Free tool
CTR Calculator
CTR is the share of your impressions that turn into a click. Set a target rate and see how many clicks you gain without buying a single extra impression.
CTR (click-through rate) is the share of impressions that produce a click. You get it by dividing clicks by impressions and multiplying by 100. On Google Ads, expected CTR is one component of Quality Score, so it moves your cost as much as your volume.
Your CTR, in impressions
How CTR is calculated
CTR = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100
1,400 clicks on 100,000 impressions give 1.4 %. Moving to 2 % on the same impressions would return 2,000 clicks, which is 600 more without buying a single extra impression.
It is the one metric in the account that works both ways at once: more clicks for the same budget, and a lower cost per click, since expected CTR feeds Quality Score and therefore Ad Rank. Improving CTR is the only optimisation that raises volume and lowers price at the same time.
What CTR does not tell you
- It says nothing about click quality. An ad that over-promises earns a high CTR and a collapsed conversion rate. The two get read together, never one without the other.
- It does not compare across networks. A Search CTR and a Display CTR measure different intent: on Search the person typed something, on Display they were looking at something else.
- Brand inflates it. An account bidding on its own name shows a flattering blended CTR that hides the generic campaigns, the only ones doing acquisition.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate CTR?
Divide clicks by impressions, then multiply by 100. For 1,400 clicks and 100,000 impressions: (1,400 ÷ 100,000) × 100 = 1.4 %.
What is a good CTR?
It depends on the network, the format and above all how much brand traffic sits in the account. On generic Search campaigns, the comparison that counts is your own ad groups against each other: the one falling behind is the subject.
Does CTR affect cost per click?
Yes. Expected CTR is a component of Quality Score, which feeds Ad Rank: at equal bids, an ad earning more clicks reaches the same positions at a lower cost.
CTR falling on some ad groups only?
A CTR dropping on part of the account shows up in search terms and served ads, never in the account average.
Bring My CTR Back Up
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