# Click-through rate (CTR) Click through rate, CTR, is the share of impressions that become clicks. You use it to judge how your result earns attention, not how high it ranks. This page shows the formula, how to read it, and how to fix low CTR on small sites. Updated 2026-09-13 · Source: https://porteur.ai/glossary/click-through-rate ## Definition and formula Click through rate, CTR, is clicks divided by impressions. In Search Console, an impression is counted when a link to your page appears on a results page a user loaded. For web search it counts even if the user did not scroll to it. CTR = clicks ÷ impressions. For a small site, CTR helps you spot pages that are seen but not chosen. It does not measure quality alone. It reflects your title, snippet, brand and the results page layout. > Average position is the mean of your highest link on each impression. One page can average 8 while appearing at 3 and at 40. Read CTR alongside position. ## Why CTR depends on position and the results page Position sets how many people even see your result. Higher positions usually earn higher CTR. Results pages vary, which shifts the baseline you should expect. - Brand queries tend to get higher CTR than generic ones. - Rich features can lower CTR for everyone: featured snippets, People also ask, maps, videos. - Sitelinks or rich snippets on your result can lift CTR without a rank change. - On Discover and some carousels, impressions count only when seen, so CTR patterns differ. ## How to read CTR in Search Console 1. **Open Performance and select Search results** Tick Total clicks, Total impressions, Average CTR and Average position. 2. **Set dates** Use the last 28 days, then compare with the 28 before. The report holds up to 16 months if you need longer context. 3. **Switch between Pages and Queries** Pages helps you find weak titles. Queries shows intent differences. Rare and anonymised queries are omitted, so query totals are lower than page totals. 4. **Filter by device and country** Mobile SERPs often show more features. Expect lower CTR at the same position on mobile. 5. **Slice by position** Add a Position filter, for example positions 3 to 10, then sort by CTR to find outliers. A page at average position 5 with CTR near zero is a red flag. ## Use CTR to find title problems Low CTR at a steady position often signals a weak title. Start on the Pages tab. Sort by impressions. Look for pages with middling positions and poor CTR. 1. **Open a weak page** Example: /pricing sits at average position 4 with CTR well below peers for the same terms. 2. **Check the query mix** On Queries, confirm non brand terms dominate. Brand-heavy pages will naturally have higher CTR. 3. **Review the title tag** Aim for about 60 characters. Put the core term first. Avoid repeating your brand if it already shows in the URL or sitelinks. 4. **Rewrite for intent** Match what searchers want. For “email api pricing”, prefer “Email API pricing and limits” over “Pricing”. 5. **Ship and monitor** Update the title tag. Keep the URL and topic stable. Recheck CTR and position after a few days and over 28 days. A fixed page reads like this on the results page: clear term first, benefit or qualifier after, no truncation, and a meta description that reinforces the click. ## Traps and false alarms - Impressions can rise without scrolls on web search, pushing CTR down even if nothing broke. - Average position can improve while CTR drops if new SERP features push clicks lower. - Multiple URLs for the same query split impressions and clicks. Fix keyword cannibalisation and consolidate. - Query tables never add up to page totals. Rare and anonymised queries are omitted by design. - Seasonality and brand demand move CTR. Compare like for like periods. - If a URL shows as Alternate page with proper canonical tag, it is purposefully not indexed. Fix only if the canonical is wrong, not for CTR. ## Questions ### What is a good CTR? There is no single good CTR. It depends on position, brand versus generic intent, and the SERP layout. Judge a page against peers at a similar position for the same intent and device, then aim to beat that. ### How do you calculate CTR? CTR = clicks divided by impressions. In Search Console, both are counted per impression of a results page your link appeared on. For web search, an impression counts even if the user did not scroll to your result. ### Why did CTR drop while position stayed the same? The results page likely changed. A new featured snippet, People also ask, or video pack can siphon clicks. Your own snippet may also have worsened, for example a truncated title after a change. ### Are Google CTR numbers accurate? Search Console aggregates per impression and per click. It omits rare and anonymised queries in the Queries view, so query totals are lower than page or site totals. Use trends and comparisons rather than chasing a single exact number. ### How is CTR different from conversion rate? CTR measures the share of impressions that become clicks from the results page. Conversion rate measures on-site actions after the click. Use CTR to improve earning the click, then use analytics for what happens after. ### Will changing my title hurt rankings? If you keep the topic and intent the same, a clearer title usually helps. Avoid clickbait. Do not change the URL for a title test. Monitor both position and CTR over 28 days. ## Read next - [Impressions](https://porteur.ai/glossary/impressions): What an impression is in Search Console, how it is counted, why impressions can rise without clicks, and what to fix on a small site. - [Clicks](https://porteur.ai/glossary/clicks): What clicks mean in Search Console, why they differ from sessions, how to read the metric, and what to change on small sites. - [Average position](https://porteur.ai/glossary/average-position): What average position means in Search Console, how Google averages it per impression, how to read it by page and query, and what to act on. - [Title tag](https://porteur.ai/glossary/title-tag): A title tag is the HTML title of a page. See how long it should be, why Google rewrites it, what to put in it, and how to fix weak titles. - [Title tag length: what fits, what Google rewrites, and how to write one](https://porteur.ai/guides/title-tag-length): About 60 characters is a safe line. Learn pixels versus characters, why Google rewrites titles, and how to write titles that earn clicks. - [The Search Console performance report, column by column](https://porteur.ai/guides/search-console-performance-report): Every column in the Google Search Console performance report explained with the traps that trip small sites, and how to act on each. - [Bounce rate](https://porteur.ai/glossary/bounce-rate): Bounce rate is the share of sessions that were not engaged. See when a high rate is fine, when it is a problem, and what to change first. - [Conversion rate](https://porteur.ai/glossary/conversion-rate): Conversion rate is conversions divided by eligible visits or visitors in a period. Learn how to define, measure and use it on a small site. Paste your homepage URL to get a free read on the searches you appear on, your rivals on them, and three CTR fixes to try first. Free check: https://porteur.ai/