CTR (click-through rate) is the share of impressions that turn into clicks: clicks divided by impressions. It is reported for ads, organic search results, emails and social posts, and it measures how compelling a listing is to the people who saw it, not whether those clicks were worth anything.
What is click-through rate?
Google Ads defines CTR as a ratio showing how often people who see your ad or free product listing end up clicking it: clicks ÷ impressions.1Source 1 · Google Ads HelpClickthrough rate (CTR): Definitionsupport.google.com Search Console uses the same calculation for organic results, where an impression is counted when a user sees, or potentially sees, a link to your site in Google results, generally whether or not it was scrolled into view.2Source 2 · Search Console HelpWhat are impressions, position, and clicks?support.google.com
Worked example
| Listing | Impressions | Clicks | CTR | Conversions | Conv. rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search ad A | 60,000 | 1,800 | 3.0% | 72 | 4.0% |
| Search ad B | 60,000 | 2,700 | 4.5% | 54 | 2.0% |
| Organic page, avg. position 2.1 | 48,000 | 3,360 | 7.0% | 101 | 3.0% |
What is a good CTR?
Google’s own guidance is that a good CTR is relative to what you are advertising and on which networks.1Source 1 · Google Ads HelpClickthrough rate (CTR): Definitionsupport.google.com In organic search, CTR is driven heavily by position and by what else appears on the page, so compare a query’s CTR with its own history at a similar average position rather than with a sitewide average. In Google Ads, expected CTR is one of three Quality Score components, alongside ad relevance and landing page experience; Quality Score itself is a diagnostic, not an input to the ad auction.3Source 3 · Google Ads HelpAbout Quality Score for Search campaignssupport.google.com For a step-by-step method, see SEO reporting with Search Console and GA4.
Common mistakes
- Averaging CTRs across campaigns. Recompute from summed clicks and impressions.
- Comparing branded and non-branded queries in one number; branded CTR is naturally much higher.
- Optimizing CTR alone, which rewards curiosity over intent.
- Mixing email CTR definitions: clicks ÷ delivered and clicks ÷ opens (click-to-open rate) are different metrics.
How to track CTR in Kimo
Kimo reads impressions and clicks from Search Console, Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn and email tools like Mailchimp, and always recomputes CTR from the raw counts. The SEO view flags queries whose CTR dropped while position held steady, often a sign that a competitor or an AI answer is taking the click. The SEO funnel template ties CTR to signups.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my CTR drop when rankings did not change?
Does a high CTR improve ad performance?
Sources
3 references- Clickthrough rate (CTR): Definition (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Helpsupport.google.com
CTR = clicks ÷ impressions; a good CTR is relative to what you advertise and where.
- What are impressions, position, and clicks? (opens in a new tab)Search Console Helpsupport.google.com
Organic impressions, clicks, position and CTR definitions.
- About Quality Score for Search campaigns (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Helpsupport.google.com
Expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience as Quality Score components.
External sources were accessed at the time of writing. Kimo product details, customers and figures in examples are illustrative unless a source is cited.
