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Glossary

What Is Click-Through Rate?

Click-Through Rate is the proportion of people who select a link, advertisement or search result after seeing it. The metric shows how effectively a page element earns clicks from its available impressions. Analysts use Click-Through Rate to assess search snippets, paid advertisements, email links and other digital touchpoints.

Quick Facts About Click-Through Rate

Category

Web analytics metric

Used for

Assessing link and advertisement engagement

Common confusion

It does not measure completed conversions

Also called

CTR

Often discussed with

Web Analytics, On-Page SEO

Key Takeaways About Click-Through Rate

  • Click-Through Rate measures response to an impression, not completed conversions.
  • Search position, wording and audience intent can influence the result.
  • Click-Through Rate is not the same as conversion rate.

How Click-Through Rate Works

A hand uses a computer mouse beside a sheet labeled “Click-Through Rate” on a desk

Click-Through Rate compares clicks with the impressions that made those clicks possible. A search result earns an impression when it appears in a results page, while an advertisement earns one when the advertising platform displays it. The calculation divides clicks by impressions and expresses the relationship as a percentage.

Related glossary terms: Impressions, Organic Traffic, Search Console.

Search teams inspect Click-Through Rate alongside search queries, landing pages and positions. A result with clear wording can attract more relevant visits, while a high rate can still lead to weak outcomes if the landing page does not match the searcher’s intent. Impressions show visibility, whereas conversion rate records the proportion of visits that complete a desired action.

Hands hold a card reading "CLICK-THROUGH RATE" beside a laptop with charts on a wooden desk

Expert Note

When we review Click-Through Rate, we segment the data by query, landing page and traffic source. We check whether changes to titles or descriptions attract relevant visits, then compare the result with engagement and conversion signals.

Click-Through Rate in Practice: A Real-World Example

A Geelong trade business may receive search impressions for a service page but few visits when the result title does not match the searcher’s wording. Revising the title and description can change Click-Through Rate while the page content and enquiry process remain unchanged.

Related Terms

Impressions

Impressions are the number of times a webpage, advertisement or listing is displayed to a person…

Organic Traffic

Organic Traffic is visits to a website that come from unpaid listings in search engine results…

Search Console

Search Console is a free Google service that helps website owners monitor how pages appear in…

Meta Description

A Meta Description is a brief HTML element that summarises a webpage for search engine results…

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