Click-Through Rate — the percentage of people who click on a link after seeing it.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) is a metric that measures what percentage of people who see a link, ad, or search result actually click on it. CTR = (Clicks / Impressions) × 100. In SEO, CTR measures how often searchers click on your result when it appears in the SERP. In paid advertising (PPC), it measures ad engagement. A higher CTR means your title, description, or ad copy is more compelling.
In SEO, a higher CTR can indirectly improve rankings as Google uses engagement signals. In PPC, a higher CTR improves Quality Score, which can lower your cost-per-click. In email marketing, CTR measures how effectively your email drives action.
If your ad is shown 10,000 times and 300 people click it, your CTR is 3%. Google Ads average CTR varies by industry — typically 2–5% for search ads.
For Google Search Ads, 3–5% is typically good. For organic search results, the #1 position averages 28% CTR. For email, 2–5% CTR is typical depending on the industry.
SERP
Search Engine Results Page — the page Google (or any search engine) returns in response to a query.
Organic Traffic
Website visitors who arrive via unpaid search engine results.
CPC
Cost Per Click — the amount paid each time someone clicks on a paid advertisement.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action (purchase, signup, etc.).