How do you calculate CTR?
You calculate CTR by dividing clicks by impressions and multiplying the result by 100. The formula is: CTR = (clicks ÷ impressions) × 100%. A result shown 2,000 times that earns 80 clicks has a CTR of 4%.
The definitions of the two inputs differ slightly between tools. In Google Search Console, a click is a click from Google to your site, and an impression counts each time a link to your site appears in results, including items that the user has to scroll or expand. In Google Ads, an impression is each time your ad is shown.
Types of CTR
CTR is measured in four main marketing channels, and each has its own typical range.
Organic CTR
Organic CTR shows how often searchers click your unpaid result in Google. It depends on position, title, meta description, rich results and the SERP features above you. You find it in the Search Console Performance report per query and per page.
Paid search CTR
Paid search CTR measures clicks on text ads. Google Ads uses it to estimate expected CTR, one of the components of Ad Rank, so a higher CTR helps you win better ad positions at a lower cost. This is one of the first things I check when running Google Ads campaigns.
Display and social CTR
Banner and social ads usually have much lower CTR than search ads, because users are not actively looking for a product when they see them.
Email CTR
Email CTR is the share of recipients who click a link in a message. Some tools divide by delivered emails, others by opens, so always check the denominator before comparing.
CTR benchmarks in 2025 and 2026
A good CTR depends on channel, industry and position, so compare against data from the same context.
| Context | CTR | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Google search ads, all industries | 6.66% | WordStream, Apr 2024 to Mar 2025, 16,446 US campaigns |
| Google search ads, Arts and Entertainment | 13.10% | WordStream 2025 |
| Organic position 1, AI Overview keywords | 2.6% | Ahrefs, March 2025, desktop |
| Organic position 1, informational keywords without AI Overview | 3.1% | Ahrefs, March 2025, desktop |
CTR in SEO and AI search
CTR is a key SEO metric because ranking without clicks brings no traffic. In April 2025, Ahrefs analysed 300,000 keywords and found that an AI Overview lowers the click-through rate of the top result by 34.5%. Its February 2026 update, comparing December 2025 with December 2023, measured a 58% lower average CTR for the first result when an AI Overview appears.
In my client reports I no longer judge SEO by CTR alone. When CTR drops while impressions rise, the page often still wins visibility as a cited source in AI answers, which is why I track citations next to clicks. I explain this approach in how to measure SEO results.
How to improve CTR
- Write titles that match the search intent and include the main keyword.
- Add structured data to earn rich results such as FAQ, product or review snippets.
- Test meta descriptions with a clear benefit and a number.
- Use ad assets (sitelinks, callouts) in Google Ads to take more space.
CTR vs conversion rate
| CTR | Conversion rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Measures | Clicks ÷ impressions | Conversions ÷ visits or clicks |
| Stage | Before the visit | After the visit |
| Improved by | Titles, ads, snippets | Landing page, offer, CRO |
A high CTR with a low conversion rate usually means the snippet promises something the page does not deliver. Treat both as linked KPIs.
Frequently asked questions about CTR
What is a good CTR?
A good CTR depends on the channel and industry. WordStream's 2025 benchmarks put the average Google search ad CTR at 6.66%, while organic CTR for the top result is usually lower when an AI Overview is shown.
How is CTR calculated?
CTR equals clicks divided by impressions, multiplied by 100. For example, 50 clicks from 1,000 impressions give a 5% CTR.
Do AI Overviews reduce CTR?
Yes, AI Overviews reduce the CTR of organic results. Ahrefs measured a 34.5% drop for the top result in 2025 and a 58% lower average CTR in its 2026 update.
Is CTR a Google ranking factor?
In Google Ads, CTR feeds expected CTR, which is part of Ad Rank. For organic search, Google does not list CTR as a ranking factor in its documentation, but a low CTR still means lost traffic.
Related terms
- Clickthrough rate (CTR): Definition · Google Ads Help
- Performance report (Search) metrics · Google Search Console Help
- AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 34.5% · Ahrefs
- AI Overviews reduce clicks: 2026 update · Ahrefs
- Google Ads Benchmarks 2025 · WordStream by LocaliQ
