Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Written by Priya Nair, Senior Content Editor Reviewed by Vikram Sen, Technical Reviewer Last updated: June 1, 2026 Last verified: June 1, 2026 · Methodology · Accuracy policy

A core Search Console / ads metric. Higher CTR can signal stronger titles and snippets—but volume and position still matter.

CTR % = (clicks ÷ impressions) × 100.

Tip: Keep “Clicks” and “Impressions” on the same basis (period, units, and population) before calculating Click-Through Rate (CTR).

Cluster: SEO calculators hub · Marketing hub · Percentage guide

CTR measures how often people click after seeing your result or ad.

Enter clicks and impressions for the same query, page, or campaign window.

CTR %

Understanding Click-Through Rate (CTR)

How we calculate. CTR % = (clicks ÷ impressions) × 100. The form uses the same arithmetic as the worked examples on this page. See our methodology and accuracy policy.

Real-world scenario: A typical Click-Through Rate (CTR) case uses clicks 480 and impressions 12000. Enter the same figures below to reproduce the worked path.

What is Click-Through Rate (CTR)?

A core Search Console / ads metric. Higher CTR can signal stronger titles and snippets—but volume and position still matter.

Same window for clicks and impressions
Position affects CTR heavily
Brand queries skew averages

The Formula

Click-Through Rate

CTR % = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100

Worked Example

Scenario: A query got 12,000 impressions and 480 clicks.

Step 1: Clicks = 480

Step 2: Impressions = 12000

Step 3: (480 ÷ 12000) × 100 = 4%

Answer: CTR is 4%.

Common Use Cases

Title/meta tests: compare CTR before/after
Ads: creative performance
Query audits: find high-impression low-CTR opportunities

Pro Tips

Segment by device and country
Exclude branded when studying non-brand CTR
Pair with position data

Limitations: Click-Through Rate (CTR) results are educational SEO planning aids—not guarantees of rankings or traffic. Search algorithms and attribution models vary.

FAQ

GSC vs ads CTR?

Same formula; sources and attribution differ. Do not mix them in one average.

What is a good CTR?

It depends on position and intent. Compare to your own baselines by query class.

Authoritative References

For search and analytics guidance, consult:

Google Search Central — crawling, indexing, and ranking documentation
W3C — web standards that affect crawlable HTML
Google Analytics Help — engagement and traffic metrics