Click-through rate, or CTR, shows how often people who see your content go on to click a link. The formula is: clicks divided by impressions, multiplied by 100. A post with 5,000 impressions and 100 link clicks has a CTR of 2%.
CTR is a key metric for posts and ads that aim to drive traffic, sign-ups or sales. It tells you how compelling your creative, copy and call to action are. Platforms may count clicks differently, so check whether a figure includes all clicks or only link clicks.
To improve CTR, make the value of clicking obvious, use a clear CTA, match the visual to the destination and target the right audience.
Questions about Click-Through Rate (CTR)
How do you calculate click-through rate?
Divide the number of clicks by the number of impressions and multiply by 100. For example, 80 clicks from 4,000 impressions gives a 2% CTR. Make sure you compare like with like, such as link clicks rather than all clicks.
What is a good click-through rate on social media?
It varies widely by platform, industry, format and whether the post is organic or paid. Rather than chasing a universal figure, compare against your own past posts and campaigns, and aim to improve over time.
What is the difference between CTR and conversion rate?
CTR measures how many people click after seeing your content. Conversion rate measures how many of those people then complete a goal, like buying or signing up. A high CTR with low conversions often points to a landing page problem.
