Definition
Average CTR (Click-Through Rate) is the ratio between the number of clicks and the number of impressions of your site in search results, expressed as a percentage. A 5% CTR means that out of 100 impressions, 5 users clicked your result. CTR varies enormously by position: the first organic position has an average CTR of 27-31%, the second position 15-17%, and the tenth position 2-3%. CTR is also influenced by query type, the presence of SERP features (featured snippets, People Also Ask, ads), and the quality of your titles and meta descriptions. A CTR above average for a given position is a positive signal that Google may take into account.
Key Points
- Click-to-impression ratio as a percentage -- an indicator of SERP attractiveness
- Varies strongly by position: ~30% in 1st position, ~2-3% in 10th
- Optimizable through titles, descriptions, and structured data (rich snippets)
Practical Examples
CTR optimization without ranking change
By changing a page's title tag from 'Link Building Guide 2026' to 'Link Building: 7 Strategies to Double Your Backlinks [2026 Guide],' the CTR goes from 3.2% to 6.8% with no change in position.
Analysis by position
A CTR audit reveals pages in positions 3-5 have a CTR 40% below industry average, signaling titles and descriptions that need optimization for those queries.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on position and industry. In position 1, aim for 25-35% CTR. In positions 3-5, 5-10% is acceptable. The key is to compare your CTR against the average for your position and identify pages where it is abnormally low.
Google has never confirmed using CTR as a direct ranking factor. However, many correlation studies show that above-average CTR is associated with better rankings. At minimum, a good CTR directly increases your traffic.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07