how many times your result appeared in search results).
Does CTR affect SEO rankings?
CTR is a signal of relevance and appeal. A high CTR tells search engines and AI systems that your result is relevant for that query, which can improve rankings. Optimizing titles and meta descriptions improves CTR.
How do I improve my CTR?
Write compelling, descriptive title tags (50-60 characters). Create accurate, engaging meta descriptions (150-160 characters). Use rich snippets via schema markup. Match search intent. A/B test different titles to find what generates the most clicks.
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