The click-through rate (CTR) is a key figure that indicates the ratio of clicks on an ad, link, or other online element to the number of people who saw the ad, link, or element. The CTR is usually expressed as a percentage and is an important indicator of the effectiveness of online marketing measures such as search engine advertising (SEA), e-mail marketing, or display advertising.
Click-through rate calculation
The CTR is calculated by dividing the number of clicks by the number of impressions (view contacts) and multiplying the result by 100. The formula for calculating the CTR is:
CTR (%) = (clicks / impressions) × 100
For example, if an ad is displayed 1000 times (1000 impressions) and clicked 50 times, the CTR is 5 %.
Relevance of click-through rate for various online marketing disciplines
The CTR is important in various areas of online marketing, e.g.:
- Search Engine Advertising (SEA): The CTR is an important factor for the quality of an ad in Google Ads or similar platforms. A high CTR can usually lead to a better ad position and possibly lower bidding costs.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The CTR of organic search results can serve as an indicator of the relevance and attractiveness of search results and meta tags (titles, descriptions). A high CTR can also help improve the ranking of web pages in search results.
- Email marketing: The CTR for links in emails shows the effectiveness of email campaigns and can indicate the recipients' interest in the advertised content or offers.
- Social Media Marketing: The CTR of sponsored posts or ads in social networks provides information about the performance of campaigns and can help to optimize target group-specific addressing and content.
Click-through rate optimization
There are various strategies and measures to improve the CTR. These include, among others, the optimization of ad texts, call-to-action buttons or the testing of different target group approaches. The selection of suitable keywords, the use of appealing and relevant content, and the adaptation of advertising formats can also help to increase the CTR.
